The morning before the entrance examination was unusually peaceful.
Kyle Verion stood before the mirror inside his small room at Thorn Dojo.
His black jacket rested neatly over his shoulders.
Tomorrow...
Everything would begin.
The entrance examination.
A chance to step into a world far greater than the Ash District.
Elias glanced at him from across the room.
"You've forgotten something."
Kyle looked at himself.
"...Have I?"
"The Cultivator Association."
Kyle blinked.
His badge.
He had completely forgotten about it.
"I'll be back before noon."
Elias nodded.
"Good."
"A cultivator should never neglect his identity."
...
The Cultivator Association was as crowded as ever.
Cultivators came and went through the enormous glass doors while holographic screens displayed missions and public announcements.
Kyle walked to the reception counter.
The receptionist looked up before smiling.
"So you finally remembered."
Kyle scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"I've been training."
"I can tell."
She disappeared into the back room before returning with a small metallic box.
Inside lay a black badge edged with silver.
At its center was the Association's emblem.
Beneath it were neatly engraved words.
Kyle Verion
Rank One Cultivator
She handed it to him.
"This badge is linked to your mana signature."
"If someone else steals it, it becomes nothing more than ordinary metal."
Kyle carefully took it.
The metal felt surprisingly warm.
He circulated a thread of mana into it.
The badge emitted a faint glow before returning to normal.
"Registration complete."
He nodded.
"Thank you."
The receptionist smiled.
"Good luck tomorrow."
Kyle clipped the badge inside his jacket.
"I won't waste the opportunity."
...
The streets outside bustled with life.
Merchants shouted.
Vehicles floated overhead.
Cultivators walked confidently through the crowd.
Kyle quietly made his way toward Thorn Dojo.
His thoughts were occupied by tomorrow's examination.
How strong are the other participants...?
Will there be Rank Two cultivators...?
No...
Master said to focus only on the opponent in front of me.
As he turned into a quieter street...
Someone stepped into his path.
A young man with untidy brown hair grinned as he folded his arms.
"You've got a pretty new face."
Kyle stopped walking.
The man's smile widened.
"Don't you know the rules?"
"New cultivators pay dues."
Kyle's expression remained calm.
"How do you know I'm a cultivator?"
The man laughed loudly.
"Hahaha!"
"Do you think my Perception is just for decoration?"
Kyle's eyes narrowed slightly.
So...
That's what Perception is mainly used for.
The man tapped his forehead proudly.
"I can sense the cultivation of anyone weaker than me."
Curious...
Kyle released his own Perception.
Invisible waves spread outward.
Almost instantly...
He found the man's mana.
High Rank One...
The thug's eyebrows rose.
"Oh?"
"A Mid Rank One can actually perceive my cultivation."
"Interesting."
His grin became greedier.
"That talent makes you worth robbing."
He stretched out his hand.
"Now..."
"Hand over your money."
Kyle's gaze shifted toward the man's sleeve.
A black serpent was embroidered into the fabric.
Its crimson eyes seemed almost alive.
The symbol...
Of the Void Serpents.
His breathing slowed.
The alley disappeared.
His mother's final smile appeared before his eyes.
Blood...
The knife...
Her collapsing into his arms.
"Live, Kyle..."
His fingers slowly clenched.
Mana unconsciously stirred within his body.
The thug noticed the change.
"What?"
"You planning to resist?"
Kyle's killing intent almost burst free.
Then...
Elias' calm voice echoed through his mind.
"Never let anger guide your fists."
"A true cultivator controls himself before controlling his enemy."
Kyle closed his eyes.
He took one deep breath.
When they opened again...
His rage had disappeared beneath complete calm.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
"Alright."
The thug smirked.
"That's more like it."
Kyle glanced around.
"There are too many people here."
"Come."
"We'll settle it somewhere quieter."
The thug laughed.
"So you do have brains."
Without the slightest suspicion...
He followed Kyle into a deserted alley hidden between two abandoned warehouses.
The sound of the city gradually faded.
Only silence remained.
Kyle stopped walking.
The thug grinned.
"Go on."
"Take the money out."
Kyle slowly reached into his pocket.
The thug's smile widened.
"See?"
"I knew you weren't stupid."
Kyle looked at him quietly.
"I have one question."
"What?"
"How many innocent people has your gang robbed?"
The thug snorted.
"I stopped counting."
"And if they resisted?"
"We beat them until they understood."
Kyle nodded once.
"I see."
The thug frowned.
"...Why are you asking?"
Kyle withdrew his hand from his pocket.
It was empty.
His fingers slowly curled into a fist.
"I'm just making sure..."
"...I don't feel guilty."
Before the thug could react...
Kyle vanished.
His pupils shrank.
Fast!
Pure instinct took over.
Mana surged toward his face.
A translucent barrier began forming.
Mana Guard!
But Kyle's fist had already arrived.
BOOOOM!!
The half-formed Mana Guard shattered like glass.
The impact slammed into the thug's jaw.
CRACK!!
His entire body left the ground before crashing through the side of a concrete wall.
Chunks of stone exploded into the alley.
Dust filled the air.
The thug rolled several times before finally stopping.
Blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.
His vision spun violently.
Kyle slowly lowered his fist.
"...Good."
A cold smile appeared.
"It's good you didn't faint."
The thug struggled to his feet.
His swollen face twisted with fury.
"You..."
"You little bastard..."
Kyle rolled his shoulders.
"I'm going to enjoy beating the hell out of you."
The thug spat out a mouthful of blood.
His swollen jaw throbbed violently.
“You…”
“You’ll regret that.”
Mana surged through his body.
A transparent layer of energy wrapped around him.
Mana Guard.
This time…
It completely covered his body.
Kyle remained where he stood.
His breathing was steady.
His fists were raised.
The thug wiped the blood from his lips and grinned.
“I was careless.”
“But now…”
His right hand gathered mana.
The energy compressed rapidly.
Smaller.
Denser.
Until it became a glowing blue sphere no larger than a marble.
Kyle narrowed his eyes.
Mana Bullet…
“So that’s how it’s forms.”
The thug flicked his finger.
BANG!
The compressed mana shot through the air like a bullet.
Kyle instinctively leaned sideways.
The projectile grazed his shoulder before exploding against the wall behind him.
BOOM!
Concrete fragments flew everywhere.
Kyle’s eyes widened.
A ranged technique…
The thug laughed.
“What’s wrong?”
“I thought you wanted to beat me.”
Another Mana Bullet formed.
Then another.
BANG!
BANG!
Kyle rushed forward while weaving between the attacks.
One bullet missed.
The second struck his Mana Guard.
BOOM!
The impact forced him back three steps.
His arm tingled from the shock.
Strong…
If that had landed directly…
The thug continued firing.
Kyle couldn’t get close.
Every time he advanced…
Another Mana Bullet forced him back.
The alley echoed with explosions.
Walls cracked.
The ground shattered.
Dust filled the air.
Kyle gritted his teeth.
I’ve never fought someone who attacks from a distance.
Closing the gap won’t be easy.
Another bullet shot toward his chest.
Kyle crossed his arms.
Mana surged.
Mana Guard!
BOOM!
The impact pushed him backward.
His mana dropped noticeably.
The thug laughed louder.
“You’ll run out before I do!”
Kyle ignored him.
Instead…
He began watching.
Every movement.
Every breath.
Every gesture.
He compresses mana first…
Then fires…
There’s a brief opening.
The next Mana Bullet formed.
Kyle suddenly sprinted.
The thug fired.
Kyle twisted his body.
The bullet tore through his sleeve.
Before the thug could create another…
Kyle was already in front of him.
“What?!”
Kyle’s fist exploded forward.
BANG!
The Mana Guard shook violently.
The thug stumbled backward.
Kyle didn’t stop.
One punch.
Another.
An elbow.
A knee.
Each strike hammered against the glowing barrier.
The thug desperately retreated while firing Mana Bullets at point-blank range.
Several landed.
Kyle’s Mana Guard flickered repeatedly.
One bullet slipped through.
It slammed into Kyle’s ribs.
BOOM!
Pain shot through his side.
He coughed.
Blood stained his lips.
But instead of retreating…
He stepped forward.
Again.
Again.
Again.
His fists became a relentless storm.
The thug’s breathing became uneven.
His Mana Guard began dimming.
“No…”
“No!”
Kyle drove his shoulder into the thug’s chest.
CRACK!
The weakened Mana Guard shattered.
Panic appeared in the thug’s eyes.
Kyle smiled coldly.
“My turn.”
His fist buried itself in the thug’s stomach.
The man’s eyes bulged.
The air exploded from his lungs.
Before he could fall…
Kyle grabbed his collar.
Dragged him upright.
And drove another punch into his face.
Blood scattered across the broken pavement.
The thug collapsed.
He tried to crawl away.
Kyle kicked him back onto the ground.
The fight had lasted nearly five minutes.
Kyle’s chest rose and fell heavily.
Sweat dripped onto the cracked concrete.
His mana was almost half depleted.
His ribs ached.
His shoulder burned.
Even his fists were beginning to feel numb.
The thug lay unconscious.
Kyle let out a long breath.
“So…”
“That’s Mana Bullet…”
“It’s troublesome.”
Just as he turned to leave…
Slow clapping echoed from above.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Kyle looked up.
Two figures stood on the rooftop overlooking the alley.
One of them laughed.
“So…”
“He actually beat Mason.”
The other shook his head.
“No wonder he took so long.”
Both men jumped down.
They landed effortlessly several meters away.
Kyle straightened his posture.
The taller man glanced at Mason’s unconscious body before looking at Kyle.
“You’ve got guts.”
The shorter one smiled mockingly.
“But…”
“You’ve wasted most of your mana.”
Kyle cracked his neck.
A faint smile appeared.
“The more…”
“…the merrier”