DING!
[ You have successfully passed the Awakening Process ]
2 minutes before Awakening…
Alan lay motionless on the ground, barely breathing after the Knight's blade had pierced from his head down to his throat. Tears streamed from his eyes, his body trembling with a mix of rage and pain.
I'm weak… so weak…
Even in that moment, the thought burned through him—that he wasn't even worth the attention of an S-Rank monster. He clenched his teeth as death closed in. I hate being ignored…
How do I expect to survive till the hundredth floor like this…? Damn it!
don't want to die… I don't want to die… no way!
The scream echoed within him as his body began to piece itself back together through the Time Loop.
[ Blade Skill: Time Loop Activated ]
[ Attempts Left: 0 ]
I need to survive… I need to survive… The words repeated endlessly as his vision dulled, his mind slipping into something deeper.
Then, a voice surfaced—clear and familiar. Mr White Voice.
'That… is what I call survival instinct.'
As if responding to those words, Alan's blades began to ignite, the red light slowly crawling along the edges, pulsating with a fiery intensity. The crystal floor beneath them seemed to shiver with the energy, scattering faint sparks into the air. The atmosphere around him grew heavy, like the world itself was holding its breath. Every particle of the forest seemed to pause, awaiting the outcome of what was unfolding.
DING!
[ System Error ] [ Overload… ]
[ Awakening… ]
[ Awakening Name: …Survival Instinct ]
[ You have successfully passed the Awakening Process ]
The scythe user lifted herself from the crystal floor, wincing as she held the bloodied wound on her chest. Her head rose slowly, eyes widening in disbelief at the figure before her. Alan stood tall, unwavering, his Dual-Blades ignited in red, no combos needed. The glow radiated power, a silent declaration that something had changed. Even the air between them seemed charged, warning of a new force she had never witnessed before. There was no doubt—he had awakened.
The icon above Alan's head blazed brightly, the letters clear and commanding:
[ Awakening… ]
"Rank… Awakening?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "When did he…? I thought awakening only started at Rank A," she muttered to herself, her eyes widening in shock. The disbelief painted across her face was undeniable—this was far beyond anything she had expected. Her mind raced, trying to comprehend how someone at his rank could trigger such a powerful transformation.
The Knight's glowing red eyes locked onto Alan, its presence radiating an oppressive force. Alan stood firm, his Dual-Blades igniting with a fierce red glow, a wide, confident smile stretching across his face. "Hey, lady," he called out, his tone steady and commanding, "stay out of this. This monster is mine to teach a lesson." His words cut through the tension in the air, daring the S-Rank beast to challenge him.
The Knight lunged at Alan with terrifying speed, its massive sword slicing through the ground as it swung upward with deadly force. In Alan's vision, everything blurred into streaks of red—the same color as his glowing blades—lines of attack cutting straight toward his neck. Yet, with uncanny precision, he raised his blades and blocked the strike, moving as if he matched the Knight's impossible speed.
He knew he couldn't actually match it, but his Holy Precision had sharpened to a point where he could predict every swing, every strike, before it even landed. Each motion of the Knight became readable, every deadly arc predictable. For the first time, Alan felt the surge of true power coursing through him.
Nevertheless, the Knight's assault was overwhelming. Its strike lifted Alan off his feet, slamming him onto a jagged crystal protruding from the wall. This Awakening… Alan thought, catching his breath. It wasn't like the instant power-ups in other MMORPGs—this was different.
It enhanced his perception, letting him detect attacks before they landed, anticipate defenses, and calculate his next move with razor-sharp clarity. It was as if his mind had become a high-IQ combat processor, analyzing every threat in real time. I lovethis, he muttered, a fierce grin spreading across his face.
Alan leapt from the jagged crystal wall, raising both blades toward the Knight's neck. His eyes tracked the enemy's every subtle movement. Left side… the attack is coming from the left, which means the right is exposed, he calculated instantly. The Knight's sword rose in a blur, faster than any human should be able to manage, but Alan had already anticipated it. He shifted his left blade to intercept the strike while driving his right blade forward, aiming directly at the Knight's exposed flank.
"This is it," Alan muttered, bracing himself. He blocked the Knight's massive sword with his left blade while driving his right blade into the Knight's right abdomen. The strike barely made a dent—the crystal composing the Knight's body was far stronger than steel.
Damn it… I can't cut through, Alan thought, gritting his teeth as he struggled to pierce the armored flank. In a swift countermove, the Knight shifted its sword to its right hand and lunged with its left toward Alan's face, forcing him to react instantly.
Immediately, Alan's mind processed the Knight's incoming strike, and he rolled to the side just in time, narrowly avoiding the lethal blow. His right blade remained lodged in the Knight's glowing right waist as he pulled back, frustration gnawing at him. I can't cut through… even at my blade's glowing stage. This should have given me a double strike… right? Then a memory flashed—after the penalty phase battle with the Shadow Beast, the system had shown him a critical notification:
[ Signature Move Unlocked ]
"Signature move? What… could it be?" Alan muttered to himself, his mind racing. The scythe-wielding woman stepped closer, a sly smirk curling her lips. "Looks like you've awakened, even as a low-rank player. Your senses… they're sharper than before," she said, amusement lacing her voice.
The Knight ripped Alan's blade free from its glowing embed in its crystal body and hurled it back through the fractured crystal floor. Alan caught it carefully, steadying himself as he planted his feet. "Hey," he said to the scythe user, determination sharpening his tone, "this time, I'll need your help with the real attack. My Holy Precision may have faltered before… but I swear, it won't fail now."
She let out a quiet chuckle, only her right eye betraying her amusement as her gaze stayed locked on the warming-up Knight. "I'll trust you this time… Saint. Let's take this freak down. Seems it's enjoying the fight enough to generously return your sword," she said.
"Follow my lead," Alan replied, his voice low but sharp, carrying a dark, commanding edge despite its softness.
"Alright, Saint," she said, her tone calm yet confident. "By the way… call me Iris Sinclair." She paused, eyes widening as if realizing something, then let out a soft chuckle. "You're the first to know my real name."
Alan gave a faint, controlled smile and began moving, slow and cautious, circling the Knight. Its glowing red eyes tracked him instantly. "Now!" he shouted, signaling the attack.
Immediately, Iris swung her scythe toward the Knight, forcing it onto the defensive. Alan surged at its back, drawing the Knight's full attention and making it punch Iris away. He lunged for its head, but the Knight's speed was unmatched, slicing through his shoulder before he could react. Pain shot through him, and he groaned, shouting a signal: "Aim for its head—now!"
In an instant, Iris charged at full speed, driving the tip of her scythe into the Knight's armored head. The blade cracked through the armor, leaving a gaping wound. She smirked inwardly, retreating swiftly as the Knight staggered back, its focus shaken.
Alan darted around the Knight, his eyes scanning every inch of its body for its core. The head's out, he thought. The core has to be somewhere else… its behavior should give it away. His awakened senses locked onto the Knight's belly. That's it, he muttered under his breath. Now… how do I unleash my signature move?
"Connect your Dual-Blade to your inner senses!" Iris shouted, plunging her scythe into the Knight again. "Do it… now!"
Alan froze for a moment, trying to grasp what Iris had just said—connect your blade… to your inner senses. He focused, letting his awareness flow through his Dual-Blades, feeling every pulse of the Knight's movements.
At that precise moment, the Knight abandoned Iris to strike at him. She scoffed at its speed, shouting, "It's coming at you! Dodge it!" But it was already too late—Alan couldn't move fast enough.
[ You have successfully initiated the Dual-Blade Signature Move ]
[ Effect: One blade strike delivers double attack. Two blade strikes deliver quadruple attack ]
Blood splattered across the crystal floor. Iris's eyes widened in shock as Alan's blade pierced the Knight's core with a devastating quadruple strike—yet, in the same instant, the Knight's blade stabbed through his belly.
[ LP: 15 ]
Alan felt his life force plummet rapidly. Pain ripped through him, making him groan uncontrollably.
[ LP: 5 ]
Is this… the end? he thought, collapsing onto the crystal floor, the Knight's blade still buried deep in his abdomen.