Chapter 39 – Through the Mountains, Growing Stronger

Leaving Without Being Seen

I wasn't stupid.

If Seria or Freya noticed me leaving, I'd never hear the f*cking end of it.

So, I waited until the dead of night.

✔ No students were roaming the streets.

✔ Guards were focused on patrolling the academy.

✔ Seria wasn't lurking around for once.

I pulled up my hood, led my horse through the quieter roads, and slipped out of town unnoticed.

"Tch. Too easy."

With that, I was finally on my way.

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The First Destination – The Mountain Pass

The town I was heading to?

It wasn't an easy place to reach.

Between here and there was a massive mountain range.

✔ Harsh terrain.

✔ Dangerous monsters.

✔ No settlements for miles.

It was the fastest route—but also the riskiest.

I grinned. "Perfect."

The sword hummed in my mind. "You really like taking the hard way, huh?"

I smirked. "I like the way that gets me stronger."

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First Wave of Monsters – Time to Get More Abilities

It didn't take long before the first set of monsters appeared.

✔ Shadow Wolves – Fast, silent killers.

✔ Mountain Serpents – Camouflaged and deadly.

✔ Rock Golems – Slow, but tough as hell.

I gripped my sword. "Alright, let's make this quick."

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Hunting and Absorbing New Powers

✔ A wolf lunged—I dodged and took it down with a clean strike.

✔ A serpent tried to ambush me—I crushed its skull under my boot.

✔ **A golem swung at me—I danced around it and sliced through its core.

One by one, they fell.

And with each kill—I got stronger.

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[NEW ABILITIES ACQUIRED!]

✔ Shadow Step – Short-range teleportation in darkness.

✔ Serpent Reflexes – Enhanced reaction speed.

✔ Stone Skin (Minor) – Slightly boosts defense against physical attacks.

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I exhaled sharply, rolling my shoulders.

"Damn. Not bad."

The sword hummed. "So… what exactly are we looking for again?"

I smirked. "An artifact. One that fuses with its wielder permanently."

The sword paused. "Huh. Sounds like a pain in the a."**

I chuckled. "Maybe. But if it's as powerful as the legends say? It's worth it."

The blade sighed. "Fine. Just don't die before we get there."

I grinned. "Not a chance."

With that, I urged my horse forward, heading deeper into the mountains.

This was just the beginning.

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To Be Continued…