The Rising Name

The Aftermath

The underground tournament was over. The deafening crowd had dissipated. The rings of punches and kicks were nothing but memories. But something still lingered—Noah Carter's name was now on everyone's lips.

Noah left the fighting pit, and he could sense the gaze of a million eyes upon him.

"Did you see that? Noah actually beat Ryan!"

"No way! Ryan was unbeatable until now!"

"Who is this guy? Where did he even come from?"

Noah tuned out the snickers as he headed for the door, his body throbbing from the savage battle. The ache was worth it. He had emerged victorious.

And now, he had altered the landscape.

As he walked into the alley behind the arena, he heard a voice he recognized.

"Well done, Noah."

Noah wheeled around to find Xander standing there, arms folded, a sneer playing on his lips.

"As expected from you."

There was the way Xander spoke, as if he had expected Noah to win all along.

Noah's eyes lit a little more narrowed. Why had Xander helped him?

Ever since he got that invitation to the underground tournament, Xander had led him. Why? What was in it for Xander?

Curiosity perhaps? Or did he have some purpose of his own?

Noah didn't question. Not yet. He was too tired to care now.

He merely nodded at Xander and then left, his head in a whirl of doubts.

---

A Well-Deserved Rest

By the time Noah arrived home, his whole body ached. Each muscle was crying out in agony, reminding him of the vicious battle he had just survived.

Removing his shoes, he fell onto his bed, hardly having the strength to pull the blanket over him.

For the first time in weeks, he didn't need to think about training, fighting, or survival.

He had won.

And now, he could finally rest.

His eyes closed, and in a matter of seconds, he fell into a deep, restful sleep.

---

The Next Morning

The alarm blared, waking Noah from his much-needed rest. He grunted, massaging his aching muscles before dragging himself out of bed.

Getting ready for school, his mind couldn't help but relive the tournament.

Ryan Carter—the school's toughest fighter—had lost.

And Noah had been the one to defeat him.

Would things return to normal?

…He doubted it.

---

System Notification

Noah strolled down the school corridors, bearing the burden of innumerable gazes. His phone buzzed. A blue screen appeared before him.

> [System Notification]

Challenge Completed: Defeat the Strongest Fighter in 100 Days

Reward: Skill "Devour" (Stolen from Ryan Miller)

Noah froze in his step. His hands tightened around his phone.

The 100-day challenge—the system's final trial—was over at last.

The threat of losing everything had hung over his head like a guillotine. But now it was gone.

For the first time since he'd awakened the system, he was free.

And now he had Devour.

---

The Strongest in the School

His School was always been dominated by the strongest.

Prior to that, it had been Ryan Miller. His dominance had endured for years, his strength unchallenged, his rule absolute.

Until now.

Noah Carter had beaten him.

No—he had broken him.

Noah strode along with his head held high, no longer the loser who'd been overlooked, bullied, and cast aside.

He wasn't a fighter any more.

He was the king.

And everyone in that school knew it.

---

The Power of Devour

Noah instinctively accessed the system's explanation of his new power.

>[Devour]: The power to take in the strength and skills of a vanquished foe. The stronger the foe, the more benefit.

His eyes grew dark.

Ryan Miller was not only a fighter—he was a monster. His strength was not just brute force. It was his capacity to shatter his foes mentally before he destroyed them physically.

And now Noah had that.

His fists clenched.

He wasn't only a system user anymore.

He was a hunter.

And the best fighters… were now the hunted.

A slow, thoughtful smile creased his lips.

This was merely the start.

---

Sophia's Regret

As he entered the class, there were whispers everywhere.

"Did you hear? Noah beat Ryan in the tournament."

"I still can't believe it… Noah Carter is the strongest in school now."

"We used to ignore him, but see him now… he's frightening."

Noah smiled to himself. It was amusing how quickly people changed.

A couple of students looked away when Noah passed by, frightened. Other students gazed in shock, not able to believe that the shy loser they had ignored before had turned into a force to be reckoned with.

And then there was Sophia Hayes.

The girl who had betrayed him.

The girl he had once fantasized about being with.

Her stunning blue eyes, full of arrogance before, now contained something else.

Regret.

Hesitation.

And a glimmer of fear.

Noah hesitated for a moment.

Did she regret saying yes to Ryan and not him?

Did she know she should have handled him differently?

Noah came close to laughing.

But he didn't care anymore.

Wordless, he strode past her.

And for the very first time, it wasn't him turning around.

It was her.

---

A New Path

Sitting at his desk, Noah leaned his chin on his hand, deep in thought.

He had done what he came to do.

He had defeated the best fighter in school.

He had won.

But something wasn't right.

Why did the system reward him with Devour?

Did it have knowledge that he didn't?

Noah's smirk dropped as a realization crept into his mind.

The system never gave him something for free.

So what was next?

Just as that thought stuck, his phone buzzed once more.

Another notification.

Noah scowled. The challenge was complete—what was next?

He looked at the screen.

And his face grew cold.

> [Urgent Quest Activated]

"Survive the Next 24 Hours"

Noah's heart slowed.

What the.?.

Before he could even wrap his head around it, the classroom door groaned open.

A new student entered.

A tall, piercing-eyed figure.

And the instant Noah locked eyes with him.

He felt it.

Killing intent.

---