Rey crouched behind debris, heart pounding, mind racing.
Jacob's footsteps were closing in—heavy, fast, furious. Rey peeked through a crack and caught sight of the man himself—armour stained with blood, eyes burning crimson with rage. His monstrous presence alone screamed death.
Jacob had discovered the corpses. His men were gone, and now Rey was the only one left to blame.
"WHERE ARE YOU, BAS*ARD?!" Jacob roared, voice echoing like thunder across the ruined terrain.
Rey knew better than to respond. Only a lunatic would answer that. But time was running out—Jacob was drawing closer every second.
'I need a plan... or I'm dead.'
Panic gnawed at his mind, but a flicker of hope sparked—an idea.
His chances were slim, maybe fifty-fifty at best, but it was better than nothing.
He pulled out the crystal orb containing Aiden's essence and clenched it tightly. Mana surged within him—wild, unrefined. It resisted his control like an untamed beast.
This wasn't some fantasy novel or anime. He hadn't mastered mana overnight. He had only gained it a week ago, and even now, it slipped through his grip like water.
Still, he had no choice.
He forced it through, again and again, until at last... he felt a click.
A connection.
His mana dipped sharply—already at half capacity—and his mind throbbed with exhaustion. Yet he pressed forward, activating the skill that could turn the tide.
[Telekinesis – God Rank | Current Rank: 0]
Allows the user to manipulate objects with their mind. Limited only by imagination. Weight Limit: 5kg (Scales with Level).
A small stone lifted from the ground, hovering before Rey's face.
His mind strained to maintain control, but it held. With a shaky breath, he redirected it away from his position, as far as his mental tether could stretch—thirty meters at most.
Then, he let it fly.
The stone tore through the air with speed. Jacob, already moving in Rey's direction, suddenly stopped.
Something was coming.
With a flick, Jacob summoned his armour, scanning the area—only to see a rock. A simple, stupid rock.
He crushed it effortlessly between his fingers.
But the damage had been done.
A wicked grin crawled across Jacob's face as he turned and stalked toward where the projectile had come from—completely unaware that Rey was in the opposite direction.
Hidden in the shadows, Rey exhaled slowly. The ruse had worked.
His body trembled with relief, but his head throbbed from the exertion. He tried to levitate his dagger next—but his concentration snapped. The backlash from his earlier effort left his mind reeling.
'It's true what they say. You only find your limits when your life's on the line…' he mused, stifling a chuckle.
Jacob was still searching for where the stone had misled him.
Rey took one last breath and activated his skill again, this time lifting a large, odd-shaped machine nearby. He floated it in the opposite direction and dropped it with a loud crash.
The sound drew Jacob once more. The armoured man barreled toward it, smashing everything in his way.
And Rey remained hidden, untouched.
It was time.
Rey sat cross-legged, retrieving a small container from his pocket—the one holding Aiden's relic. His fingers trembled, but his eyes were resolute.
He had considered this many times before. Now, he was done hesitating.
"Let's do this," he whispered, and pressed the relic against his forehead.
It sank in like a knife of cold light. A spark of pain lanced through his skull before a soft notification chimed in his ears.
...
Far away, Aiden froze mid-conversation.
He had severed the link with Rey to restrict ability access, a protective measure—but now, it was being re-established. Something had shifted. The System had acted on its own.
He checked the details—and was stunned.
A hidden condition had been embedded, one he hadn't authorised.
He tried to stop it, but his strength was gone. His power was still recovering after a previous drain.
"Tch… lucky bastard," Aiden muttered, helpless."If that hadn't triggered, you'd be tasting pain worse than death—again."
But the Realm moved on without his consent. It had begun molding Rey through its own logic—pushing him toward growth, toward survival.
And Rey was in more danger than Aiden realised.
...
Back in the shadows, Rey's eyes widened at the new notification. He nearly shouted in triumph but swallowed the cry, glancing toward Jacob—who remained unaware.
Then, he pulled out another pendant, this one containing Victor's relic. It pulsed with red light.
With a heavy heart, he crushed it in his palm. The crystal marble inside shimmered.
He placed it on his tongue.
No scream. No agony. Just a cool wave that spread across his body like ice water.
Confused, he recalled Aiden's earlier warning—he had expected searing pain, but nothing happened.
Another message blinked into view.
Rey blinked, stunned.
The last time, the pain had been unbearable. Why was it so easy now?
What he didn't know was that the system had already broken the barrier during his first awakening. The agony he'd endured back then had shattered the mental safeguards.
And now—he was fully unchained.
He stood, silent and grim.
"Round two," he whispered."Let's end this."
His mind buzzed with a final, dangerous thought.
'That trick might actually work… I'll take a hit if I have to—but if it lands, I win.'
With both relics awakened and Jacob drawing closer, Rey braced himself.
The real fight was about to begin.
--> To be Continued...