Rise of the System Slayer

Another day, another step toward becoming strong again. Ares sits on the couch, gazing at the ceiling mindlessly. It has been a while since he meditated because he was too focused on mining and getting stronger, to the point that he forgot to rest his mind. Today, he decided to let his brain shut down for ten minutes.

He sits in his room, where he can't hear any sound or disturbance. He closes the window and shuts the door; the only voice he can hear is his own. He takes a deep breath, exhales, and sighs in relief.

Crossing his legs, he pats his hands on his thighs and closes his eyes, trying to feel a connection to his surroundings. After a while, he finishes, and his mind feels more focused.

Right after that, the system grants him additional points in Intelligence.

- Intelligence: 10 [+3]

He opens his status to assign his remaining points and decides to allocate them to his MP.

- Level: 30 [40%]

- Class: Shadow Master

- HP: 100

- MP: 250/250

- Strength: 35

- Agility: 15

- Sense: 11

- Intelligence: 10

- Fatigue:

- Skill(s): [VOID MANIPULATION]

- 0 Unassigned Points

He puts all his points into MP to increase it, and now he can revive about five shadow soldiers at once.

His day has been filled with happiness. Now, he laughs and clenches his fist, looking forward to growing even stronger.

He is at his peak now, and moreover, it is still morning. He feels he has already accomplished a lot today. Before going outside to work, he cooks breakfast for Lily. Before leaving, He goes to the kitchen, places a frying pan on the stove, and waits for a few minutes.

When the pan starts to heat up, he adds oil, followed by onions and tomatoes, stirring them until they become tender. Next, he breaks three eggs and adds them to the pan. After a minute of mixing, he sprinkles a little salt to balance the flavor. Once the omelet is done, he quickly places it on the table and puts it in a container to keep it warm.

After that, he immediately goes outside toward the dungeon to mine mana crystals.

As Ares was nearing the exit of the dungeon, Jayce and the mining team immediately called out to him, big smiles on their faces as they waved. Ares was clueless about what Darius had told them and why they were so energetic today. Anxiety crept in—had his secret been revealed?

Cameron, an old man pervert, immediately approached him and held to his shoulder "Hey kid, I heard you did well in the hunt." his eyes gleamed with curiosity, but there was a teasing edge to his voice.

Ares tensed for a moment, unsure how to respond. He didn't know exactly what Darius had told them, but the way they were all looking at him made him a little relieved that his secret hadn't been exposed. However, he had suddenly become the center of attention, and it made him feel embarrassed.

'Hey, kid, tell us what happened yesterday,' they asked, filled with curiosity about how Ares did in the dungeon. But before he could respond, Jayce immediately stopped them. 'Hey, don't force him. Go back to your places; the hunting team will be coming out any second,' he said, his tone firm and his expression serious.

He needed to take it seriously to make them stop. After hearing that, their faces turned long, a bit disappointed that they didn't hear about Ares.

After that, an S-rank guild emerged from the dungeon—one of the strongest guilds, the Centaur Guild! Led by the guild master, Thalion Swifthoof, whose ability is Fire Hooves Blaze, a fiery power that enhances his combat style.

More of a fighter than anything, he scorches the earth as he charges into battle. With each powerful strike, his Inferno Hoof ability burns the enemy, including the ground, setting foes ablaze and creating a wall of flame that defends him.

Thalion stands tall with a muscular build. His upper body resembles that of a strong soldier before the cataclysm began; he was one of the strongest soldiers and awakened as an S-rank. He is adorned with battle-worn armor that clings to his broad shoulders.

His lower half is that of a powerful horse-like form, sleek and agile. His face is sharp, with piercing amber eyes and long dark hair that cascades down his back, adding a wild and intense aura to his noble presence.

As they emerge from the dungeon, only five of them come out. Thalion doesn't need many companions to raid an A-rank dungeon; for him, this dungeon is like a playground.

As Thalion walked toward Ares, he felt a strong aura, but it quickly vanished, and Thalion lost track of it. It was a feeling he couldn't quite place, almost as if the air itself had shifted around him. He paused for a second, furrowing his eyebrows in confusion.

Ares noticed Thalion raise an eyebrow, a subtle smile playing at the corner of his lips. 'Something wrong?' Ares asked, his voice calm yet with a hint of amusement.

Thalion blinked and shook his head as if he had been mistaken. 'Nothing,' he replied quickly, then turned and walked away.

They finished the work earlier than expected, thanks to Ares and how fast he moved. Each smash of his was so strong that it could break a large mana crystal with a single strike, scattering it across the ground. During a break, Ares continued, but with the help of his summoned allies, the work sped up.

By the time they returned, half of the mana crystals had been collected and organized.

Jayce, who had known Ares for a long time, couldn't believe his eyes. He had always seen Ares as clumsy and weak, but now, the way he moved was different—more assured, almost as if he wasn't the same person. Jayce couldn't help but feel curious and wonder how Ares had gained such strength.

After that day, Ares received another key from the system.

"Another key again? What am I, the god of keys?" Ares murmured, rubbing his head, wondering if the system was secretly running a locksmith business.

[YOU HAVE RECEIVED A KEY]

[Key to the Demon Castle Dungeon]

Description -> A mysterious key that grants access to the infamous Demon Castle Dungeon, a place filled with powerful monsters, deadly traps, and untold treasures. Only those strong enough to survive its trials can uncover the secrets hidden within its cursed halls.

The description of it went beyond his wildest expectations. However, high rewards come with high risks. Ares felt a surge of excitement and confusion as his heart raced in his chest.

What was waiting for him on the other side? As he thought about it, his palms began to sweat, but he knew this was another chance to become stronger.

This time, he's a lot stronger than before, and he now has two skills.

////