The air in the ruined alley smelled strongly of burnt dirt and hot metal.
The Gold-Rank Church Executor pushed himself up from the ground. His massive silver armor was heavily dented from Saile’s last attack. The giant man coughed, spitting a thick splash of bright red blood onto the dry cobblestones. He stared at Saile Retrac with absolute, unhidden shock. He simply could not believe what had just happened. He had just been overpowered by a teenager.
Saile stood calmly at the edge of a deep crater. He held the newly forged Calamity Fang tightly in his right hand. The pitch-black odachi was incredibly huge, but it felt as light as a simple wooden stick in his firm grip. Dark purple lightning snapped and cracked along the sharp edge. The cursed iron hungrily absorbed the faint moonlight, casting a terrifying dark shadow over the street.
"You are holding a cursed artifact," the Executor growled. He wiped the wet blood from his chin with the back of his silver gauntlet. His deep voice shook with a mix of burning anger and genuine fear. "That black blade belongs to the dark ages. It is a disgusting insult to the Holy Church!"
"He does not even recognize his own master’s weapon," Naicul laughed coldly inside Saile’s mind.
The ten percent partial synchronization was still completely active. Saile’s left eye glowed with a piercing, bright silver light. The ancient God’s ruthless energy poured directly into Saile’s tired muscles.
"Show this fake holy warrior what real power looks like. Cut him to pieces."
"I will finish this right now," Saile thought back firmly.
The Executor raised his empty left hand high into the air.
"I am a Gold-Rank Executor of the Light! I will not be humiliated by a dirty rat!"
A massive burst of blinding, S-Rank holy magic erupted from his thick palm. The bright golden light quickly solidified. It formed into a towering, thick wall of pure, solid energy.
It was a holy shield.
It looked as thick as a heavy castle door. It radiated an intense, burning heat that pushed the cold night mist completely away.
With a furious, booming shout, the giant man charged forward. He held the massive golden shield directly in front of his body like a heavy battering ram. He planned to crush Saile flat against the stone walls of the alley. The ground trembled wildly under his heavy, armored boots. The wind shrieked as the massive shield ripped through the air.
Saile did not panic. His body was perfectly relaxed. Thanks to Naicul’s ancient combat experience flowing through his veins, he knew exactly what the giant man was going to do. The Executor fully expected Saile to swing his sword and break against the unbreakable holy shield.
Saile dashed forward to meet the violent charge. The dirt cracked loudly under his boots. He pushed his Level 22 speed to the absolute limit.
"Burn, Heretic!" the Executor roared, thrusting the heavy golden shield forward to smash the boy into a bloody paste.
Instead of crashing into the solid magic wall, Saile dropped his weight incredibly low to the ground. He planted his left hand flat against the dirt. Using his fast, forward momentum, he whipped his right leg around in a rapid, lightning-fast spin sweep.
Smack!
Saile’s heavy boot slammed brutally into the side of the Executor’s silver-plated ankles. The physical force of the acrobatic strike was perfectly aimed. It completely destroyed the giant man’s sturdy fighting stance. The metal armor dented inward with a loud crunch.
The Executor yelled in total surprise as his heavy legs were swept right out from under him. His massive body tilted forward. The huge holy shield dipped downward toward the dirt, leaving the man’s chest and head totally exposed for a tiny fraction of a second.
That was all Saile needed.
Saile popped right back up to his feet. He gripped the hilt of the Calamity Fang tightly with both hands. He twisted his hips sharply, planting his back foot into the ground. He swung the pitch-black odachi with his entire, terrifying might.
The dark blade cut through the air, leaving a thick trail of purple lightning behind it. The energy crackled wildly, completely eager to destroy the holy magic in its path.
Boom!
The air cracked with a deafening sonic boom. The Calamity Fang smashed directly into the glowing S-Rank holy shield.
The dark iron did not chip.
It did not break.
Instead, the pitch-black steel sliced cleanly right through the thick, unbreakable magic.
The golden shield shattered instantly into a million tiny, harmless sparks of light. The bright sparks rained down onto the dirt like falling stars, quickly fading into the cold night.
The heavy blade continued its deadly path.
The Executor fell backward, staring up at the descending black sword. Time seemed to slow down completely.
The giant man looked deep into Saile’s glowing silver eye.
In that single, terrifying moment, the Executor finally understood.
He felt the ancient, overwhelming dark mana pouring out of the boy. He was not looking at a teenage orphan. He was looking directly into the soul of the true God.
"No," the Executor whispered in absolute terror. "The Fallen One..."
Slash.
The Calamity Fang cut right through the heavy silver breastplate. It sliced cleanly through the giant man’s chest without any resistance at all.
A visible, circular shockwave exploded from the brutal hit. The sheer physical force pushed the dirt away, clearing the street completely.
The Executor hit the ground with a heavy, wet thud. The golden light faded from his armor.
He did not move again.
The fierce battle was officially over.
Saile stood quietly over the defeated giant. He breathed heavily, his chest rising and falling in the cool night air. He had just killed a Level 48 Gold-Rank enemy.
The tight tension slowly left his tired muscles. His left eye faded from glowing silver back to a warm, human brown. The ten percent partial synchronization ended, leaving his mind entirely his own again.
"Good strike," Naicul said quietly. The ancient God sounded genuinely pleased with the bloody result.
Suddenly, the Executor’s massive body began to glow. The silver armor and the man’s flesh dissolved rapidly into hundreds of bright blue and gold orbs of light. The glowing orbs floated up into the dark night sky. Then, they rushed violently straight into Saile’s chest.
Golden System screens popped up so fast they completely filled his vision.
[EX-Rank Talent: Endless Devourer Activated.]
[Major Threat Eliminated!]
[3x EXP Multiplier Active!]
A rush of incredible, burning heat flooded Saile’s veins. It was the most intense feeling he had ever experienced in his entire life. The heat felt like a raging fire inside his bones. The sheer amount of EXP from a Level 48 target, multiplied by his EX-Rank talent, was absolutely massive. It pushed his mortal limits far beyond what a normal human could ever achieve.
The system chimes rang like loud, musical bells in his ears. The sound was beautiful and completely intoxicating.
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
The notifications did not stop. They kept flashing brightly, counting higher and higher with every passing second.
Saile dropped to his knees in the dirt. He clenched his fists tightly as his body underwent a terrifying, explosive physical evolution. His muscles grew noticeably denser. His bones felt as hard as solid steel. His senses sharpened until he could hear the wind blowing several blocks away.
[Level Up x13!]
[Host has reached Level 35.]
[Base stats massively increased.]
Saile opened his eyes and took a deep, clear breath.
He felt incredibly powerful.
The massive difference between Level 22 and Level 35 was staggering. His fatigue vanished entirely. He felt like he could run for a hundred miles without breaking a single sweat. His body was finally catching up to the dangerous world around him.
He looked down at the empty dirt where the Gold-Rank Executor had died.
Two items dropped from the fading light. They sat quietly on the rough cobblestones.
The first was a large, heavy leather pouch.
Saile picked it up. It clinked loudly, filled to the very top with pure, shiny gold coins. The EX-Rank talent had devoured the man’s worldly wealth and granted it directly to the host.
The second item was a small, smooth silver ring. It had a tiny blue gemstone sitting in the exact center.
Saile picked it up carefully with his fingers.
[Loot Drop: High-Tier Storage Ring acquired.]
"A storage ring," Saile said softly, slipping the cool metal onto his left index finger.
"Yes," Naicul replied, sounding deeply satisfied. "You do not have to rely purely on the System inventory anymore. You can easily store your extra gold, fresh clothes, and supplies inside that magic ring. The Church Executor carried a lot of wealth. Now, it all belongs to us."
Saile stood up straight. He looked around the dark, ruined street.
The fighting was over, but the frontier city of Valerius was still on total lockdown. The loud sounds of Church guards shouting in the distance reminded him of the danger.
He needed to get out before more soldiers found the destroyed alley and the missing Executor.
He tied the heavy pouch of gold to his belt. He wrapped the Calamity Fang securely and tied it to his back. The dark sword felt much lighter now, reacting perfectly to his new Level 35 strength.
He pulled his dark stealth cloak tightly over his head, hiding his face completely.
He vanished quietly into the deep shadows, ready to leave the locked city far behind him.