Chapter 51: Chapter 51: The Hunter’s Challenge
Mai Lee stood in front of the massive S-rank Gate, his eyes narrowing at the swirling vortex of energy. The air crackled with pressure, sending shivers down the spines of the hunters standing behind him. This was unlike any Gate before—something was wrong.
A high-ranking guild had called for reinforcements, but no one dared step forward. The mana leaking from the Gate was suffocating, thick with an ominous presence.
"We should wait for a National-Rank Hunter," someone whispered.
Mai ignored them, his mind already working. His Infinite Talent Copy had absorbed hundreds of skills by now, but something about this Gate made him wary. He could feel a hidden force within, something watching from beyond.
System Notification:
Warning! This dungeon contains an unidentified anomaly.
New Evolutionary Path Available: Adaptive Fusion
Mai's heart pounded. Another evolution? He clenched his fists, curiosity overpowering his hesitation. His ability had never led him astray before. If the system was offering an upgrade, it meant this Gate was more than it seemed.
"Step back," Mai ordered, his voice cutting through the uncertainty.
The gathered hunters hesitated. A few recognized him, whispering among themselves. Though he kept a low profile, his recent feats were beginning to spread.
Ignoring them, Mai stepped forward and placed his hand against the Gate. Instantly, a surge of energy shot through his body. The mana reacted violently, twisting and contorting as the entrance pulsed like a living thing.
With a deep breath, he activated Talent Fusion. Power flooded his veins, and a new skill formed in his status.
New Ability Acquired: Dimensional Awareness (S-Rank)
Allows the user to sense distortions in space and identify hidden presences beyond the physical plane.
Mai's eyes widened as his perception expanded. Inside the Gate, something lurked. Not just monsters, but a presence that shouldn't be there.
"No turning back now," he muttered.
Without another word, he stepped through the Gate. Darkness swallowed him whole.
On the other side, the world twisted into a nightmarish landscape. Jagged obsidian cliffs stretched for miles, glowing veins of red energy pulsing beneath them. The sky was wrong—fractured—as if something had broken reality itself.
A single entity stood before him.
It wasn't a monster. It wasn't even human.
It grinned.
"You're not supposed to be here, little anomaly."
Mai's blood ran cold.
For the first time since arriving in this world—he felt truly watched.
The Forgotten Battlefield
Mai quickly took in his surroundings, his enhanced perception scanning for threats. The broken landscape was littered with ancient ruins, shattered remnants of a battle long past. He could sense lingering energy, traces of beings far stronger than anything he had encountered before.
The entity standing before him wore a twisted smile, its body flickering like a mirage. Its voice was deep, unnatural, as if speaking from multiple places at once.
"You should not exist."
Mai steadied himself, his instincts screaming at him to be careful. The Dimensional Awareness skill flared to life, revealing hidden distortions in space—shadows moving where there was no light, echoes of voices whispering from nowhere.
He clenched his fists, feeling the power of his fused abilities surge. If this thing was a threat, he was ready.
System Notification:
New Combat Condition Triggered: Existence Anomaly Detected.
Special Talent Unlock: Shadow Reformation (SS-Rank)
Mai barely had time to react as the entity lunged at him, moving faster than anything he had ever seen. His body moved on instinct, activating Shadow Reformation. His form flickered, shifting like a shadow, and the attack passed right through him.
He reappeared a few meters away, eyes narrowing. This wasn't just an ordinary dungeon boss. It was something else entirely.
"Who are you?" Mai demanded, his voice steady despite the storm of energy around them.
The entity tilted its head, as if amused. "A mistake."
Then it attacked again, and the battlefield erupted into chaos.
The Battle Against the Unknown
Mai barely dodged in time as black tendrils shot from the entity's body, warping space itself. The ground beneath him cracked under the sheer force of the attack. He retaliated instantly, summoning a fusion of his strongest abilities.
"Infernal Void Slash!"
A blade of pure destruction cut through the air, slicing apart the tendrils. The entity recoiled, its form momentarily distorting. But instead of retreating, it laughed—a chilling, hollow sound that sent a wave of discomfort through Mai.
"You have potential, but you are still incomplete."
The air thickened with unseen energy, a force pressing against Mai's very existence. His mind raced. He had fought powerful enemies before, but this was different. The entity wasn't using conventional attacks—it was trying to erase him from reality.
Mai focused, tapping into his newest talent.
"Dimensional Awareness—Override!"
The battlefield shifted. For a brief moment, Mai could see through all layers of existence. The entity wasn't just attacking him physically—it was altering the very rules of reality to remove him.
Gritting his teeth, he activated Talent Fusion once more, pushing his ability beyond its limits. Energy surged, and a new power began to take shape within him.
System Notification:
Congratulations! You have unlocked a Unique Skill: Existential Dominion (SSS-Rank).
Grants control over spatial laws, allowing the user to resist erasure and manipulate the fundamental structure of existence.
Mai smirked. "Looks like I just found my counter."
With a surge of power, he stepped forward—not through space, but through reality itself. The battle had just begun.