Zev already knew where the Mutant Academy was located. But before heading there, he wanted to test his current capabilities, specifically, the true potential of his Manifestation skill.
He wandered deeper into the vast forest, leaves crunching under his feet.
"I've got plenty of time to spare… might as well start the hunt," he muttered under his breath, eyes scanning the dense underbrush.
Then he paused.
Someone's here.
He could feel it—eyes watching him from the shadows. The presence wasn't aggressive, but it was sharp and unmistakable.
Observers, he thought. Makes sense. To them, I'm still just a student, someone they might have to save if things go south.
Zev didn't mind. If anything, it only made him more determined to show what he was truly capable of.
But in Zev's case, he wasn't pleased about being watched.
Why? Because it meant he couldn't freely use his Manifestation skill.
After all, if anyone witnessed him acquiring someone else's gene or skill—it would cause a stir. Perhaps even fear.
"I'll make a way," he muttered, eyes narrowing with determination.
This place—Artec Forest—was notorious. It was home to a wide variety of monsters, many of which were aggressive and territorial. Attacks could happen at any moment.
Fortunately, Zev was familiar with the terrain. He knew the paths, the zones, and more importantly what kinds of monsters lurked where.
After a few minutes of silent wandering, he came to a halt at the edge of a vast, still lake. Its surface reflected the treetops like glass, but Zev knew better than to trust its calm.
He raised his sword and struck a marble stone at his feet—clang!
The sharp echo rang out across the clearing.
He was making noise on purpose. It was a clear tactic:
Zev was luring out the creatures that dwelled beneath the lake's surface.
Just as Zev anticipated, the monsters responded to the disturbance. Their senses were sharp, far too sharp to ignore such a deliberate provocation.
Splash!
Water erupted violently as three figures burst from the lake, landing with heavy thuds on the shore.
"Fishermen," Zev muttered, a malicious smile curling at the corner of his lips.
They resembled humans in shape, but their bodies were sheathed in shimmering blue scales. Gills pulsed along their necks, a clear sign of their aquatic nature. Each one gripped a long, jagged spear—an extension of their brutal instinct.
These creatures could fight both on land and underwater, but in the lake, they were truly lethal.
ROAR!!!
In perfect unison, the Fishermen let out a thunderous roar. The force rippled through the forest, creating shockwaves strong enough to send nearby trees swaying violently.
Zev instinctively raised his arms to shield himself, his boots skidding slightly across the ground under the pressure.
"Tch… Looks like I pissed them off with just a bit of noise," he said with a calm grin, eyes gleaming.
Taking two steps back, Zev reached for his weapon.
Shing!
Steel hissed as he unsheathed his sword, the air around him tightening with anticipation.
Swoosh!
The Fishermen lunged forward, raising their spears in his direction. Energy surged at the tips—gathering, twisting, and condensing.
Water spiraled with unnatural intensity, forming spearheads of pressurized force capable of piercing solid rock.
And then—they struck.
The moment the buildup was complete, all three monsters thrust their spears at once, unleashing torrents of water like compressed javelins aimed straight at Zev's chest.
BOOM!
A sharp explosion tore through the forest. The ground trembled, and several trees crashed to the earth with deafening snaps. Splinters flew, and a thick cloud of dust swallowed the clearing.
But Zev was already on the move.
He'd dodged just in time rolling clear of the blast radius. As he landed, one of his eyes flared violet.
Dark Aura—activated.
Power surged through his limbs. His muscles tensed and expanded slightly, veins pulsing with energy. His strength and speed had just spiked dramatically.
The dust from the explosion hadn't settled, it cloaked the battlefield like a veil. The perfect cover.
Now.
Zev used the smokescreen to close the distance in an instant. His footfalls were nearly silent, masked by the chaos.
The moment he reached striking range, he lashed out his sword slicing through the air in an unpredictable arc, cutting across multiple trajectories.
A single, fluid motion—sharp, silent, and lethal.
Clang!
Sparks flew as Zev's blade struck the Fisherman's scales again. It bounced off with a harsh metallic ring.
"As expected…" Zev muttered through clenched teeth. "Their scales are like armor damn near unbreakable."
He kept moving, weaving between thrusts and slashes, his sword flashing in response. Each swing was met with the same result: steel against scale, force against resistance.
His arms throbbed. The shock from each impact traveled up to his shoulders, slowly numbing them.
Still, he didn't stop.
Zev knew a precise way to take them down. He'd studied these monsters before. He knew their weaknesses.
But this fight wasn't just about winning—it was a test. A test of himself.
How far can I push this body?
The battle dragged on for over five minutes. His footwork grew heavier, his movements a beat slower. Sweat beaded on his brow, and his breath came sharper.
My spiritual energy… it's draining.
He gritted his teeth. He'd need to end this soon, or the Fishermen would overwhelm him.
"Playtime is over."
Zev's voice was cold calm and final.
In the blink of an eye, he surged spiritual energy through every fiber of his body, then channeled it into his sword. The blade hummed, glowing faintly as power coursed through it like a current of lightning.
One strike.
With a flash of movement, he dashed forward and swung.
Shhhk—
The edge of his sword sliced clean through the necks of the monsters in a single, fluid motion. The precision was surgical so sharp, so fast, the heads remained momentarily still before silently dropping to the ground.
No blood. No resistance. Just silence.
Zev lowered his weapon, eyes focused and unshaken.
From the shadows of the trees, a slow clap echoed.
"Well done," came a deep voice.
A man stepped into view, his posture confident, a black eyepatch covering his right eye. His aura was calm, but carried the weight of someone dangerous—someone seasoned.
Kiel Volts.
One of the professors at Mutant Academy and the one responsible for monitoring the applicants during the entrance trial.
"As expected from Quellen's swordsmanship," Kiel said with a faint smirk. "Clean, efficient, and completely overkill. I like it."
Zev didn't flinch at the sound of Kiel's voice.
He'd sensed the man's presence from the beginning—watching from the shadows, evaluating. But Zev had deliberately pretended otherwise, masking his awareness. In a test where everything was being measured, he knew that sometimes what you choose not to do speaks louder than what you show.
Without saying a word, he approached the fallen monsters and knelt beside them.
With practiced precision, he drove his blade into their torsos and carved out their cores glowing, marble-sized crystals pulsing faintly with residual energy.
Monster Cores.
Highly valuable. Sold on the market to fund equipment, training, and survival. To a mutant, they were currency sometimes even life itself.
As he tucked the cores into a pouch, something blinked into existence before his eyes.
[Would you like to use Manifestation?]
"It's too early to use the skill. I should come back later."
Zev decided against activating the ability, uncertain of the consequences if anyone discovered he possessed such power. He suppressed his Dark Energy skill.
Soon after, he sheathed his sword and set off toward the Mutant Academy. To be honest, the academy wasn't far if you avoided the monsters in the area, it was about a 30-minute journey.
During his journey, Zev encountered groups of goblins, kobolds, and orcs in the area. But what really caught his attention was a cave carved into the cliffside, he knew there was a monster inside, and this might be his chance to try using the Manifestation skill. I've tried to acquire some skills from the fishermen, especially those involving water element control, but it seems impossible for now.
More than thirty minutes later, Zev finally reached the Mutant Academy. He stood before the massive building, surrounded by a spiritual barrier that protected it from monster attacks.
He entered the Academy, feeling as if he had stepped into a bustling city. Without hesitation, he made his way to where the other students were gathered. Around 300 new students had assembled, each possessing unique powers. Some had horns sprouting from their foreheads, others had red skin, four arms, or multiple eyes like a spider.
But what caught his attention most was a woman with wolf ears. She had striking blue eyes, a captivating figure, and short, silky blue hair. Her name was Lynsey Grey, a woman gifted with the power of wolves.
If his memory served him right, this woman was one of the top students and she had fully mastered the power of wolves. More precisely, Lynsey specialized in close combat and could shapeshift.
Suddenly, Zev shifted his gaze elsewhere, but Lynsey caught him with her sharp blue eyes. Jeez, she already noticed I'm looking at her. I should avoid her—
Before he could finish his thought, Lynsey was suddenly right in front of him. "Why are you staring at me? Do you know me?" she demanded, her hand transforming into sharp claws as she aimed for Zev's left abdomen.
Zev felt the sharpness of her claws and, at the same time, grew slightly irritated because he did not want to be touched by this woman. Still, he glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Could you take responsibility for your actions?" he said firmly. He had to hide any sign of weakness.
Lynsey was taken aback by the weight behind his words. Although she was two years older than Zev, she felt an intense pressure radiating from him. She was not foolish, so she took two steps back and let her hand return to its normal form.
"Why are you looking at me like you know me?" Lynsey asked.
Zev simply turned around and didn't dare to answer her question. He wasn't angry with her; it was just that this woman was a troublemaker. If he remembered correctly, Lynsey had been fighting other students every day back then.
Lynsey furrowed her brow. It was the first time someone had ignored her. She wanted to chase after him but stopped when someone appeared in the sky.
A man in his mid-fifties floated above them. He had an average build, long silver hair, and wore a gauntlet on his left arm. His name was Drey Mont, one of the professors.
Zev looked up at the man floating in the air and suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest. "Drey…" That man had been his closest professor, the only person who had paid attention to him and taught him despite his
Drey taught him how to recover his spiritual energy and inspired him with ideas drawn from monsters. At the same time, he showed genuine kindness, even when the world had cast Zev aside. Drey had been his teacher for two years and had died protecting him during a practical test.
"This time, I will make sure you do not die."