Rico stood in front of the corpse of the Skeleton King lying on the palace floor. The ground was cracked from the effects of the battle, and the air was still heavy with battle energy. A dense red aura was radiating from his eyes and covering his entire body, while he held two daggers steadily in his hands.
A system window appeared above the boss's corpse:
[You can now devour the target's soul and technique]
Rico raised his right hand, while the dagger was still between his fingers. A red aura similar to his own emerged from his body and wrapped around the Skeleton King's body as if slowly swallowing it.
[The target's soul and technique have been devoured]
[Acquired technique: Summon the Dead]
[Information: You can summon skeleton soldiers according to the player's rank]
The windows gradually disappeared.
Rico said inside himself while tightening his fist:
'So this is the boss's power… It has become mine.'
He said calmly: "Storage."
The two daggers disappeared inside the system, then he raised his gaze toward the next window.
[Completion reward — Gate: Spirit Elixir to cure all diseases]
[You have obtained five]
He stretched his hand and said: "Storage."
A glass bottle appeared in his hand, shaped like a human skull, and the red liquid inside it moved slowly as if it were alive. Rico stared at it for a long time.
'Wait for me, Mom… It's all over now.'
Suddenly, the palace shook violently, and dust fell from the ceiling.
'Right… the gate will close after the boss dies.'
The light around him began to crack in the void, announcing the end of the gate.
At the headquarters of the Black Scorpion Organization, inside the director's office.
The director was standing in front of the window behind his desk, wearing an elegant gray suit. His blue hair was neatly arranged, and his blue eyes reflected the moonlight outside.
'Does Reina really underestimate me?'
He sighed quietly.
'I assigned her to invite that talented young man… and she didn't do it.'
He placed his hands behind his back while looking at the sky.
'Anyway… the director bears the mistakes of his subordinates. That is life.'
Suddenly, the office door was pushed open violently, and the deputy director entered, breathing heavily with obvious worry.
The director turned immediately, understanding from his expression that something was serious.
The deputy director said quickly: "Sir Director, an A-rank gate has appeared in one of the city streets."
The director's tone changed immediately and he said seriously:
"Send only hunter Tsuma. Let him finish the matter immediately."
"Yes, sir."
The deputy director left quickly, while the director returned to looking at the moon in silence.
In the hospital.
Selina, Rico's mother, was lying motionless on the bed. Medical devices were producing regular beeping sounds, and silence filled the room.
Luna and Rayfan sat beside her, their eyes filled with tears.
Luna said in a trembling voice: "Mom… please wake up."
Suddenly, the room window opened quietly.
Rico entered inside, his clothes torn and dirty from the battle, with clear traces of the fight on him. He stopped for a moment looking at his family, then approached slowly.
He said calmly: "Luna… Rayfan… don't tell anyone what is going to happen now."
They nodded in agreement without asking.
Rico took out the elixir bottle.
He gently lifted his mother's head, then opened the bottle and slowly poured the red liquid into her mouth.
He sat right beside her, his eyes fixed on her.
'Will it succeed…?'
Heavy seconds passed.
Suddenly, soft green auras appeared around Selina's body, and energy spread throughout the room.
Rico's eyes widened.
'What is happening?'
The auras disappeared after moments, and silence returned.
Then… her fingers moved.
Selina slowly opened her eyes, as if waking from a normal sleep.
She looked ahead and saw her children.
Luna and Rayfan immediately approached and hugged her tightly, bursting into tears.
They said together: "We thought you would leave us, Mom!"
Selina hugged them while still trying to understand what was happening.
Rico stood beside the bed, watching the scene in silence, then a sincere and calm smile appeared on his face.
'It has been a long time… since I felt this warmth.'
He kept looking at his family silently, while the room was finally filled with something he had not known for a long time… tranquility.
Rico standing in the middle of a completely destroyed city. Buildings were collapsed, the ground was cracked, and traces of fire filled the place. The air was heavy with the smell of smoke, and human corpses were scattered in the streets as evidence of a catastrophic battle that had ended moments ago.
Rico was holding two daggers in his hands, and his clothes were torn and stained with blood and dust, as if he had just come out of a life-and-death fight.
In front of him stood a huge crowd of S-rank monsters. Massive bodies, protruding fangs, and wild eyes watching him like a final prey.
Rico stood firmly.
Suddenly, a dense golden aura exploded from his body, its pressure making the air around him tremble and small stones scatter from the ground.
He dashed forward.
He moved with unnatural speed and disappeared among the monsters. The two daggers shone with every movement, and the giant bodies began to fall. He split one monster into two halves, circled behind another and cut its neck, then slid between two and struck them with one blow.
He moved among them easily, as if he were an S-rank hunter or higher.
Within seconds, the place was filled with monster pieces.
Rico finally stopped while panting, his chest rising and falling rapidly because of the tremendous effort.
Suddenly—
A completely black creature appeared in front of him. Its body was dark as if made of shadows, without a face or human features.
The creature said in a deep, calm voice: "You have become stronger, O King."
And before Rico could move—
His head was separated from his body.
Rico woke up suddenly from his sleep, breathing heavily.
'What was that nightmare?'
He sat on his bed holding his chest.
'The nightmares have become more terrifying than before.'
His mother entered the room with a warm smile and said: "Rico, breakfast is ready."
He replied while trying to hide his disturbance: "Okay, Mom."
She noticed that he was slightly panting but ignored it and said: "Go wash your face first."
"Alright."
In front of Rico's house, Reina Kagami, the S-rank hunter, was standing quietly talking on the phone.
The director said: "What is Rico doing now?"
She answered: "He is in the bathroom washing his face."
The director said: "Reina."
"Yes?"
"What rank do you expect him to be?"
She thought for a while then said: "I expect he is A-rank."
"The reason?"
"The power he showed in the villa was great… This is just an estimation."
The director said: "Okay. Invite him to join the organization."
"Understood."
Inside the house, Rico was eating breakfast with his family.
Suddenly, a system window appeared in front of him.
[Someone is watching you from outside]
He looked toward the house window but saw nothing.
'Strange… the system is never wrong.'
He continued eating calmly.
'I will go train… If he is watching me, he will appear.'
He paused for a moment.
'But if he is targeting my family…'
He became more cautious without showing it.
After breakfast, he went upstairs and started changing his clothes.
A window appeared.
[It is time to train]
He said: "I know."
He went down from the second floor and sat on the stairs to put on his shoes.
His mother asked him: "Where are you going?"
"I will go out with my friends."
She smiled a wicked smile and said: "Is your friend a beautiful girl?"
Rico sighed. "Mom… why do you always misunderstand me?"
She laughed and said: "Okay, enjoy your time."
'Since she recovered, she thinks I changed because of a girl…'
He left the house.
Reina was following him from a distance without making any sound.
Rico headed toward a forest different from his usual training place, intentionally changing the location so his real training place would not be revealed.
After several minutes he suddenly stopped and said coldly without turning around: "Come out. I know you are following me."
In the next moment Reina dashed toward him with tremendous speed.
Rico barely managed to dodge the attack, retreating several steps while only panting because of the evasion.
He stood in front of her, surprised.
'Isn't this Reina Kagami… the famous S-rank hunter?'
She smiled and said: "You seem as strong as I expected."
Rico swallowed his saliva.
'I can't take out the two daggers… If she sees spatial storage, she will know it is a rare ability.'
'I will fight with my hands.'
A system window appeared.
[Reina Kagami — S-rank hunter]
Then another window:
[The target has no killing intent — only a strength test]
'Only a test?'
He took a fighting stance and rushed toward her, throwing successive fast punches.
Reina dodged the attacks with complete ease, as if his movements were slow in front of her.
A pink-colored aura began radiating around her body, soft but carrying tremendous pressure that made the air heavier.
She said excitedly: "Good… show me more."
Rico said: "Alright."
Suddenly a deadly red aura exploded from him, and his eyes turned into a savage glow. His attacks became faster, and his movements more ferocious.
But Reina continued to dodge easily, as if his full strength did not create any pressure on her.
Then suddenly she used only a small part of her power.
One strike to his stomach.
Rico was thrown backward violently and hit a tree, dust scattering around him while blood came out of his mouth.
'This… is the power of an S-rank hunter.'
He stood with difficulty and wiped the blood.
'These people are not normal.'
'She only used a tiny part of her power… and I used everything I had.'
He looked at her steadily.
'I am still an insect before the peak.'
Reina took a fighting stance, the pink aura surrounding her more clearly, and said with obvious excitement:
"Show me your limits. Fight as if it were a life-and-death battle."
End of the chapter (Chapter Nine)