The Path of the Blade

While Rehan celebrated his newfound success, in another corner of Base City 17, someone was drowning in frustration.

Rudra.

He sat in a dimly lit room, gripping the armrest of his chair so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His face was twisted with anger, fear, and disbelief. How? How did Rehan survive? The Level 3 Ironfeather Eagle egg had been planted specifically to kill him, yet not only had he survived—he became a warrior! And worse, he was being favored by Overseer Nick.

Sweat trickled down Rudra's forehead as he clenched his teeth. His entire plan had failed spectacularly.

A sharp voice cut through his thoughts.

"So, you're telling me the brat survived?"

Rudra turned to see his older brother, Rohan, standing in the doorway. Unlike Rudra, Rohan was a Level 3 warrior, a battle-hardened fighter who belonged to a well-known group of warriors in Base City. His presence alone was intimidating, his muscular frame covered in faint scars.

"Yes, he survived," Rudra admitted bitterly. "Not only that, but he even became an official warrior and earned Nick's recognition!"

Rohan frowned. "Does he know that you were behind it?"

Rudra shook his head. "No… he has no idea."

Rohan sighed in relief and then shot his younger brother a sharp look. "Then drop it. Don't mess with him anymore."

Rudra's eyes widened. "What? Why?! He humiliated me! I won't let this go!"

"You're an idiot." Rohan folded his arms. "Nick favors him. Do you know what that means? Even if you want revenge, you can't touch him right now. If you make any more moves, Nick will step in. And trust me, you don't want to be on his bad side."

Rudra gritted his teeth, feeling utterly helpless. This wasn't over. He would find another way—he just needed time.

Meanwhile, Rehan sat cross-legged in his room, staring at the holographic "Phantom Blade: First Layer" manual floating in front of him. The words seemed to glow faintly, filled with knowledge that could change the course of his battles.

He read carefully, absorbing the essence of the skill.

"The key to speed is in the muscles, but the true essence of the Phantom Blade lies in the nervous system."

The technique wasn't just about moving fast. It was about reducing the delay between thought and action, pushing the body to react instantly without wasted motion. Normal warriors relied on their muscles to strike faster, but the Phantom Blade method reprogrammed the nervous system, increasing reaction speed by sending electrical impulses at twice the normal rate.

At Level 1, the technique allowed a warrior to swing their blade at double their base speed.

At Level 2, it tripled their speed.

At Level 3, it quadrupled it.

Rehan's eyes gleamed with excitement. If he mastered this… his sword would become a blur on the battlefield.

Without hesitation, he picked up his sword and began training.

The room was silent, except for the sound of whistling air and clashing steel.

Rehan swung his sword again and again, following the principles laid out in the Phantom Blade manual. He controlled his breathing, relaxed his muscles, and focused on reducing unnecessary movement.

Hours passed.

Beads of sweat dripped down his face, yet he didn't stop.

Whoosh!

His sword sliced through the air, this time noticeably faster than before.

A faint smile appeared on his lips. He was starting to grasp it.

By the time the sun began to rise, Rehan exhaled and sheathed his sword. His arms were sore, but his eyes were filled with determination.

He had taken his first step toward mastering the Phantom Blade.

After freshening up, Rehan left his mansion and headed to the Warrior Alliance Headquarters to pick up his first mission.

The headquarters was a massive structure, filled with warriors of all levels. Some were rookies like him, while others were seasoned veterans covered in scars.

As he stepped inside, he ran into a familiar face—Alexander.

The test invigilator raised an eyebrow. "Rehan? What are you doing here?"

Rehan responded calmly, "I'm here to take a mission."

Alexander crossed his arms. "First time, huh? Listen, it's dangerous outside. I'd recommend joining a team—it increases survival chances."

Rehan shook his head. "I prefer to hunt alone."

Alexander sighed. "Suit yourself. Just don't get yourself killed."

Rehan smirked. "I won't."

After selecting his mission, Rehan arrived at the city gate, where he registered his pass to leave the base city.

As soon as he stepped outside, he felt the wild energy of the outer lands.

It was a lawless world filled with monsters. But that's exactly what he wanted.

The mission was simple—kill monsters and collect their body parts for credits.

Level 1 monsters: 1,000 creditsLevel 2 monsters: 5,000 creditsLevel 3 monsters: 10,000 creditsLevel 4 monsters: 40,000 credits

Rehan immediately got to work.

His sword flashed, cutting through Level 1 monsters with ease. They were too weak to even put up a fight.

Level 2 monsters? Slightly stronger, but still no challenge.

He only collected Level 2 monster parts, as his backpack space was limited.

After one hour, his tally stood at:

✔ 20 Level 1 monsters

✔ 8 Level 2 monsters

But he had yet to find a Level 3 monster.

Just as he was about to move to a new area—

ROOOAAARRR!

A Silver Wolf appeared in front of him.

The Silver Wolf was a true Level 3 monster, unlike the baby Ironfeather Eagle from before.

It was fast—lightning-fast.

The moment it saw Rehan, it lunged forward like a silver blur.

Whoosh!

Rehan barely dodged. His eyes narrowed. This thing is fast!

SWISH!

The wolf circled him, its movements fluid and deadly. Its razor-sharp claws gleamed in the sunlight as it struck again.

Clang!

Rehan blocked with his sword, but the impact pushed him back.

For the first time in a while—his blood boiled with excitement.

"Let's test the Phantom Blade."

He exhaled and activated the First Layer.

His sword speed doubled.

The wolf lunged again, but this time—

SHING!

Rehan's blade moved twice as fast, slicing across the wolf's side before it could react.

"Got you."

The wolf howled in pain, but it wasn't done yet. It charged again, moving unpredictably.

Rehan dodged left, then right, barely avoiding its attacks.

Then—he struck.

SWOOSH!

His sword flashed like lightning, cutting deep into the wolf's neck.

The monster staggered.

With a final swift motion, Rehan ended the fight.

The Silver Wolf collapsed, lifeless.

A Warrior's Earnings

After three more hours of hunting, Rehan's tally stood at:

✔ 25 Level 2 monsters

✔ 3 Level 3 monsters

Returning to the Warrior Alliance, he submitted his monster parts.

The receptionist's eyes widened. "You… killed 33 Level 2 and 3 Level 3 monsters?!"

Rehan nodded casually.

"Unbelievable…" The receptionist handed him his earnings—195,000 credits.

Rehan smirked. "A good first day."

As he walked away, he clenched his fist.