Far away from the ruined forest…
Beyond the wastelands…
Past broken highways and silent cities…
A place still thrived.
Magic pulsed through the air.
Floating lanterns drifted above narrow streets. Strange creatures walked beside humans. Shops sold enchanted trinkets, bottled spells, and glowing herbs. This was the chaotic, colorful heart of the ruined world... Wizard City.
Among the crowd, a hooded figure moved quickly.
Head lowered.
Hands hidden in dark sleeves.
The cult member.
He avoided eye contact, weaving through merchants arguing over spell prices and novice wizards accidentally igniting sparks. The streets were loud, alive.. but he moved like a shadow.
He turned down a narrow alley.
Then another.
Past a crooked sign that read "Potion Repairs."
Then through a half-broken door at the back of an abandoned shop.
Inside, the noise of the city faded instantly.
He descended a hidden staircase.
Each step grew darker.
Colder.
Faint purple symbols glowed along the walls.
At the bottom, a stone chamber opened.
Several figures were already there.
All hooded.
All silent.
Candles burned in a circle around a crude symbol etched into the floor... a spiral surrounded by jagged runes.
One taller figure stood at the center.
"…you're late," the leader said quietly.
The newcomer bowed slightly.
"Apologies. Surveillance took longer."
Another cultist spoke.
"Report."
The hooded man stepped forward.
"The lightning wielder survived."
Murmurs spread through the room.
"He defeated the sky hunters."
"Three of them."
"Level twenty predators…"
The leader tilted his head.
"…interesting."
He raised one hand.
The candles flickered.
"The storm grows stronger than expected."
Another cultist whispered:
"Should we accelerate the ritual?"
The leader paused.
Then nodded slowly.
"…yes."
"The convergence approaches."
"The lightning one… may become either a threat…"
"…or a sacrifice."
The chamber fell silent.
Above them, Wizard City bustled with life.
Below…
Plans moved quietly in the dark.
Back with Sam
The forest slowly grew quiet again.
Only smoke and drifting rainbow particles remained where the three Rainicorn hunters had fallen.
Sam leaned against a cracked tree trunk, breathing deeply. His arms trembled slightly... not from fear, but from the heavy mana expenditure. The storm clouds above had already begun dispersing, sunlight piercing through the broken canopy.
Then the system chimed repeatedly.
TRAITS ACQUIRED
From Rainicorns: • Light Resistance (Minor)
• Minor Flight (Limited Air Glide)
• Prism/crystal Energy Tolerance (Minor)
Sam blinked.
"…flight?"
He flexed his shoulders instinctively. He couldn't fly yet.. but he felt a strange lightness in his body, like the air resisted him less.
Another screen appeared.
EXP GAINED
Rainicorn Eliminated (Level 20) → +10,000 EXP
Rainicorn Eliminated (Level 20) → +10,000 EXP
Rainicorn Eliminated (Level 20) → +10,000 EXP
Total EXP Gained: 30,000
The system chimed again.. louder this time.
LEVEL UP
Requirements Met
Level 16 TO Level 17
Bonus Condition Triggered: Defeated Enemies Higher Level Than User
Reward: 3× Normal Stat Growth
Sam exhaled slowly.
"…nice…"
He accepted the level-up.
Warm energy surged through his body, stronger than previous level-ups. His muscles tightened, mana channels expanded, and his perception sharpened further.
Lightning flickered along his arms automatically, brighter than before.
The system finalized the update.
LEVEL UP COMPLETE
Level: 17
Bonus Applied: 3× Stat Growth
Body Enhancement: Significant
Mana Pool Expansion: Significant
Reaction Speed Increased
Sam stood upright.
Even exhausted, he felt stronger.
Faster.
Lighter.
He tested the Minor Flight trait.
He jumped lightly.
For a brief second… he didn't fall immediately.
He glided forward several meters before landing.
"…that's going to be useful."
His perception expanded again, scanning the forest.
No more threats.
No more hunters.
The lightning wizard had survived.
And grown stronger… yet again.
Few minutes later
Sam started moving out of the battle field.... finally let the adrenaline fade.
The ruined forest thinned gradually as he walked, stepping over scorched roots and shattered trunks. The smell of burnt wood slowly gave way to dry desert air again.
His body felt heavy now that the fight was over.
Leveling up had restored some energy, but not enough to keep pushing through the night.
"…need rest…"
He exited the forest into open wasteland.
The sun was already dipping toward the horizon, painting the sand in deep orange. Long shadows stretched across the ground, and the temperature began dropping quickly.
Sam scanned the area carefully.
His perception picked up wind patterns, shifting sand, and distant small creatures.. nothing dangerous.
About a kilometer ahead, he spotted the remains of a half-buried roadside bunker. The concrete structure was cracked, but one side was still intact and partially covered by sand.. perfect natural camouflage.
He approached cautiously.
Sword in hand.
Lightning faintly flickering.
He circled once.
No tracks.
No recent disturbances.
He stepped inside.
The interior was small, just a single room with rusted metal shelves and a collapsed radio set. One wall still blocked most of the wind, and the ceiling, though cracked, would hold.
"…good enough."
Sam cleared a small area, pushing debris aside with his boot.
He sat down, leaning against the wall.
The desert wind howled softly outside.
He removed his bag and placed the Demon Eye Sword within arm's reach.
Before sleeping, he tested his new trait one more time.... a short hop.
He glided gently a meter forward.
"…yeah… definitely useful later…"
Satisfied, he leaned back.
His eyes grew heavy.
Outside, night settled over the wasteland.
Inside the bunker, faint sparks of lightning flickered lazily around Sam's fingers as he drifted into sleep... alone, but stronger than ever.
Somewhere in wizard city...
Deep beneath the glowing chaos of Wizard City, the hidden chamber was no longer quiet.
Candles burned brighter.
More cultists had gathered.
The hooded figure who had once encountered Sam inside the dungeon stood beside another — the watcher who had observed the vampire massacre. Between them lay crude sketches, rune-marked parchment, and hastily drawn diagrams of lightning strikes and storm patterns.
The leader raised a hand.
"Summarize."
The dungeon cultist spoke first.
"He uses storm-based magic. Fast learner. High mana density. Shows resistance to mental attacks."
The second cultist added:
"He eliminated approximately two hundred vampires. Alone. Then survived rainicorn hunters."
A murmur rippled through the circle.
Another cultist whispered:
"…dangerous."
The leader nodded slowly.
"Too unpredictable to ignore."
He gestured to a table where a parchment already waited. Dark ink shimmered faintly... magically bound information.
"Prepare a bounty."
One cultist stepped forward and began writing.
BOUNTY NOTICE — SHADOW CIRCULATION ONLY
Target: Unknown Human
Alias: Lightning Wizard
Traits: Storm Magic, High Mobility, Rapid Growth
Last Seen: Inland Wastelands / Ruined Cities
Reward: Rare Spell Tomes
High-grade Mana Crystals
Protected Status within the Circle
Objective: Capture Preferred
Elimination Acceptable
The leader spoke quietly:
"Spread it through the shadows. Not the public streets."
"Mercenaries."
"Rogue wizards."
"Hunters."
"Anyone desperate enough."
The cultists nodded.
Within minutes, enchanted copies of the bounty ignited with purple flame and vanished... teleporting to hidden locations.
Shadow Districts — Wizard City
Back alleys.
Underground taverns.
Illegal spell markets.
Secret rune boards.
The bounty appeared silently.
Pinned to dark wood.
Whispered between cloaked figures.
A scarred bounty hunter read it, eyes narrowing.
A rogue wizard smirked.
A group of mercenaries exchanged glances.
"…Lightning wizard, huh?"
The rumor spread quickly.. but only in the dangerous corners.
Above ground, Wizard City remained colorful and chaotic.
Below…
The hunt had begun.
And somewhere in the wasteland…
Sam slept, unaware that a new kind of predator was now searching for him.