Nyx woke up early, before the sun even touched the windows of his room. For a moment, he lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling without blinking. His body felt relaxed, but inside… it was anything but.
Yesterday's memory—the dark voice that had pierced his mind when he used the Void for the first time—shuddered sharply in his thoughts, stirring his nerves once again:
—Kill… kill… kill…
Nyx slowly pressed his hand against his chest, as if he wanted to choke the words that had stuck to his soul.
"…I won't use it again."
He said it to himself in a low but firm voice.
He knew the power he had gained was unnatural, alien to this world. His body handled mana in a strange, almost eerie way, and his growth had been faster than it should have been. Even now, he hadn't yet adapted to the sheer amount of energy that had flowed through him since day one.
He rose slowly and headed to the bathroom. Warm water poured over his head, and as it cascaded over his skin, he felt his tension ease slightly.
After a few minutes, he stepped out, dried his white hair, and put on his training clothes. He moved lightly across the room, pulled his sword from the wall, and began testing some basic strikes.
Strength wasn't the goal.
He didn't need it… not for now.
The goal was… control.
A horizontal slash…
A forward thrust…
A side step…
Lowering his center of gravity…
With each movement, he felt his body respond precisely, as if it had trained for years, not days.
But that was also part of the problem.
Uncontrolled power could turn into a weapon against him before it affected anyone else.
After a full hour of continuous training, he stopped and ran his hand through his sweat-dampened white hair.
"Only two days left until the entrance exam…"
He took a deep breath.
"I need to test myself against something real."
Wood wasn't an opponent.
Air wasn't a competitor.
He needed a monster… a fight… real pressure that would force him to use his power without overdoing it.
He grabbed his small bag, secured the sword tightly at his waist, and left the apartment heading toward the city gate.
---
The trip to the forest took about an hour and a half.
The air was fresh, the sky clear, and the breeze carried the scent of pine trees.
Although he knew this world was filled with monsters, blood, and battles… he couldn't ignore the fact that it was beautiful.
Perhaps even more beautiful than he had written in his story.
The colors were more vibrant here, the air lighter, and the nature itself seemed… alive.
Nyx entered the forest's boundary, and as soon as he crossed the tree line, he felt a slight drop in temperature. The light became less intense, shadows deeper. Yet, he didn't feel fear. He was confident he could handle any monster in this forest.
He advanced calmly, his steps light on the damp soil. He didn't want a demon from the Shadow Continent, nor a high-rank monster… just a simple opponent he could use to measure the difference between what he had known on paper… and what he was living now in reality.
According to the story, the forest didn't contain monsters beyond rank D. Most of its inhabitants were weak creatures:
Mana Rabbits, Wind Wolves, Hellhounds…
And that was exactly what he needed.
After a few minutes of moving deeper, he began hearing faint sounds… rustling leaves… subtle movements in the grass… non-human breathing.
He closed his eyes for a moment and extended his mana sense as he had trained over the past days.
It was like opening your senses to a gentle current passing through the air.
A new feeling, but gradually becoming familiar.
And then… he felt it.
A small presence… low energy readings… moving quickly.
He opened his eyes and turned sharply.
In the shadows, between the tree trunks, a low creature emerged, its steps light but carrying a clear threat.
It resembled a dog… but not quite.
Its fur was pitch black, as if fire had singed its edges.
Veins of faint red light ran under its skin.
Its slitted yellow eyes gleamed intensely.
Its hot breath escaped in thin smoke, dissipating into the air.
It opened its mouth, revealing long fangs that glowed faintly with heat.
Nyx recognized it immediately.
"…A Hellhound."
He murmured coldly.
The creature was rank E—one of the weakest monsters in this forest.
In his story, it was just a minor threat, a small obstacle appearing in the early chapters.
But now…
it was his first real opponent.
Nyx slowly raised his hand to the hilt of his sword, taking his time.
His eyes stayed fixed on the monster, which began to growl and lower its body, preparing to pounce.
He slowly swallowed, feeling a small surge of adrenaline shoot through his body.
"Alright…"
He said calmly, but with a strange mix of curiosity, caution, and excitement.
"…time to begin my first real fight."
He gripped his sword tightly and leaned slightly forward.
The monster roared.
And the forest… fell silent.