“We’re going on a short break. I’ll be right back!”
The way Billy stormed out of the training grounds made it clear that he wasn’t in a great mood. The onlookers could clearly see that Rey, who had been a nobody until now, had managed to get under Billy’s skin merely by using unexpected tactics during their match. The gazes they now directed towards him was one of silent admiration and pride. While they weren’t the ones who won, it still felt good! ******** ‘So many eyes are on me…’ Rey was currently lying on the grassy plains, his eyes tightly shut as he enjoyed the fresh air and nice weather. He didn’t particularly like the attention that was being showered on him, yet he understood it was unavoidable. ‘This is the price for standing out…’ However, Rey was certain that even if he had lost to Billy, he would still have attracted a ton of attention—though not for positive reasons. He would have been pitied and seen as weak prey. ‘I don’t want that. Just because I prefer not to stand out, doesn’t mean I want to be shit on.’ As Rey went over these thoughts, he caught snippets of hushed murmurs and surprised whispers from his classmates. At the same time, he could hear soft footsteps approaching him. “Hey, Rey. Can we talk for a minute?” The voice was familiar, and Rey slowly opened his eyes to find her standing over him, hands on her hips. ‘Trisha… huh…?’ ‘From this angle… I can see quite a lot.’ Rey thought to himself, not sure if his cheeks were red or not. Trisha was extremely fit. She had an insane body, and her lean muscles perfectly complemented her slender figure. Despite her toned body, she had a large pair of boobs, and her ass wasn’t lacking either. Of everything, though, Trisha’s thighs were the main attraction. They seemed so curvy and sexy that even Rey couldn’t help but stare at them from time to time. He consoled himself with the fact that he wasn't alone in admiring them; it seemed everyone couldn't resist stealing a glance at Trisha's luscious thighs. He had caught several boys and even girls gawking at Trisha’s tanned thighs. ‘And now they’re in sight…’ Rey swallowed hard, his gaze lingering on the captivating sight before him, savoring every moment he could. "Hey! Are you even listening to me?" Trisha's sharp voice snapped Rey out of his daydream, forcing his attention back to her face. "H-huh?" Rey blinked, refocusing on Trisha's frowning expression, causing a shiver of fear to run down his spine. ‘She caught me staring, didn’t she?’ “U-um… what were you saying?” Rey managed to croak out, hoping that would make her ignore his shameless behavior. Trisha was the most influential person in Beta Class. If she decided to make him a target, then he would be in for a rough ride. “Urgh! I knew you weren’t paying attention.” Before Rey could say a word in his defense, Trisha squatted, bringing her face closer to his. Of course, that meant the temptation to stare at her legs had increased exponentially. The fact that Trisha was fond of wearing fitted tank tops and extremely skimpy shorts didn’t help matters. ‘Control yourself, Rey! Please have some decency!’ Fortunately, he was able to do just that. “I was asking about how you were able to apply new changes to the Martial Arts moves you used,” Trisha asked, her expression still serious despite her close proximity to him. However, something about the sincere curiosity in her eyes made her seem less scary than normal. “They aren’t really changes, but—” “I know. Variations of the same moves, right? But what made you think of tweaking the fixed technique? We were never told that it was a malleable technique, and our instructor was also very strict about getting it right.” Rey knew she didn’t directly say it, but Trisha was also poking at his silly excuse for using those eight steps instead of six. ‘She knows it wasn’t by accident…’ Rey found himself smiling as he stared at her face and thought of all she said. He found himself drawn to Trisha's straightforward personality, appreciating her no-nonsense approach. She was fierce, and her blunt nature reminded him of a certain girl whom he constantly met at the library. ‘Well, Alicia is different, but…’ Rey shook his head and mentally cut off that train of thought. He knew full well where they would lead him if he continued. “I just think Martial Arts should be dynamic. Especially in this world.” “But specific forms exist for a reason. By following their sequence and connecting the steps, it's more efficient and—" “This isn’t Earth.” Rey answered, sharply interrupting Trisha before she could say any more.” “W-what…?” “We're in a world of Magic and Skills now. This isn’t our old world anymore.” He reiterated. Confusion flickered across Trisha's face. "What are you getting at?" “It means you need to stop thinking like you’re going to be fighting in tournaments or street brawls. We’re going to be up against monsters… dragons…” Rey explained calmly, watching as realization dawned in Trisha's widening eyes. ‘It seems she’s getting it.’ His smile grew broader. “So… what do you suggest we… no I do? I… I want to get stronger… much stronger.” As Trisha said this, she cast her gaze on her hand. It seemed she was distracted by a certain line of thought. Perhaps it was a fleeting memory. “Stop thinking like a Martial Artist. You have Skills now. Powers that are more effective than merely swinging your blade. You should be trying to incorporate everything you learn and know into those Skills, not the other way around.” According to Rey, one’s Skills were the foundation upon which to build every other ability. Martial Arts had to be learned and mastered to enhance the Skills one had, and not the Skills being used to properly utilize Martial Arts. “In the end, we are not like the people of this world. We already have these powerful abilities at our disposal. Every growth we make should be with that in mind.” As Rey finished speaking, he found Trisha smiling at him. This was perhaps the first time he had seen her smiling up close. It was… beautiful! “You’re a lot smarter than I thought, Rey Skylar.” Rey didn’t like being called by his full name. However, he didn’t feel any aversion when he heard Trisha say it. Her pronunciation of his name was perfect, conveying respect and acknowledgment in a way that resonated with Rey. “If I want to survive in this world… I have no other choice.” Rey responded. Trisha rose to her feet, keeping her gaze on Rey. “I’ll be watching you closely from now on.” The moment he heard that Rey gulped. ‘Did I say too much?’ He asked himself. “I’d rather you don’t. It would be a waste of your time…” “I don’t think it will.” “There’s nothing spectacular about me. I’m actually being serious right now.” As he said this, Trisha’s smile grew broader. “You liar…” She refused to elaborate on her words and just left. ‘What in the world…?’ Rey couldn't make sense of the conversation they just had or what it meant for him. It seemed his decision to humiliate Billy had backfired on him. ‘I now have a target on my back.’ * * * [A/N] Thanks for reading! New Waifu detected? I wonder…Rey took in a deep breath.He had never been in an actual sale before, but that didn’t stop him from trying his best.Besides, there were a bunch of things he hadn’t done before, but he still managed to scale through them on the first try.‘Fighting monsters is a good example…’Currently, he was walking a fine line.‘I have to be careful.’“The Grade is considerably high, and since this is a wholesale, you should know that I have over a thousand pieces,” Rey finally spoke, his voice clear and his tone confident.“I am well aware, but—”“I am also well aware of your procedures. However, I have mine. And that entails speaking to a higher-up when it comes to business of this scale.”Rey could already see anxiety creep in on the face of the man in glasses.He just had to keep pushing.“We’re talking goods worth hundreds, if not thousands of Platinum Coins. Do you really think you are sufficient to handle such a trade? Will you take full responsibility?”“S-sir, I’m just doing my job…” the
LISA POV"Run without looking back!" Sophia whispered to me through the hedge in the fence as she pushed me towards the forest outside the border.I hesitated to go alone and tried to drag her to come along with me."Come with me, we can escape together. You don't like it here any more than I do," I said, pleading with her for the umpteenth time."No, it's fine," She said, shaking her head adamantly. "I need to cover up your tracks for some time so they won't find out you're gone quickly and come after you. Just don't forget me out there, Lisa. I'll miss you while you're gone," She said as she embraced me tightly."I won't, I'll miss you too," I said, basking in the familiar warmth of her hug as I fought to hold back my tears. I knew it was futile trying to get her to change her mind. Sophia could be stubborn like that.I took a step back and studied her trying to imprint the features of my best friend in my mind one last time. Her auburn hair, piercing green eyes, porcelain skin an
Jeremy's POVThe warmth of the jacuzzi and that of the three women in my arms kept the cold at bay. The music was loud, the crowd was lively, overall it was a good night. While I drowned myself with alcohol, I had beautiful women by my side to keep me from getting cold. I pulled the blonde by my left closer without warning, and she collapsed on my body, a maniacal smile plastered on her face. Her hard silicone breasts pressed hard against my chest while we graced each other with the softness of our lips. Twenty seconds later, she hopped off my body, and paved the way for her dark haired colleague. Purposefully, she circled my hips around mine. The warmth of my hard outline embraced the softness of her buttocks, and my hands folded around her heavy breasts roughly. She moaned gutturally into the depths of my mouth, her curved lips exhaling a testament to the overflowing passion and heat between us. Realizing that their colleague had spent more than twenty seconds on my body, the oth
Lisa's POVI struggled against my bonds as I was roughly dragged by one of the goons as we went to the palace. I couldn't believe that this was happening. I had been captured by the werewolves after all despite my best attempts. They had learnt their lessons the hard way so my hands were tied behind stopping me from using my powers to escape.They all must have looked an intimidating sight to anyone watching judging from their appearance. The sentinels around must have never heard of shirts as their upper bodies were bare leaving their well defined muscles to all and sundry. In a different world I would have swooned at the sight of all these hot male bodies around me.The brazen show of bodies was something that creatures like the vampires wouldn't do. They more much too noble and proud to behave barbaric. At least in public. When outside, their lords affected a gentlemanly air around them that could fool the unwary. I was pulled out of my thoughts roughly as I stumbled and fell on
Jeremy’s POVThe heavy iron door shut behind me with a bang as Lisa’s desperate cries echoed faintly as I swalked away from her cell. I ignored it as I couldn’t afford to let her words sway me.She was a vampire. A vampire. And not just any vampire—Lord Alireza Firouzja’s daughter. The implications of that alone were enough to make my wolf growl.Mate. My wolf had called her that, back in the woods when I’d pinned her against the tree, her scent—or lack thereof—flooding my senses. It didn’t make sense. She didn’t smell like a wolf and neither did she have the metallic smell of bloodlust that clung to vampires like a second skin. And yet, the pull was there. It was undeniable and it was tugging at me. I’d dismissed it as a mistake at first, some trick of the mind after a long night of hunting. But now, I wasn’t so sure.I emerged from the tunnel into the cool night air, the mist making for poor visibility. The trek back to the palace was short, but my thoughts made it feel endless. L
Lisa’s POV The walls of the cell were stone—cold, damp, and old enough to remember war. They didn’t creak like the rotted beams of my father’s dungeons; they were silent, oppressive. Unyielding. I’d been here less than a day, but time stretched thin in a place like this. No one talked about the amount of boredom that came with staying in a place like this. I felt like I was going insane by the hour. I sat on the narrow cot, legs folded beneath me, hands clasped tight in my lap. There was straw on the floor, clean enough, and a single tray of food had been slid through the iron bars earlier. I hadn’t touched it. Not because I was above eating their food, but because hunger felt distant—muted. Like everything else. I wasn’t sure what hurt more: being imprisoned by strangers or the way Jeremy had walked away from me. Mate. The word throbbed in my chest like a bruise. When he’d pinned me against that tree in the woods, I’d felt the pull too. Not just instinct. Not just fear. Something
Jeremy’s POV The corridor outside Lisa’s cell was quiet, but not empty. As I rounded the corner, the scent hit me first—familiar, sharp, and wearing too much perfume. Skylar. She stepped out from the shadows like she’d been waiting all night. Her arms were crossed, expression tight with purpose. She’d always had that look when we were kids—when she’d caught me sneaking out or lying to the elders. But this wasn’t childhood anymore. “I heard you brought something back from the woods,” she said. I didn’t slow down. “It’s not your concern.” She kept pace beside me, boots echoing on stone. “A rogue witch is everyone’s concern. You’re breaking protocol.” “She’s not rogue.” “Oh, so she’s tame? Is that what you’re calling her now?” I stopped walking. She blinked at my sudden stillness, thrown off. I didn’t look at her. Just stared straight ahead, jaw tight. “She hasn’t hurt anyone,” I said. Skylar snorted. “Yet.” I turned to face her. “What do you want, Sky? She hesitated for hal
Jeremy's POVThe knock came just after dawn.I was already up, pacing. Sleep hadn’t come—couldn’t, not with everything Skylar had said still clanging around in my skull like broken glass in a jar. I opened the door expecting Alex, maybe one of the night guards.It was Erin.She looked pale, nervous. “Alpha… you should check the cell.”I was moving before she finished the sentence.The corridor was colder than usual. Something in the air had shifted, something wrong. My boots echoed down the hallway like warning shots. When I reached the cell, Lisa was standing in the corner, tense, arms folded tightly across her chest. The tray of food lay overturned at her feet, its contents scattered.“What happened?” I asked.She didn’t look at me right away. “You tell me.”I glanced at the mess, then to her. “Did someone—”“Skylar,” she said. “She brought the food. It smelled… off.”I frowned. “Off how?”Lisa’s eyes narrowed. “Like nightshade. Or wolfsbane.”I stepped back, jaw tightening. “You su
Rey took in a deep breath.He had never been in an actual sale before, but that didn’t stop him from trying his best.Besides, there were a bunch of things he hadn’t done before, but he still managed to scale through them on the first try.‘Fighting monsters is a good example…’Currently, he was walking a fine line.‘I have to be careful.’“The Grade is considerably high, and since this is a wholesale, you should know that I have over a thousand pieces,” Rey finally spoke, his voice clear and his tone confident.“I am well aware, but—”“I am also well aware of your procedures. However, I have mine. And that entails speaking to a higher-up when it comes to business of this scale.”Rey could already see anxiety creep in on the face of the man in glasses.He just had to keep pushing.“We’re talking goods worth hundreds, if not thousands of Platinum Coins. Do you really think you are sufficient to handle such a trade? Will you take full responsibility?”“S-sir, I’m just doing my job…” the
“We’re going on a short break. I’ll be right back!”The way Billy stormed out of the training grounds made it clear that he wasn’t in a great mood.The onlookers could clearly see that Rey, who had been a nobody until now, had managed to get under Billy’s skin merely by using unexpected tactics during their match.The gazes they now directed towards him was one of silent admiration and pride.While they weren’t the ones who won, it still felt good!********‘So many eyes are on me…’Rey was currently lying on the grassy plains, his eyes tightly shut as he enjoyed the fresh air and nice weather.He didn’t particularly like the attention that was being showered on him, yet he understood it was unavoidable.‘This is the price for standing out…’However, Rey was certain that even if he had lost to Billy, he would still have attracted a ton of attention—though not for positive reasons.He would have been pitied and seen as weak prey.‘I don’t want that. Just because I prefer not to stand o
"Good morning, everyone! Sir Brutus won’t be here today, so I’ll lead your Martial Arts Class instead.”The shock written on everyone’s face as they stared at the person speaking was priceless.No one could have anticipated this outcome, leaving them all staring in wide-eyed surprise.“Adonis is busy with the Alpha Group, so I guess you’ll have to settle for me.” The one who said this, with a bright smile on his excited face, was none other than Billy McGuire.Both Head Warrior Brutus and Grand Mage Lucielle would be away for the next few days, and there was no one left to teach the students, so they had to teach each other.Initially, when this was announced, everyone assumed that training would be put on hold until their teachers returned. How wrong they were…“This has to be a joke, right? Why are you the one teaching us? You’re practically one of us!”As expected, Adam flared up in rage.It was as if he had been waiting for a moment like this where his anger would be justified.
“G-GERUK!”In Hobgoblin tongue, that meant “Monster!”As the Hobgoblin Chief absorbed the reality of his people's deaths, that word kept playing in his mind over and over again.Dozens of Hobgoblins were slayed in a single moment, and the voice of their killer echoed in depraved laughter as he inflicted an unjust punishment.Just what… what did he and his people do to deserve this?!For the seven months that he had been the Chief of the Hobgoblins, they had enjoyed nothing but peace and prosperity.The Chief had eagerly looked forward to the day when he could relinquish his duties and join his ancestors in the earth. It seemed that day would arrive within a month or two, and he had been anticipating it happily.Yet, this had to happen in his lifetime? During his rulership?Why?!The ancient fables of the Hobgoblin society told of a time when they were the prey of the NightWolves, but thanks to the leadership of the great KoKuKa, the Hob Chief at the time, they were able to turn the
“Sir! It’s such a pleasant surprise to see you!” Rey was instantly greeted by a very excited Aldred Winsley.The man was grinning sheepishly at him. He seemed almost starstruck, like a fan meeting their favorite celebrity for the first time.‘He’s literally gushing…’ was Rey’s impression as he nodded slightly, entering the room.‘I was just asking your subordinate here when we might see you next.’Rey glanced at Noah and noticed him giving an uncomfortable smile.‘Were they pressuring him to convince me to come? Is that why he took so long?’It was just a guess, so Rey dismissed it.“In any case, it really is good to have you here. We have a lot to discuss.”Taking a seat on the sofa, Rey observed as Noah quickly positioned himself behind him.‘Good. He knows how to keep appearances without me needing to tell him…’ Rey felt relieved.Noah seemed to be able to handle himself in business now, but sometimes he was still an indecisive klutz.Like now, when he allowed his time to be delay
“Keuk!”Billy winced as something landed heavily on his stomach, the force of it creating a rush of wind even before impact.Fortunately, his quick step backward lessened the impact of the blow by a considerable degree.‘A-ahh…!’Still, a sharp burning sensation spread across his abdomen, making him grit his teeth to suppress a cry.It stung him, to say the least, but he endured the pain.He also tried to hide his downright shock, but Billy failed woefully at that.His bulging eyes were glued to Rey, who had resumed his standby stance—almost as if prepared to deliver another volley.‘D-did Rey just land a hit… on me?’ Billy stared in disbelief.Sure, Billy was aware that he lacked the advantage of using his incredible Skills, but his Stats were meant to be superior.How was Rey able to do something like that?!‘Calm down, Billy. He just got lucky. Yes… I was distracted and he had a lucky shot.’After chalking it down to a fluke, Billy found himself regaining composure.There was no wa
After the Trial, everyone went their way and Rey had to return to his room.Although he had the freedom to wander the central Living Room, he opted to stay put since he preferred not to.No one could blame him.As night descended and everyone else slept soundly, a certain student couldn’t sleep."Damn it…" He muttered, his eyes were wide open as he stared at the ceiling. Before long, he sat upright and clapped his hand over his face.“I screwed up big time…” He murmured in the dark.It was hard to make out the expression on his face, but it appeared to be a grimace. ‘I didn’t expect to be asked for another testimony. It wasn’t part of the plan…’In the dark of the night, Adam Sanchez lay on the bed going over the earlier events of the day.How he had been humiliated before everyone.“I really fucked up!”“Ahh… don’t blame yourself too much.” A voice suddenly said from the corner of the room.“Eep!”Like a little child, Adam shrieked as he jumped from his position, startled.The figu
In a luxurious office in an undisclosed location, a man stood by the window, paying no attention to the elegant chair and stunning desk behind him.The blond hair on his head was a lot longer than a man’s, but a tad shorter than a woman’s. He had a few wrinkles on his face, indicating his age, and a short beard that was neatly trimmed.His outfit matched the layout of the room—elegant and clearly expensive.He was watching the events of the marketplace—the Black Market—with a smile on his face.As one of the six members of the Obsidian Council, it pleased him to see the community thriving.As he savored the taste of his wine and reminisced, a sharp knock interrupted his thoughts. The man’s emerald eyes snapped towards the door, his smile slowly fading.“Come in.”The door creaked open, revealing a man dressed in a lavish waistcoat and formal attire. Despite his youthful appearance—likely in his early thirties—the wisdom reflected in his gaze betrayed his age. This was Aldred Winsley
[Moments Earlier]“It’s about time…”Adam Sanchez rose from his bed with a resolute expression on his face.As his eyes stared into the distance, his face fixed on the door that stood meters away, he had a vacant expression.His lips trembled slightly as he hid the special dagger in his pocket.‘It’s pretty late now. It’s the perfect moment to strike…’To prepare for this moment, his partner had granted him another Enchanted Item—a Stealth Necklace.Using that, along with his sole B-Tier Skill, Adam figured he could get the job done.‘No matter how strong he is… Adonis will be vulnerable in his sleep!’The floor seemed to creak as Adam took steps forward. It could have been his imagination, but the journey to the door felt longer than usual.Reaching the door at last, he placed his hand on the knob with a gentle touch.“Haaa…” He took a deep breath and calmed himself.Clearing his mind of distractions, Adam focused solely on his goal. His goal was simple, and the stage was set for hi