Chapter 2: Creation and Destruction

Rob sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the holographic interface still floating before him. His fingers drummed against his knees as his mind ran in circles. He had two choices—register as a hunter or pretend none of this happened and keep living his normal life.

But was that even an option?

Being an unregistered hunter was illegal. If he got caught, the government would hit him with heavy fines or worse. Some hunters had an innate sixth sense, able to detect their kind. Even if he tried to hide, there was always a chance someone would sniff him out.

"Damn it," Rob muttered. "No way around it, huh?"

With a resigned sigh, he leaned back against the wall and reopened his interface. If he was going to register, he needed to understand what his class could do first. His fingers hovered over his skill list before settling on Creation.

'It says I can create temporary objects. Let's start with something simple. A blade… something like a katana.'

A window popped up immediately:

[Create Item]

Item: Katana

Rank: Common

ATK: 21

Durability: 20/20

Mana Cost: 5

Duration: 15 minutes

Create? [Yes] / [No]

Rob's brows lifted in curiosity. "Not bad for a test run."

He quickly did the math in his head. If his MAG stat was 12, and if what Jay always rambled about was true, then his total mana pool should be around 36. Creating this katana would use up five points—definitely manageable.

He tapped Yes.

A faint blue glow shimmered before his eyes as the katana materialized in his hands. It was light, well-balanced, and despite being labeled as Common, it felt real. Too real.

The moment the weapon fully formed, another interface appeared in his vision.

[Balance Gauge Activated]

A thin bar stretched across the bottom of his sight, an arrow shifting slightly left into the light zone. Not much, but enough to show the class's mechanics in action. Rob noticed two red lines at both ends of the gauge—likely the penalty thresholds.

"So, using Creation shifts me toward light," he mused, inspecting the gauge. "Guess that means Destruction moves me toward dark."

He swung the katana a few times, testing its weight. "If this thing disappears in fifteen minutes, I can't just spam it over and over, or I might hit the limit and trigger a penalty."

The realization sent a chill down his spine. His class was powerful, but it came with serious risks.

Rob let out a deep breath. "Gotta be careful with this."

His mind drifted to the strongest hunters in the Philippines.

Manuel Castro—the number one-ranked hunter in the country. His Dragon Knight class was already at its third evolution, making him an absolute monster. He could summon a dragon at will, wield a blade like a war god, and had enough mana reserves to turn entire battlefields into craters.

Then there was Leah Quezon, second-ranked and just as terrifying. An S-Rank Blademaster, also at her third evolution. While Manuel had his dragon, Leah relied purely on skill—blinding speed, absurd attack power, and sword techniques that could cut through steel like butter.

They were both over level 300. Godlike. Untouchable.

And yet, here Rob was, with a class that was already labeled S-Rank from the start.

"Holy crap," he muttered. "This is insane."

Most people started at D or C-Rank, even hunters like Jay. It took years of training, countless battles, and ridiculous amounts of luck to even hope for an S-Rank evolution.

But Rob? He started there.

His grip tightened around the katana.

"How the hell am I gonna tell Jay?"

His brother was still climbing his way up, fighting tooth and nail just to reach his second class evolution as a Swordsman. Rob had no doubt that Jay would be happy for him, but… this wasn't something he could just blurt out.

Not yet.

"I should keep this to myself for now," Rob decided. "Figure things out first."

He dismissed the katana, watching it dissolve into nothingness. The gauge shifted slightly back toward neutral. Good to know—dismissing items doesn't push it further.

Rob stretched, exhaling sharply. His heart was still racing from the sheer absurdity of everything. Today, I was just some guy buying monster meat. Now, I'm an S-Rank hunter.

His lips curled into a small, nervous grin.

"Damn… I'm excited already."

Rob then moved to his next skill—Destruction.

Unlike Creation, this one felt dangerous. If he tested it here in his room, he might accidentally blow a hole in the apartment wall. Not ideal. The last thing he needed was his landlord breathing down his neck.

'I need a clear space for this.'

Excited, he grabbed his hoodie and headed downstairs, slipping into the back alley behind the apartment. The dimly lit space was mostly empty, save for a few scattered trash bins and a stray cat that bolted at the sight of him. He scanned the area to make sure no one was around, then turned toward one of the rusted bins.

'Alright, let's keep this small.'

He aimed his palm at the bin and focused on a small localized area, just big enough to test the effect. Then, he took a breath and muttered—

"Destruction."

A black, transparent sphere flickered into existence around the trash bin. The moment it appeared, the edges of the sphere began erasing everything inside it. The concrete beneath it crumbled, the dirt vanished, and the trash bin disintegrated—gone, like a Thanos snap.

The gauge in his vision tilted slightly to the dark zone, but as soon as the effect ended, it slowly shifted back toward neutral.

Rob stood frozen, his hands trembling slightly as he stepped closer to examine the hole.

It was perfectly smooth. No debris, no melted metal—just a clean, empty void where the trash bin had been.

"What the fuck," he muttered.

This wasn't just destruction—it was erasure. Like the object had never existed in the first place.

His pulse quickened. "This is too much. If I use this on a monster, does that mean it just… ceases to exist?"

Most hunters relied on monster materials—meat, hides, bones, and most importantly, crystal cores—the essential resource harvested from slain creatures. If Destruction erased monsters completely, then… wouldn't that make it useless for hunting?

Rob exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. 'I need to be careful with this. Wiping out enemies is great, but if I can't collect loot, what's the point?'

A new idea formed in his mind.

'What if I can create skills, like a lightning bolt or something?'

He closed his eyes and imagined it—a bolt of lightning descending from the sky and striking his previous test site. The moment he did, a familiar window appeared:

[Summon Skill - Lightning Bolt (AOE)]

ATK: 15-74

Mana Cost: 20 Mana

Cast? [Yes] / [No]

Rob's eyes widened. 'It actually worked?!'

He quickly backed away to a safe distance, took a deep breath, and tapped Yes.

The air crackled. A split second later, a blinding blue-white flash streaked down from above, followed by a deafening boom. The bolt struck the exact center of the void he had created, sending a brief shockwave outward. A faint burning smell lingered in the air.

Rob stared, heart pounding. The ground sizzled where the lightning hit, leaving behind a faint scorch mark—but it didn't create another void like Destruction had. Instead, it was raw elemental power.

"That's… incredible."

He clenched his fists. His class wasn't just about destruction—it was about balance. He had the power to create something from nothing and erase anything. But he had to be careful. If he lost control, he could easily tip the scales in either direction.

Then a thought struck him. If he could create a skill…

"Can I… modify one?"

His mind raced with possibilities. What if he could tweak skills, customize them, merge them? If he could find a way to balance destruction and creation perfectly, then his power wouldn't just be dangerous—it would be limitless.

A sudden shout echoed from his apartment. Someone had heard the explosion.

Rob's eyes widened. "Shit."

Without wasting another second, he spun around and bolted back toward the stairs, moving as quietly as he could. As he passed by a few curious residents peering out their windows, he hunched his shoulders and walked casually, blending in like he had nothing to do with whatever just happened outside.

His heart pounded. "I really need to be more careful next time." 

Back in his room, Rob flopped onto his bed, staring at the ceiling. His mind was racing with possibilities, but one thought stood out among them all.

'If I can create a sword… can I create food?'

He smirked, sitting up. 'Alright, let's try something simple—a burger.'

He closed his eyes and focused. He imagined every detail—the warm, soft bun, the juicy steak patty, the creamy mayonnaise, the perfect balance of seasoning, and a thick, gooey pad of melted cheese. Just thinking about it made his mouth water.

A window popped up in front of him:

[Create Item - Burger]

Duration: 3 Minutes

Mana Cost: 2

Create? [Yes] / [No]

Rob burst out laughing. "This is insane. Does this mean I get free food?" He grinned, tapping Yes.

A freshly made burger materialized in his hands, still hot. The smell alone made his stomach growl. He hesitated for a moment, then took a bite.

The flavors exploded in his mouth. It was exactly how he had imagined it—juicy, savory, and downright delicious. The warmth of the bun contrasted perfectly with the slightly crispy, charred edges of the steak patty, while the cheese oozed into every bite. The combination of seasoning and mayonnaise created a rich, creamy balance that made it all the more satisfying.

He stared at the half-eaten burger in amazement. "I might never have to pay for food again. Hell, I could probably sell these if I wanted to." His mind began racing with ideas—could he create gourmet dishes? What about rare or expensive ingredients? If he could create anything, then his ability wasn't just useful in battle—it could make him rich.

Another thought crossed his mind. 'If I can create food, can I create drinks too?'

Curious, he closed his eyes again and focused. 'A bottle of soda, ice cold.' A new window appeared:

[Create Item - Soda]

Duration: 5 Minutes

Mana Cost: 1

Create? [Yes] / [No]

Rob's grin widened as he tapped Yes. Instantly, a chilled bottle of cola appeared in his free hand, condensation dripping down the sides. He twisted the cap open with a satisfying hiss and took a deep gulp.

It was perfect. The fizz, the icy chill, the sugary hit—it was exactly how he wanted it.

He let out a content sigh, stretching out on the bed. "This class… it's way more insane than I ever imagined. And I'm only scratching the surface."