[Winner: SlayerVeil]
Raze returned to the white void the moment the match ended.
Once there, he decided to check the new skill he had acquired.
[Skill: Voidstep]
[Allows the user to near-instantly reposition themselves by moving through a rift in the void.]
[Max distance: 5 meters]
'This is interesting,' Raze thought. 'A skill that lets me reposition myself… This could be a great tool in battle—or a liability.'
He moved on to check his stats.
[User: Raze Zaden]
[Race: Halfling]
[Level: 5]
[Exp: 5 / 1600]
[HP: 100 / 100]
[Strength: 17]
[Agility: 19]
[Stamina: 16]
[Endurance: 17]
Raze's eyes widened at the amount of EXP required to advance to the next level.
"One thousand six hundred EXP…" he muttered. "How the hell am I supposed to get that much?"
At this rate, leveling up was going to be a lot harder.
He currently had three stat points, and his attention shifted to where they should go. Agility was already close to twenty.
His thoughts returned to Voidstep.
Strength wasn't an issue for now. Even without a strength-related awakening, he was already above most humans. Putting points there could wait.
Then he recalled his earlier matches.
Every time he won, his stamina had been almost completely drained. If any fight had gone on longer, he would've run out and his opponent would've finished him off easily.
That wouldn't just be a problem in the game.
If he ran out of stamina during the portal outing, against real beasts, his life would be in danger.
He also didn't know how fast those beasts would be—or how much endurance he'd need.
After thinking everything through, he made his decision.
[Strength: 17]
[Agility: 20]
[Stamina: 17]
[Endurance: 18]
After distributing his stats, he dismissed the system and checked how much time he had left in the VR pod.
[Time Remaining: 1:03]
"Figured," he muttered. "I've been in here for almost two hours."
He exited the game, stepped out of the VR pod, and made his way out of the academy.
He wanted to test his new skill somewhere quiet. Somewhere without students, instructors, or soldiers.
After his wristwatch was scanned, the guards allowed him through.
Once outside the academy grounds, Raze headed toward the forest. It was the best place to use his skills without the risk of being seen.
The morning air was fresh and cool against his skin as he walked beneath the trees.
His thoughts drifted back to Liam's strange behavior.
"There's something up with him…" Raze muttered. "I just don't know what."
He also made a mental note to find Beatrix later. Training with her was still important if he wanted to keep improving.
After some searching, he found a clear area within the forest.
"Alright," he muttered. "Time to test Voidstep."
He stepped back, eyes locking onto a tree roughly five meters away.
[Skill Activated: Voidstep]
He took a step forward and vanished.
His vision went black for a split second.
When it returned, he nearly brushed against the tree.
The sudden darkness startled him, but the distance had been covered instantly.
He tried again.
This time, he sprinted forward before activating the skill.
The same blackout hit him and the momentum carried through, forcing him to stumble as he reappeared.
"This skill…" he muttered between breaths. "I don't like how my vision blacks out. It really does feel like I'm being pulled through a void rift."
Then the system chimed.
[Tips for Using Voidstep]
[Before activating Voidstep while running, bend your knees slightly.]
Raze frowned.
'Since when does the system give tips?' he thought. 'It's never done this before.'
Without wasting any more time, he tried again.
He ran, bent his knees slightly and activated the skill.
This time, his vision remained clear.
The momentum reset the moment he appeared, allowing him to keep running as if he hadn't stepped through a rift at all.
But the cost was immediate.
Raze slowed to a stop, breathing heavily.
Voidstep had drained a considerable amount of stamina.
He had only used it three times before he was nearly out of stamina.
"At best… four uses," he muttered. "Any more and I'm done."
He sat down against a tree and waited for his stamina to recover.
The forest was quiet. Calm. The scent of earth and leaves filled the air.
Raze couldn't help but think that the skill Voidstep would be a great skill—especially for avoiding devastating attacks.
Once his breathing steadied, Raze stood up.
Then he paused as a thought crossed his mind.
"Since I'm already in the forest…" he muttered. "Wouldn't it be better to refill my Flesh Bank?"
Memories surfaced—his uniform soaked in blood, barely making it back before curfew. If not for a nearby stream, he would've been caught.
But this time was different.
He wasn't acting purely on instinct. He could use Piercing Slash. He could plan. He could take his shirt off before the… eating part.
A system message appeared.
[New Quest Detected!]
[Objective: Find an animal, kill it, and refill your Flesh Bank before the timer runs out.]
[Time Limit: 15 minutes]
[Reward: 50 EXP]
Raze exhaled slowly.
It was time to hunt.