Awakening of Power

Zaren lay on his bed at the Silver Moon Inn, staring at the walls of his room. His mind raced with thoughts as he replayed the battle against Jaxon. He had defeated Jaxon, but how? He had been unconscious, yet he emerged victorious. Could this be the work of that black entity?

Shaking off his thoughts, Zaren got out of bed and stepped outside. The bustling streets of Elyria greeted him, filled with merchants, adventurers, and common folk going about their day. As he walked, he noticed the stares of women around him.

"Wow, look at him! So handsome! I want to ask him on a date," one girl whispered.

"No! He will be mine!" another girl argued, and soon enough, a small scuffle broke out between them. Zaren sighed, looking down at himself.

"If I still had my old world's body, no one would even look at me. But I have been reincarnated in this world… yet…"

He pushed the thought aside and continued toward his destination—the Arcunam Guild. Upon arriving, he was greeted by Maria, who gasped in shock upon seeing him.

"Zaren! You were supposed to rest at the inn! Why are you here? I can manage guild work by myself!"

Zaren gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Maria, but I need to grow stronger. Give me a dungeon raid. I'll clear it alone."

Maria's eyes widened, and she blushed slightly. "Oh… there are only three S-rank gates and two SS-rank gates. That makes five high-ranking dungeons. But Zaren, you should form a raid team! You can't handle it alone!"

Ignoring her protests, Zaren grabbed the SS-rank dungeon raid permit and headed toward the guild doors. "Don't worry, Maria. I'll be fine."

Maria stared after him, her face filled with concern. "Sometimes, I feel like he waits for trouble."

---

At the dungeon gate, Zaren prepared to enter when Lumis, his system assistant, spoke.

"Sir, you have acquired a new skill: Teleportation. This means you can teleport anywhere, but there are limits for now."

Zaren smirked. "That makes seven skills now. Let's see…"

Red Eye

Enhanced Speed

Red Aura Fist

Flame Swords

Snake-Type Weapon

Red Flame Sword Slash

Teleportation

"Wait… 'Snake-Type Weapon' is such a weird name. I should change it. How about… Bizarro?"

"Yes, sir, that is a fine name," Lumis confirmed.

"Hey, Lumis, if I clear this dungeon, will I get another skill?"

"Yes, sir, but you will have to use your full power to obtain a unique skill."

Zaren's eyes glowed from blue to red, his aura surging. The ground beneath him cracked as he unleashed his power. "Bizarro!"

With a red lightning flash, he destroyed the dungeon gate in an instant, shocking even himself.

"I really have improved…"

He stepped inside the dungeon. Immediately, a massive horde of monsters awaited him. Zaren smiled. "You came to me? Then I can't let you leave without a gift."

With a single blow from his Red Aura Fists, every monster disintegrated, and even the dungeon trembled at his power. Moving deeper inside, he entered the boss room.

Before him stood a colossal titan, surrounded by four guardian titans, seated upon a throne.

"This is getting more fun," Zaren muttered. "Let's finish this."

With a mere glare, his Red Aura surged, instantly incinerating two titans. The remaining guardians prepared for battle and in a sudden flash zaren also killed them, but before Zaren could strike to the boss, Lumis spoke.

"Sir, this boss can communicate with humans."

The Titan Lord rumbled in a deep voice, "Impressive, human. Who you really are and whose body you possess… but it would be unfair to spoil the surprise."

Zaren's eyes narrowed. "You know about the black entity? My system? Tell me what's going on!"

The Titan Lord chuckled darkly. "I can't tell you that." Then, without warning, he beheaded himself, dying with a chilling smile.

Zaren staggered backward. "Why didn't he tell me about the Black Entity?!"

"Sir," Lumis interrupted, "you have acquired a new skill: Legion Self. This allows you to create duplicates of yourself, each possessing the same power. They cannot think independently—you must control them. Additionally, you can create an infinite number of clones and dismiss them at will you can summon them anytime."

Zaren grinned. "So, I can make an army of myself? That's insane!"

"You have also gained Energy Threads," Lumis continued. "This grants you a new suit made of red and black aura, enhancing your defense and power."

Zaren clenched his fists, feeling a surge of excitement. "How much stronger can I become? Does my power have any limits?"

"No, sir."

Zaren's rank increased.

"Sir, your rank is now SSS+."

His eyes widened. "WHAAAAAT?!"

He clenched his jaw. "I can't let anyone know about this… for now."

---

Meanwhile, in the Doryos Kingdom, at the Infernal Fang Guild, Finn, the guild master, was in his office. Suddenly, he shot up from his chair, shouting, "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

His vice guild master, Veylan, a man with red hair and red eyes, hesitated. "Sir… Hunter Zaren defeated Jaxon alone… and nearly killed him."

Finn's hands trembled. "What?! He almost killed Jaxon?! But he's an SSS-rank hunter! That's impossible!"

At that moment, Jaxon himself entered the room, his aura crackling with power. "Anything is possible."

Finn turned, eyes narrowing. "Jaxon! What are you doing in our kingdom?!"

Jaxon smirked. "I came to warn you. That Hunter Zaren possesses an evolving power… He grows stronger at an unnatural rate. Even I couldn't defeat him."

Finn scoffed. "Are you scared of him?"

Jaxon's lightning eye glowed, his aura shaking the room. Finn's own dark aura surged, clashing against Jaxon's. The air grew heavy as the two powerhouses stared each other down.

"Calm down, both of you!" Veylan interrupted. "This is our guild. What will the other hunters think if they see you like this?"

Finn finally exhaled, breaking the tension. "Jaxon… how powerful is he now? Do you think I can recruit him?"

Jaxon crossed his arms. "I already tried. He rejected my offer."

Finn turned to the window, staring into the distance. "That new hunter… Zaren… he has power beyond imagination. If Jaxon himself couldn't defeat him… then he might be the strongest hunter in existence."

Jaxon turned to leave. "Just remember, Finn. This kid isn't normal. If you cross him… you won't live to regret it."

With that, he vanished in an instant.

Finn clenched his fists. "I have to make that hunter join my guild… no matter what."

(Chapter 21 Fin)