A faint heartbeat.
A gentle pulse.
Then—silence.
Yor's consciousness faded as the glow of the Luolo Tiger's core intensified. In the instant he lost all strength, an unknown force awakened deep within him.
His body—broken and bleeding—suddenly shimmered with a dim aura. The Luolo Core vibrated, then dissolved into threads of pure energy, sucked directly into his chest.
Bones cracked. Muscles tightened. Wounds sealed, little by little.
But it wasn't normal healing.
It felt… divine.
And then—darkness.
---
Yor opened his eyes to the scent of medicine and the soft hum of mana-drenched air.
He was lying on a bed made of woven beast hide, surrounded by stone walls and faint blue light crystals hanging from the ceiling.
"Where… am I?" he muttered.
His body—though still sore—felt alive. Strong. He looked down, his hand trembling.
His mana veins were surging.
When he focused, the truth hit him like thunder.
He had broken through.
From Level 2 peak to Level 3 mid in one leap.
That shouldn't be possible, he thought, eyes wide. I… I'm a Level 3 Swordsman now…
He clenched his fists. The raw power buzzing through his limbs was undeniable. His father's training echoed in his mind—"The blade is only as sharp as the one who swings it."
But Fren… he was gone.
Yor jumped out of bed, despite the pain, only to find himself in a new place—Sector 12, a small but structured zone near the border of the forest where he had passed out.
Suddenly, the door opened, and a tall man entered—nearly 7 feet, with dense muscles and a kind, weathered face. His right eye glowed faintly with golden energy.
"You're awake. Good," the man said with a deep voice. "I'm Pice. I found you barely breathing at the forest's edge. What happened out there, kid?"
Yor hesitated. He couldn't reveal everything—not the Luolo Core, nor the Berserker Ape's behavior. So he quickly spun a half-truth.
"I… I was traveling with my team. We stumbled across a mysterious man fighting a black ape. I tried to help but got caught in the chaos. I passed out. When I woke up… I was here. I don't know where my teammate went."
Pice narrowed his eyes but nodded. "We were searching for the source of strange energy signatures. That black ape—normally dormant—was moving violently. It attacked things it usually wouldn't. Whatever happened, you were lucky to live."
Yor bowed his head slightly. "I owe you."
Pice waved his hand. "Forget it. You should focus on healing. Or better—show me what you've got."
Yor blinked. "You want to test me?"
Pice laughed. "You're injured, barely walking… but your body's vibrating with mana. Come on, entertain me."
Yor grabbed a wooden training sword and moved through a basic form. The pain made him grit his teeth—but his movements were sharp, refined, almost effortless.
Pice's expression turned serious. "Your form is… advanced. Who taught you?"
"My father. He told me to practice every day, no matter what."
Pice clapped. "Good man. You've got talent. Ever considered staying here? We could use someone like you."
Yor didn't answer. Not yet.
Later, they walked through the small town together. Pice guided him to the merchant's district to sell his collected monster cores.
The streets were humble—wooden stalls, dusty roads, and excited chatter—but the people here respected strength.
At the adventure guild, Yor presented his pouch filled with cores.
The receptionist—a woman in her 40s—took one look and froze.
"T-This many? Alone?"
She rushed to call the manager. Within minutes, the entire guild was whispering about the boy who brought back more cores than any D-Rank in months.
The Luolo Core, however, was missing.
Yor noticed.
He felt for it… but it was gone.
Instead of worrying, he simply nodded. It served its purpose.
The manager personally thanked him and promoted him to Peak D-Rank. Along with his new rank, he received two minor skills:
Shadow Glide (D-Rank): Temporarily boosts movement speed with silence.
Reflex Guard (D-Rank): Passive ability that enhances reaction timing against fast attacks.
He also received high-quality boots that enhanced speed and clothes reinforced with beast leather, giving him a solid defense bonus.
"Looking sharp," Pice teased with a grin. "You'll have the girls chasing you now."
Yor blushed instantly. "S-Shut up…"
"You look like a tomato," Pice chuckled.
---
That night, under the open sky beside Pice's house, Yor sat on the ground, staring at the stars. The wind was quiet, but his heart felt heavy.
He whispered, "Father… Mother… Sis… I'll make it right. I promise."
Pice joined him, sitting silently for a moment.
"I also look at the stars every night," he said. "They remind me of my family. Monsters took them… That's why I fight. Not for revenge—but so no one else has to lose what I did."
Yor turned toward him, listening quietly.
"Our ancestors passed down more than skills," Pice continued. "They gave us a legacy. My skill—being able to raise any technique's level by +1 for a time—came from them."
Yor's breath caught.
He mentioned ancestors?
Suddenly, Yor remembered something he saw earlier in the town. A carved stone, etched with an image of a man with golden eyes, striking down a monster with a massive sword.
He asked Pice about it earlier, and the man had said something strange.
"That… is the leader of our ancestors," Pice had told him. "He fought against monster with the legendary Yin. A warrior from the ancient bloodline. It's said that one day, his descendant will return and lead us again."
Yor had stayed silent.
But deep down… he knew.
That man was my grandfather.
And his journey… had only just begun.
---