Chapter 7: A Glimpse into Power
The digital leaderboard shimmered to life, stretching across the sky like a glowing monolith. Holographic letters floated mid-air as the final rankings of the mock hunt locked in.
1st: Yanluo
2nd: nam gung Seo-Yoon
3rd: Ryu haaan
4th: Kwon Chen
5th: Soo-Jin
The world stopped.
The collective breath of hundreds of students hitched in unison.
Someone whispered, "That can’t be right..."
It was right.
Yanluo had taken first place.
Mouths dropped. Whispers rippled like waves.
“Isn’t that the guy who transferred three days ago?”
“No, no—he’s not just a guy now. He’s a monster.”
“Fourth-rank Kwon got beaten?!”
“That dude had a private dungeon license! How the hell?!”
Some students stared in awe. Others in horror. A few in jealousy. But all eyes—all of them—locked onto the black-haired figure standing at the center, calm as stone.
Yanluo’s lips twitched.
“Too easy,” he thought.
But Kwon Chen wasn’t done.
His pride snapped like brittle glass. The veins in his neck bulged, his fists crackled with shadow energy.
"You piece of trash... you stole my kill!"
He roared. phantom blink activated.
A black explosion erupted under his feet as he dashed, faster than sound. His shadow blade extended mid-air, aiming for Yanluo’s throat.
He never made it.
Clink!
Yanluo’s dagger intercepted. Not parried. Intercepted. Like Kwon’s power didn’t matter.
Then—
Yanluo vanished.
Reappeared behind Kwon.
"Begone."
He tapped Kwon’s shoulder lightly.
BOOM!
A shockwave blasted Kwon across the field. He tumbled ten meters and crashed into the mock forest’s wall.
Everyone lost their minds.
"WHAT WAS THAT?!"
"He didn’t even swing—he just touched him!"
"I swear he teleported. Or something worse like travel at the fastest spped is this a skill..."
Before things got uglier, the sky cracked with a thunderous boom. Everyone instinctively dropped to one knee.
A silver-haired man floated down, surrounded by blazing white flames. His uniform shimmered with nine stars—Dean of the school.
“Enough,” the Dean's voice rumbled. “If you desire war, go to the battle continent. Here, we honor skill, not tantrums.”
Kwon Chen, barely conscious, nodded with shame.
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“Yanluo,” the Dean turned to him. “Impressive. You’ve awakened more than just your system... You’ve awakened the entire academy.”
?? The University Recruitment Ceremony Begins
Massive golden scrolls unfurled above the arena, each bearing the insignia of the Top 5 cyruxes Universities. Their deans appeared as holograms, broadcasting live to millions of viewers.
?? Each university offered unique systems:
1st University: Focused on elite martial arts and system evolution
2nd University: Specialized in magic and elemental systems
3rd: Crafted weapons, item forgers, alchemists
4th: Shadow, assassin, and speed-type systems
5th: Known as the "Gamble House"—they took only wildcards, oddballs, and unpredictable prodigies
Kwon Chen was offered a cushy deal by the 4th University—400 points/month, a stealth-type artifact, and access to the Assassin Dome.
Humiliated but prideful, he accepted silently.
Seo-Yoon received every offer. She gracefully bowed to the crowd and chose the 1st University, her golden aura dazzling even the officials.
“She’s their Goddess now,” someone whispered.
Ryu Haan received offers from the 2nd and 5th universities. Without hesitation, he bowed and chose the 2nd. His silence earned him the nickname "Ice Monk."
Then came Yanluo.
Dead silence.
Just two offers.
Confusion buzzed through the students.
“Why only two?”
“Is something wrong with his system?”
“Wait—check the perks—WHAT THE FU—”
?? 5th University Offer
1000 Monthly Points
1 High-Grade Artifact
Private Villa
2 Real Dungeons/Week
24/7 Exclusive Training Chambers
Custom Mentor (of your choice)
Everyone’s jaw collectively hit the floor.
Gasps and murmurs echoed like thunder through the crowd.
Yanluo stood still, hands in his pockets, a shadow of a smirk tugging at his lips.
He glanced around—at the students too afraid to meet his eyes, at the teachers whispering with pale faces, and at the holograms still blinking in disbelief.
He stepped forward and spoke with calm confidence.
“I accept.”
The golden seal of the Fifth University spiraled into the air. A portal, black as midnight and rimmed with glowing symbols, tore itself open behind him. It pulsed like a heartbeat—alive, sentient, and watching.
Before stepping through, he turned.
Seo-Yoon was watching him—eyes narrowed, unreadable.
Kwon Chen, face bruised and pride shattered, glared with a hate that could split mountains.
Ryu Haan just folded his arms, unreadable. A subtle nod followed. Respect? Warning? Yanluo wasn’t sure.
The crowd parted like waves before a storm.
Some students looked at him like he was a god.
Others… like he was a walking apocalypse.
“He came outta nowhere.”
“He beat Chen and topped the leaderboard…”
“And now he’s entering that place?”
“The 5th is cursed, right?”
“Nah… it’s where monsters are made.”
Yanluo took a breath as wind whipped around him.
His thoughts were quiet, focused.
“I’m not here to be seen.”
“I’m here to rise.”
“Let them watch.”
He stepped into the portal.
Everything around him turned to static and light.
The moment he arrived, everything changed.
The main building resembled a black temple merged with a tech lab. Holograms floated freely, ancient runes flickered on every wall. Students in weird cloaks and cybernetic armor sparred with monstrous spirits in midair.
Yanluo was greeted by an elegant woman in cyber-armor.
"Yanluo. Welcome. I’m Shin Jin-Ah, your personal assistant. I’m also an A-rank tactician."
"...Cool," he said flatly.
She guided him through a marble hallway until they reached... a villa.
Not a room. A full-blown 3-story house with its own garden, training room, and artifact forge.
"Don’t get too comfortable," Jin-Ah said with a smirk. "You’ll need it."
Inside the villa, Yanluo activated his Seeker System.
?? [Seeker Points: 12000 SP]
?? [Store Refresh Available]
?? [New Feature Unlocked: Daily Missions]
He browsed the Seeker Store:
Soul Extraction (6200 SP) – Raise a body temporarily; retains 15% skill of the real body
Illusion Maker (1900 SP) – Project false images for 30 seconds
Teleport (3500 SP) – Short-range instant movement
Mind Trick (7200 SP) – Temporarily suggest a thought to someone
Doppelganger (9800 SP) – Clone yourself for 10 seconds
He grinned.
? Purchase: Illusion Maker
? Purchase: Soul Extraction
? Purchase: Teleport
He tested Soul Extraction on a dead sparrow. The bird twitched… then rose. It flapped, flew, and mimicked a nearby student’s fireball spell.
Yanluo’s grin widened.
"Beautiful... With enough bodies, I don’t even have to fight."
He could build his own undead spy network.
Later that night, he activated Illusion Maker—created a false version of himself. He watched from the shadows as a curious student tried to interact with the illusion.
“Oi, who’s there?”
No response.
They walked right through the illusion and panicked.
Yanluo’s laughter echoed across the silent night.
His system beeped.
?? Mission Assigned:
– Dungeon: Wailing Crypt (Rank: C)
– Objective: Survive 20 minutes
– Optional: Extract soul of a dungeon boss
– Bonus: ??? [Hidden Objective]
“Solo run?” he asked.
“Yes,” system from behind. “But remember… this dungeon kills most first-timers. Are you sure you’re ready?”
He pulled out his Soul Dagger.
"Ready? I was born for this."
