SSS-Rank Mission
Before being teleported, Danilo had imagined countless possibilities.
In his mind, he pictured himself stepping into a chaotic treasury — piles of radiant crystals, stacks of gold coins, mystical weapons scattered about as though waiting only for him. A scene where even the most random jewel could change the course of Earth.
He even dreamed of becoming an Upper Power, one of those whose stories grew dull from sheer overwhelming strength — like in the novel of his namesake, Rebirth of Chaos: Chronicles of the Chicana Clan.
He imagined summoning something on the level of a super-god; perhaps a sword capable of killing any being with a single strike, regardless of rank.
But what he found was far beyond — and at the same time far beneath — all his expectations.
He appeared inside a massive pavilion, deafening from the sheer roar of noise.
And the strangest thing: every single eye was fixed on him.
Not with disdain. Not with suspicion.
But with excitement.
At the center of the pavilion stood an altar.
And upon it was a dark-skinned middle-aged man, with a long beard white as snow, clad in strange ceremonial garments. His eyes, brimming with emotion, were locked on Danilo.
At his side stood a woman.
She wasn't merely beautiful — she was something beyond ordinary beauty, almost divine. Tall, with radiant dark skin, hair braided in thick twists that lent her a primal, untamed aura. The contrast between her elegance and raw savagery awakened in Danilo an instinct he hadn't expected: the desire to tame her.
But unlike the crowd, overflowing with expectation and reverence, her gaze was predatory. She didn't see Danilo as the chosen one… but as prey.
Does she have x-ray vision… and just spotted my twenty-five-centimeter black dragon? he thought sarcastically, just to break the tension in his own head.
Then it happened.
A notification echoed directly into his mind — cold, mechanical, unmistakable.
[System: Special Mission Activated]
Rank: SSS
Description: You have been chosen for the Hunt Ritual.
Objective: Survive for one hour by entering one of the portals.
Reward: The greater the difficulty of the chosen portal, the greater the reward.
Only then did Danilo understand.
The reason for those fervent eyes wasn't admiration. It wasn't hope.
It was the hunt.
He was the prey.
His heart raced, indignation burning through his mind. What seemed like a divine opportunity was, in truth, a cruel trap. A ritualistic spectacle, designed to lure in youths like him — ordinary people with dreams — into the schemes of the powerful.
Turning, his eyes fell on the row of portals.
To the far left, the first one emanated an almost harmless aura — the easiest.
But to the far right… the last. The twelfth portal. Just looking at it filled Danilo with a primal terror, as if staring into a devouring maw calling him forth.
It was then that something impossible occurred.
A golden line of light shone, extending from his own hand into the air until it connected directly with the farthest portal on the right. The most terrifying one.
In his other hand, Danilo realized he now held something that hadn't been there before: a radiant leaf, pulsing with living energy — the Leaf of Opportunity.
A bitter laugh escaped his lips.
"I always wanted to see an arena… because of Spartacus," he muttered. "And the first one I step into… is this crap."
He lifted his eyes to the strangely dressed man atop the altar. Perhaps the "master" of the ceremony. His instincts screamed, and he immediately activated attribute vision.
Name: ??? (Saint)
Power: ???
Mana: ???
Strength: ???
Agility: ???
Physique: ???
Intelligence: ???
Other: ??? ??? ???
Danilo's body trembled.
Not because of the empty numbers, but because of what they meant.
Question marks across every attribute — as if staring into an abyss the system itself refused to measure.
And worst of all: Rank – Saint.
Compared to his own pathetic "Common" rank… the disparity was heaven and earth. An impossible gulf to cross.
Danilo tore his eyes away from the mysterious man and locked them onto the woman at his side.
The sight froze his blood.
She wasn't merely beautiful.
She was a predator.
The system responded to his instinct, revealing her information.
Name: Nzinga Otchali (Emperor)
Power: 40,500
Mana: 40,000
Strength: 405
Agility: 410
Physique: 320
Intelligence: 400
Talent: Domain of Shadows — SSS
Danilo's heart sank.
If that woman hunts me… I'm screwed… he thought, feeling cold sweat drip down his temple.
Despair grew.
His mind spun with countless options, all improbable, all suicidal. With every second, the arena seemed to close in around him.
Then his gaze dropped to his right hand.
The golden thread still pulsed, tethered to the farthest portal. The most terrifying of all.
A crazy idea struck.
What if… she backs off once she sees I've chosen the worst portal?
His breathing grew heavy.
Without thinking twice, Danilo decided. He would go for the last portal.
At that exact moment, something happened.
A voice whispered in his ear.
Not just a voice — it was music, it was nature, it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. Every syllable carried divine weight, though spoken in a strange, incomprehensible tongue.
And yet… he understood.
"Go to the last portal."
Danilo's body shuddered.
And then, the most terrifying thing of all…
His body began to move on its own.
Confusion. Terror. Each step felt guided by a force beyond his will.
He turned his head back.
He looked into the predator's beauty, searching for an impossible answer, an ounce of comfort.
Then he glanced at the man, slightly better looking than him, and found only a mask of barely contained fury. Terrifying.
But his steps didn't stop.
He walked, inexorably, toward the last portal.
When he finally stood before it, the pressure was suffocating. A full hour of pure terror radiated from that gateway, as if the entire universe warned him not to take another step.
And still, Danilo looked back one last time.
The arena was silent.
No one believed what they were witnessing. He truly dared to choose the last portal. Not a soul dared breathe.
The handsome man and the huntress weren't even looking at him.
They stared, enraged, toward some hidden direction — as though they perceived something invisible to all others.
And then…
Danilo stepped into the portal.