The Samsara Space.
Fenric reappeared in the vast Samsara Square. He instinctively glanced at the towering clock overhead—barely an hour had passed in real time.
And yet, inside The Great Wall dungeon, he had lived three full days.
The time ratio here is still incredible…
Without delay, Fenric opened his personal panel to tally the spoils.
This run had earned him a total of 60,200 Samsara points.
Of those, he had already spent 8,000 points in the dungeon upgrading his Observation Haki (Kenbunshoku). That left him 52,372 points—a hefty sum.
His plan? Push his Armament Haki to the next level: Grandmaster.
But when he checked the cost, Fenric almost swore aloud.
Upgrading from Mastery to Grandmaster required 40,000 points.
Five times more than last time?! These dogs are daylight robbers!
Still… Armament Haki was worth every point—absolute defense, brutal offense. After a short struggle, Fenric gritted his teeth and hit "Confirm."
Next, he spent the remaining points on potential attributes, shoring up his core stats. He wasn't about to step into the next copy half-prepared. The upcoming dungeon—The Mountain Village Old Corpse—featured a deadly female ghost, one who killed through hallucinations and telekinetic attacks. If his defenses weren't airtight, he'd be a corpse before she even whispered "hello."
Strengthening his Armament Haki was insurance.
The moment the upgrade completed, a strange sensation rippled through him. Power surged from his core, flowing like molten iron under his skin. Now, at a mere thought, his entire body could be clad in hardened Armament Haki—an unbreakable shell.
A living Vajra… Invulnerable to blade or bullet.
Name: Shura
Samsara Number: (C-Zone) 90086
Physique: 60
Spirit: 122
Strength: 100
Agility: 52
Allocable Potential Points: 0
Skills:
English (Proficient)
Driving (Beginner)
Shooting (Proficient)
Camouflage (Master)
Basic Swordsmanship (Proficient)
Special Skills: Armament Haki (Grandmaster)
Ability: Psychokinesis
Fighting Skills: None
Samsara Points: 372
Overall Evaluation:C
Fenric frowned at the grade. Even after blowing all that on upgrades, I'm still stuck at C?
Apparently, the leap between evaluation tiers was massive. Just one look at Aurora Morwyn—also "A-Rank"—proved it. People like her could crush others of the same rank without breaking a sweat.
So this overall rating… barely scratches the surface. Noted.
Satisfied, Fenric logged out of the Samsara Space.
It was past 4 a.m. The city outside was silent. Fenric considered sleeping, but dismissed the idea, flipping open his laptop instead.
The internet was still on fire with his name.
Forums buzzed over his clash with One Leaf Knows Autumn, the successful transaction with Aurora Morwyn, and his new record-breaking dungeon clear.
"Breaking news! Shura God and One Leaf Knows Autumn—feud confirmed!"
"I was in that bar. The air was so tense, even the glasses sweated!"
"Two tigers in one mountain—one's bound to bleed! I'm betting on Shura. With his talent, he'll surpass One Leaf Knows Autumn sooner or later!"
"Don't stir up drama! They're both our own people!"
"Forget the gossip—think about what Shura's strategy will impact for future clears!"
"Impact? Please. You think the government will hand you free guides? Dream on."
"Exactly. If they moved Aurora Morwyn herself to approach Shura, this is high-level. No way it goes public."
Even at this hour, threads were exploding. Fenric chuckled to himself. By morning, my name's going to blanket the net again.
He surfed a while longer, waiting for dawn.
By eight, sunlight filled the streets. But his father, Eric still hadn't come home.
Fenric's brows drew together. He'd missed him yesterday too. Another all-nighter?
Fenric grabbed his jacket and headed out, straight to the factory where his father worked—only to find the man long gone.
From the security guard, Fenric learned the truth: his father had gone to a second job—scraping plaster at a construction site. Manual labor. After a night shift.
"Why?" Fenric asked, though the answer already burned in his chest.
"For tuition, of course," the guard said, tone softening. "Kid, study hard. Don't waste what he's breaking his back for."
Fenric thanked him and left, jaw tight.
On a half-finished building, Fenric finally spotted him—shirt damp, arms straining with each pull of the plaster trowel. Every motion spelled exhaustion. Every breath reeked of sacrifice.
A lump rose in Fenric's throat.
Father as a mountain… and yet, this mountain is cracking for me.
"Dad!"
The word came easier than he expected. Natural, even.
Eric turned, startled. "Ric? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in class?"
"If I waited any longer, I'd be visiting you in a hospital bed!" Fenric barked, marching over. "You work a night shift, then this? Want to die early?"
The older man smiled sheepishly. "Don't make it sound so grim."
"Come home. Now. We need to talk."
"Wait till I finish—"
"No!" Fenric snatched the trowel from his hands. "If you're so desperate to work, let me do it!"
"Boy, stop! How can you—"
"You can, so why can't I?" Fenric shot back.
Father Eric froze, silence betraying both exasperation and a flicker of pride. Before he could argue again, a fellow worker chuckled.
"Old Ric, quit fighting it. Kid's only looking out for you. I'd kill for a son this filial. Mine just knows how to hold his hand out for cash! Go on—go home."
Father Eric sighed, shoulders slumping in defeat. "…Fine."
Back home, before the old man could protest, Fenric wired one million Jade Coins to his phone.
Father Eric stared at the string of zeros. "Where did this money—"
"I sent it. And before you ask—it's clean. I got special drops in the Samsara Space and sold them."
He fixed his father with a look sharp as a blade. "No more killing yourself on job sites. I'm not joking, Dad. If I catch you doing this again, I'll quit school and stick to your side every day."
His tone brooked no argument.
Father Eric chuckled softly. "Stubborn brat…"
But his eyes—his eyes gleamed with something else: warmth.
"Fine," he said. "I'll stop. I promise."
"And the night shift—quit soon. Your health comes first."
"Alright. But you—be careful in that Samsara space. Don't even think about that Samsara Tower. I hear it's deadly."
"I know. Rest now. I've still got class so I'll leave first."
By the time Fenric reached school, the place was humming. Strangers milled through the halls; students whispered in excited clusters.
Sliding into his seat, Fenric nudged Jitto behind him. "What's with the circus?"
"Recruiters," Jitto said, practically bouncing. "Big-name colleges. Especially supernatural academies. They're expanding intake this year—and lowering the bar. Get this: if your comprehensive strength hits E-Rank, you're in!"
He grinned and shoved up his sleeve, flashing a full-moon tattoo etched on his arm. In its center gleamed a bold letter: E.
"See? Last dungeon run—Charlotte's Troubles—I scored big. Just hit E-Rank yesterday!"