NOVPUB
Chapter 23 - True Nature
Ares watched as the Soul Weapons of his group materialised in their hands, shimmering into existence like extensions of their will.
Selene gripped a slender silver rapier, its tip so fine it seemed to vanish into the air. The twins each wielded a dagger, their weapons identical—jagged, tooth-like blades with dark, obsidian tilts that gleamed ominously. One of the soldiers brandished a curved sabre, while the other held a pitch-black Jian that pulsed faintly with mana.
Lucian's weapon stood out the most—a pristine white staff crowned with a glowing blue crystal. It shimmered softly, casting an ethereal light that danced across the cavern walls like fireflies in a storm.
And Ares—he held the weapon that once belonged to his father.
A storm of emotions surged within him as memories long buried clawed their way to the surface. The familiar weight of the blade in his hands brought back flashes of his past—of training sessions, of a strong voice guiding his stance, of a father now gone.
But this was no time to reminisce. They were in a dungeon—dangerous and unpredictable. He shoved the emotions aside with practised ease.
The instructor gave a sharp nod, signalling them forward. He remained behind, eyes sharp with concern as he watched his students prepare to face their first mana beasts.
He didn't have to wait long.
A group of goblins skittered out from around a jagged corner of the cave, shrieking and charging the moment they laid eyes on the students. They were short—barely reaching the students' shoulders—and armed with crude, makeshift weapons carved from bones and monster teeth. 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝖚𝔟.𝖈𝖔𝔪
The twins froze, wide-eyed at the sudden threat. Selene dropped into a defensive stance, rapier poised like a coiled serpent ready to strike. The crystal atop Lucian's staff flared, building power for a spell.
But Ares didn't hesitate.
He had been waiting for this moment.
The instructor clenched his fists, fighting the urge to intervene as he watched the boy move.
The first goblin swung its jagged blade wildly, but Ares sidestepped with ease. Mana surged through his limbs, enhancing his reflexes. In a single, fluid motion, he brought down his blade in a sweeping arc. It tore cleanly through the goblin's torso.
The lifeless body hit the ground with a sickening thud.
Another goblin lunged, thrusting a bone spear toward Ares. He blocked it with the flat of his blade, gritting his teeth as the impact reverberated through his arm.
The third goblin was almost upon him when a gust of slicing wind blasted through the air. Lucian had released his spell, sending a sharp current that staggered the creature.
Seizing the moment, Selene darted forward, her rapier flashing like lightning. She carved a crimson trail across the goblin's side. Ares followed up without missing a beat, cleaving through the monster's torso with a brutal strike.
The final goblin collapsed in a mangled heap, its body broken by coordinated teamwork.
For a brief moment, silence reigned. The three students stood amidst the carnage, catching their breath as the faint scent of blood and magic hung in the air.
The instructor scanned the group carefully, noting their reactions. His gaze paused on the twins, whose frightened expressions had shifted into something else—resentment.
"Hmph, we were just about to handle them," one of the twins muttered with a sneer. The other nodded, trying to mask his unease with fake bravado.
Selene rolled her eyes, unimpressed by their remarks. Ares didn't bother responding. His attention was elsewhere—on the subtle, almost euphoric sensation of mana drifting toward him, absorbed into his core.
With each kill, mana essence seeped into the air. He could feel it—the strengthening of his core, the expansion of his power. But it wasn't enough. Not yet.
He needed more. He wanted more.
"Good work, but don't lose focus," the instructor warned, his voice echoing through the cavern. "Goblins may be weak individually, but they're cunning. They favour traps and ambushes. Stay sharp."
The group nodded, tension resetting in their shoulders as they moved on.
The second stretch of the dungeon proved quieter, with only two more goblins crossing their path. Both were swiftly dispatched by Ares, who met them with a hunger in his movements—a thirst for battle that seemed to grow with each encounter. The rush of mana surging through his body was addictive, like tasting power for the first time.
Eventually, the group arrived at their final destination—the Boss Lair.
Towering double doors loomed before them, carved into the cavern wall with strange glyphs etched deep into the stone. An oppressive aura radiated from the entrance, pressing down on their shoulders like invisible chains.
"This is it," the instructor said, his voice breaking the tense silence. "Everyone ready?"
Before anyone could respond, the sound of a blade slicing through flesh cut through the air.
Ares turned just in time to see the horrifying sight.
The instructor stood frozen, his eyes wide. A sword jutted through his chest, piercing from his back to front—blood already pouring down the length of the blade.
Behind him stood Teon.
His face, once lined with fatigue, now bore a wide, malevolent grin. All signs of exhaustion had vanished, replaced by something cold and calculated.
Twisting the blade slowly, he leaned in and whispered something into the instructor's ear.
Ares felt the world narrow into a tunnel. His breath caught. The cavern spun, and for a moment, everything else faded—except the crimson-stained sword and the traitorous smile behind it.
