The Unmaker: Level 1 to Godhood

The guild leaders stood on their elevated platforms, their eyes fixed on the massive holographic screens displaying the battle royale arena. The applicants were scattered across the map, some cautiously exploring, others already engaging monsters. The room buzzed with quiet murmurs as the leaders analyzed the unfolding events.

Sheila Margo, the leader of the Emerald Circle, leaned forward slightly, her sharp eyes scanning the screens. Her gaze lingered on one particular feed—a young man who had just secured his first kill. The notification flashed across the screen:

[Global Kill Feed]

Robert -> Florence

Sheila's brow arched in interest. "Who is that man?" she asked, her voice calm but laced with curiosity.

One of her executives, a woman with a sleek tablet in hand, stepped forward. "That's Robert Malque, ma'am, Mindforge Class. Brother of Jay Lean Malque, a C-rank Swordsman."

Sheila's lips curved into a faint smile. "Interesting. Are they from a prominent family?"

The executive scrolled through her tablet, her fingers moving swiftly. "No, ma'am. Their parents died five years ago. Jay awakened two years later and has been supporting him ever since."

Sheila nodded thoughtfully, her gaze still fixed on Rob's feed. He was moving cautiously through the forest, his movements deliberate and calculated. Despite his low-key demeanor, there was something about him that caught her attention—a quiet determination, perhaps, or the way he handled himself in the chaos of the battle royale.

"Hmm," Sheila murmured. "Classify him as Type B."

The executive hesitated for a moment. "Are you sure, ma'am? His stats and performance so far are... average."

Sheila's smile didn't waver. "Yes. But keep an eye on him. There's potential there, even if it's not immediately obvious."

Her attention then shifted to another feed—a young boy, no older than sixteen, who was effortlessly manipulating time to evade monsters and outmaneuver other applicants. The boy's class was displayed prominently on the screen: Chronomancer.

Sheila's eyes gleamed with interest. "Now, that one," she said, pointing to the boy's feed. "Classify him as Type S. Execute Protocol 65. Tell our agents to befriend him and promote the benefits of joining our guild."

The executive nodded, tapping a few commands into her tablet. "Understood, ma'am. I'll relay the orders immediately."

As the executive turned to carry out her instructions, Sheila leaned back in her chair, her gaze flickering between Rob and the Chronomancer. The boy was a rare find—a prodigy with a class that could reshape the battlefield. But Rob... there was something about him that intrigued her. Perhaps it was his resilience, or the way he carried himself despite the odds. Either way, she made a mental note to keep a close watch on both of them.

The guild leaders stood on their respective observation decks, separated by the vast expanse of the room. Each platform was elevated and isolated, allowing the leaders to watch the holographic screens in privacy while maintaining an air of authority. Despite the distance, their attention was drawn to the same feeds—Kai Nakamura, the Shinobi-class applicant, and the Chronomancer, whose unique skills were impossible to ignore.

Manuel Castro, the Dragon Knight and leader of the Trident Brotherhood, leaned forward in his seat, his piercing gaze fixed on Kai's feed. The young man moved like a shadow, his dagger flashing as he cut through a horde of monsters with surgical precision. His agility and speed were unmatched, and his calm demeanor under pressure was a rare sight.

"Impressive," Manuel murmured to himself. "A Shinobi with that level of control... he could be a valuable asset." He turned to one of his executives, who stood nearby with a tablet in hand. "Make a note. Kai Nakamura—Priority 1. I want him in our guild." The executive nodded, quickly typing the order into the system. "Understood, sir."

Feliciano Mario, the Hoplite Vanguard of the Akar Knights, watched Kai's feed with a mix of admiration and caution. The boy's combat style was flawless, his movements calculated and efficient. Feliciano stroked his chin thoughtfully, his mind already racing with strategies to recruit him.

"That boy... he's a natural," Feliciano said to his assistant, a young woman in sleek armor. "But he's not the only one worth watching. The Chronomancer—now that's a game-changer."

The assistant nodded, her eyes flicking to the screen showing the young Chronomancer. "Should we prioritize him, sir?"

Feliciano hesitated, then shook his head. "Not yet. Let's see how far he goes. But keep an eye on him. If he survives, he'll be a top contender."

Leah Quezon, the Blademaster and vice leader of the Serpent Vanguard, sat with her arms crossed, her sharp eyes scanning the feeds. She had little interest in the usual displays of brute strength or flashy magic. What caught her attention was precision, discipline, and adaptability—qualities Kai Nakamura had in spades.

"Kai Nakamura," Leah said aloud, as if testing the name. Her second-in-command, a tall man with a scar across his cheek, stepped forward.

"Shinobi class," the man said, reading from his tablet. "Fast, efficient, and ruthless. He's already taken out three other applicants and a dozen monsters."

Leah smirked. "Ruthless, huh? I like that. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. He's good, but he's not the only one worth watching." Her gaze shifted to the Chronomancer's feed, her expression unreadable. "That kid... he's dangerous. Time manipulation is a rare skill. If he survives, he'll be a top priority."

Rob's POV: The Hunt for Gear

Rob crouched low in the bushes, his eyes scanning the dense forest around him. The battle royale was heating up, and the kill feeds popping up in his peripheral vision were a stark reminder of the stakes.

[Global Kill Feed]

Mira -> Mia

Kai -> Soriano

Kai -> Alex

Kai -> Tony

Dexter -> Miriam

Rodrigo -> Jomar

Rob's jaw tightened. "The real game is starting," he muttered under his breath. He needed to move quickly but carefully. The next safe zone wasn't far, but he couldn't afford to run into another applicant or a monster horde.

Finding a secluded spot behind a cluster of rocks, Rob opened the shop interface. His mana reserves were running low, and he needed a reliable source of regeneration if he wanted to survive the next wave of challenges. He scrolled through the trinkets, his eyes widening at the prices of legendary items.

"4,000 to 12,000 coins?!" Rob whispered, shaking his head. "Who even has that kind of money right now?"

He filtered the items to Rare rank, hoping to find something more affordable. One item caught his eye—a sleek bracelet with intricate engravings.

[Highdawn Eagle Bracelet]

Rank: Rare

Mana Pool: +43

Mana Regen: +8.5/sec

Mag ATK: +51

Cost: 240 Coins

Rob sighed. "70 coins short. Of course."

Reluctantly, he switched to Uncommon rank, scrolling through the more budget-friendly options. Three items stood out, each with its own pros and cons.

[Shaman's Ring]

Rank: Uncommon

Mag ATK: +37

Mana Regen: +2.5/sec

Cost: 165 Coins

"High damage, but I'll burn through my mana too fast," Rob thought, frowning.

[Apprentice Mage's Bracelet]

Rank: Uncommon

Mana Pool: +29

Mana Regen: +1/sec

Cost: 110 Coins

"Basic, but affordable. Still, it won't give me enough of an edge."

[Reaper's Broken Ring]

Rank: Uncommon

MAG ATK: +29

Mana Pool: +35

Enchantments:

Skill: Soul Reap (Active): Drains the targets HP by 15 HP per second. If the target dies during Soul Reap, the ring automatically converts the targets life force into mana and stores it in the ring for later usage. If the user fails to extract the target's life force, they inflict Soul Disorientation Status on the target, reducing 30% of all stats, including HP and Mana.

Duration: Proportionate to the user's mana.

Cooldown: None.

Mana Cost: 5 Mana/sec.

Cost: 150 Coins

Rob stared at the description, his mind racing. "This is... different. Soul Reap? Life force conversion? This could be a game-changer."

The skill was undeniably powerful, but the mana cost was steep—5 mana per second. If he didn't manage his resources carefully, he could drain himself dry in moments. Still, the ability to store mana for later use was tempting, even if the ring didn't specify how much it could hold.

"The third item is the most unique," Rob muttered to himself. "If I can earn more coins and buy something to counter the mana drain, I might be able to make this work."

He hesitated, his finger hovering over the purchase button. "This is risky... but I don't have a choice."

With a deep breath, he tapped Buy.

The ring materialized in his hand, its dark, jagged design giving off an eerie aura. Rob slipped it onto his finger, feeling a strange surge of energy as the item's effects activated.

"Alright," Rob muttered, standing up. "Let's hurry up. Time to see what this thing can do."

Rob continued his cautious advance through the forest, crouching low and moving silently. The earlier engagements had cost him a significant amount of mana, leaving him with only 23 mana—enough for 4 seconds of the Reaper's Broken Ring's skill use. He knew he had to be smart about this. If he wasted his mana now, he'd be defenseless before he even encountered another applicant.

As he crept through the underbrush, the faint sound of guttural chatter reached his ears. Rob froze, his senses sharpening. Peering through the foliage, he spotted three goblins sitting in a small clearing, their crude weapons resting beside them as they conversed in their harsh, guttural language.

Rob's heart raced. This was his chance. He needed coins, and these goblins were perfect targets. But he had to act quickly and efficiently. He couldn't afford to waste a single drop of mana.

Stepping closer, Rob raised his hand, the Reaper's Broken Ring glinting faintly on his finger. He took a deep breath, focusing on the skill's activation. "Soul Reap," he whispered.

Instantly, thin light green lines shot out from the ring, latching onto the three goblins. Rob's eyes widened in surprise. He had expected the skill to target only one goblin, but it had somehow connected to all three simultaneously. The goblins let out panicked screeches as their life force began to drain, their bodies withering before his eyes.

It took only two seconds.

The goblins' once-green skin turned pale and dry, their bodies collapsing into lifeless husks. The ring glowed briefly, absorbing their life force, before the light faded. A notification popped up in Rob's vision:

[You have slain x3 Goblins.]

[+30 Coins.]

Rob stared at the scene, his mind reeling. "What the hell? That was... insane." The skill had not only drained the goblins' HP but also converted their life force into stored mana within the ring. And it had done so for all three targets at once.

He glanced at the ring, its jagged design now seeming even more ominous. "This thing is way too overpowered for an Uncommon rank item. Did they make a mistake classifying this?"

The implications were staggering. If the ring could drain multiple targets at once and store their life force as mana, it could turn the tide of any battle. But it also came with risks. The high mana cost meant he had to use it sparingly, and the lack of information about how much mana it could store left him in the dark.

Rob crouched down, his mind racing. "I need to test this more. If I can figure out how much mana it can hold and how to manage the cost, this ring could be my ace in the hole."