The wind roared past them, sharp and relentless.

It pressed against Kael’s body with enough force to make breathing difficult, each gust clawing at him as if trying to tear him off the mount. Even with Taras seated ahead, subtly diverting most of the pressure, the ride was still brutal.

The eagle-like beast flew at a terrifying speed, its massive wings cutting cleanly through the air. Kael tightened his grip, fingers digging into the coarse feathers beneath him, steadying himself as best as he could.

"First time flying?" Taras called out, his tone relaxed, almost amused.

Kael almost lost his balance at the question.

For a split second, he wondered if Taras was serious. Where exactly was someone like him supposed to have seen a bird like this before, let alone ride one?

He swallowed the response that came to mind.

Right now, staying on was a bigger priority than answering stupid questions.

He tightened his grip instead, forcing his focus back on the ride.

Ahead of him, Taras guided the mount with practiced ease, adjusting their direction without hesitation or wasted movement. For all his questionable intelligence, his skill as a guide was undeniable.

Kael couldn’t help but admit that much.

Time passed quickly.

At some point, Kael noticed it.

At first, it was just a thin shape in the distance, barely noticeable against the horizon. But as they got closer, it began to grow... and it didn’t stop.

Until it towered over everything.

The structure pierced the sky like a blade driven into the world. Its surface was dark, almost like obsidian, yet different. It didn’t reflect light the way it should. Instead, it seemed to swallow it.

Even from afar, it felt heavy.

Oppressive.

Taras guided the beast into a descent, circling once before landing at its base.

Kael stepped down, his boots settling against the cold stone platform at the tower’s base.

For a moment, he didn’t move.

His gaze lifted slowly, tracing the structure upward as far as his eyes could follow before it disappeared into the clouds.

"It’s big, huh," Taras said casually.

Kael let out a quiet breath, his gaze still fixed upward. "That’s one way to put it."

Taras smirked, like he had a joke in mind but chose not to say it. Instead, he clapped his hands together lightly, brushing them off.

"Well, this is where I leave you."

Kael glanced at him.

"Place your hand on the surface," Taras continued, nodding toward the tower. "You’ll be transported inside. That’s where your tutorial begins."

He paused for a moment before continuing. "As for me, I stay here. Standard procedure."

"How long?" Kael asked.

"Twelve hours," Taras replied. "No recorded tutorial has gone past that. If you’re not out by then..."

He gave a small shrug, leaving the rest unsaid.

The meaning was clear.

Kael nodded once. "Got it."

Taras studied him for a moment, then gave a small grin. "Good luck."

"...Thanks."

Kael turned and walked toward the tower.

Up close, it felt even stranger. The surface was perfectly smooth, unnaturally so, without a single flaw or imperfection.

He hesitated for a brief moment, then placed his hand against it.

The response was immediate.

A crushing pressure slammed down on him, far heavier than anything he had ever experienced. His breath caught as the force wrapped around his body, pressing into him from all sides.

It wasn’t just weight.

It felt like judgment.

He couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. The familiar sensation of being pulled into another space never came. There was only pressure, suffocating and absolute.

Then it vanished.

Kael staggered slightly as his lungs dragged in air, his surroundings shifting before he could fully recover.

The world was gone.

In its place stretched an endless expanse of grey, empty and silent.

Before he could take it in, a massive screen appeared.

[Welcome, Challenger.]

[Your tutorial is about to begin.]

[Please select your weapon.]

Weapon choices filled his vision.

Swords, spears, bows, daggers. Countless choices laid out before him, along with the option to use his own equipment.

Kael’s expression shifted slightly.

It was clear the simulation from the Hunter Association exam had been modeled after the tower.

But a copy was still just a copy.

There was a clear difference. The exam had been controlled, safe. This, on the other hand was real.

If he died here, there would be no waking up.

Kael didn’t hesitate. "Sword."

A flash of light formed in his hand, steel taking shape instantly. The weight settled naturally into his grip, familiar and reassuring.

Another screen appeared.

[Selecting tutorial scenario.]

The grey space warped.

Reality twisted, then reformed.

A ruined city replaced it.

Collapsed buildings stretched in every direction, smoke rising into the sky. The air felt heavy, suffocating. Then the smell reached him.

Burning flesh.

Kael’s expression hardened slightly.

Behind him, a dark humanoid figure materialized.

It stood perfectly still, not moving, not reacting, just there.

Another screen lit up.

[TUTORIAL MISSION: PROTECTION]

[Objective: Defend the designated target against incoming waves and survive as long as possible.]

[Target designated.]

Kael turned.

The dark humanoid figure stood there completely motionless.

It didn’t react. Didn’t even seem aware of its surroundings.

"...You’ve got to be kidding me," he muttered.

Of all the trial types, this was the worst for him.

Most hunters would prefer a mission like this. It was manageable, predictable, and comes with no real risk of death.

But Kael needed a high rating, and that meant control. This kind of trial gave him very little of that.

Anyone who had ever played a video game with an escort mission would understand exactly how he felt right now. The kind where you’re perfectly capable of handling the enemies in front of you, but the NPC you’re protecting has apparently never once in their life considered the concept of self-preservation. The kind that exists purely to make everything harder while contributing absolutely nothing in return.

Still, there was no point complaining now.

The trial had already begun.

Two masked figures appeared ahead of him, daggers glinting faintly under the sun.

The first one charged immediately.

Kael stepped to the side, blade rising to intercept, but the second slipped past him, heading straight for the target.

Of course.

Kael moved instantly, grabbing the humanoid figure and pulling it out of the way just as the dagger sliced through empty air.

The first assassin struck from behind.

Kael twisted, raising his sword in time to block. Steel clashed sharply as he redirected the attack, stepping forward in the same motion and driving his blade into the assassin’s abdomen. 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

The body dropped.

The second attacker was already closing in again.

Kael parried the strike, then slammed the hilt of his sword into the man’s face. The impact staggered him just long enough for Kael to finish it with a clean thrust through the chest.

Two down, but there was no time to settle into it before two more appeared in quick succession.

Kael frowned slightly. Their numbers hadn’t changed. He had expected the waves to scale differently, maybe more enemies like in the simulation from the Hunter Association exam.

But the moment the new enemies moved, he understood.

They weren’t stronger in the usual sense. They were better.

Their movements were sharper now, more precise. Every strike carried intent, every feint was harder to read, like the basic patterns from before had been stripped away.

Kael adjusted immediately, forcing himself to keep up.

Wave after wave came without rest.

No breaks. No breathing room.

The pressure built steadily, the assassins growing more refined with each appearance.

Until eventually—

He couldn’t keep up.

A blade slipped past his defense, heading straight for his skull.

And then everything froze.

The ruined city vanished instantly, replaced once again by the endless grey space.

The black screen reappeared.

[TUTORIAL COMPLETE.]

[Assessing performance...]

Kael stood there, breathing heavily, his gaze locked on the screen as he waited for his rating.

Then the screen lit up again.

[Assessment Complete.]

[Performance Rating: B+]

[Proceeding with awakening...]

Kael exhaled slightly. "Not bad..."

Then the screen flickered.

Red.

[ERROR: Unknown variable detected.]

[Awakening sequence interrupted.]

[Reassessing performance...]

Kael’s expression changed. "...What?"

That wasn’t normal.

The red glow lingered, heavy and unsettling, as seconds dragged by.

Then the screen shifted again.

[Reassessment complete.]

[New Performance Rating: SSS]

[Proceeding with awakening...]

Kael stared at it, stunned. "What the hell is this..."

Before he could think further, energy surged through him.

It flooded his body instantly, overwhelming and intense. It wasn’t pain, but it was too much to process, like his body had been plugged into something far beyond its limit.

His senses faded.

All that remained was the energy coursing through him, reshaping something deep inside.

Time blurred.

Then, slowly, it stopped.

The energy faded, and his awareness returned.

Kael took a breath.

Everything felt... different.

Stronger. Deeper. There was something new within him, something he couldn’t see but could clearly feel.

He steadied himself, adjusting to the change, before finally noticing the screen floating in front of him.

[Awakening Complete.]

[Class Awakened: Void Sovereign]