BXBX NOVEL Chapter 37: Quest begins
This system had been in place to prevent unfair advantages and bullying, but despite this safeguard, there have been numerous instances where stronger students have managed to rig the matches to torment weaker students.
However, in the entire history of the Ranking Arena, no lower-grade student had ever emerged victorious against a higher-grade opponent—until today.
The crowd could hardly believe their eyes. They had just witnessed an unprecedented event: an unknown fighter had defeated Kenny Dogs, one of the academy\'s most formidable Grade 4 mutants. Ghost Ranger, a mysterious competitor with no apparent mutant abilities, had somehow taken down Kenny, a fighter known for his immense strength and ruthless efficiency.
As Silas, still under the guise of Ghost Ranger, walked off the platform, the murmurs from the crowd grew louder.
"Who is this guy hiding behind the ghost mask?"
"Does he really not have any mutant abilities?"
"Is he using energy pills? But that doesn\'t make sense... He fought too calmly, like he already knew he\'d win!"
"Kenny Dogs lost to someone without powers? This can\'t be real!"
The disbelief and confusion rippled through the spectators as Silas moved away from the platform with an air of confidence. Everyone present had the same burning question: *Who exactly is the Ghost Ranger?*
Silas made his way to his usual corner, leaning against the wall, a subtle smirk playing on his lips as he examined the floating window screen that appeared beside him.
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[Congratulations, you have defeated your opponent!]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[Reward: 15 attribute points and a level up in all your skills.]
[Active skill: Lightning Dash is now Level 2.]
[Active skill: Soul Claws is now Level 2.]
---
Silas studied the screen with a calm expression, his fingers rubbing his chin in satisfaction.
"Oh? I almost forgot my skills could level up," he mused quietly, his grin widening. "Fifteen attribute points... Not bad at all. With this, my chances of surviving in the realm have increased quite a bit." Silas pondered for a moment, his eyes shifting toward the countdown timer on the screen.
"A few more hours left. Let\'s see if I can rack up some more levels and attribute points before leaving," he muttered before dismissing the window and turning his attention back to the platform.
Over the course of several hours, numerous fights took place, and Silas found himself stepping back into the ring once more. This time, his opponent was another of Billy\'s comrades. As expected, Silas easily overpowered him, just as he had done with Kenny Dogs, and received the same rewards.
After two more decisive victories against lower-grade opponents, Silas finally decided to call it a day. Approaching the ranking terminal, he logged out of the arena, now sitting comfortably within the top 50 ranks after just a single day of fighting. Without alerting Kara to his departure, he swiftly made his way to a remote, under-construction area of the academy.
The construction zone was eerily quiet, with several unfinished buildings dotting the landscape, their skeletal frameworks exposed. Silas scanned the area briefly before focusing his attention back on the floating window screen in front of him.
---
[Time left to accept the quest: 00:19:37]
[Accept] [Decline]
---
Silas stared at the screen for a few moments before speaking, "I accept."
As soon as the words left his mouth, a powerful gust of wind swirled around him, kicking up dust and debris from the surrounding construction site. Silas raised his arm to shield his eyes as the winds intensified, pushing him back slightly. In the midst of the storm, a glowing red portal began to form in front of him, its energy slowly building until it expanded into a massive, swirling gateway.
When the dust finally settled, and the wind died down, Silas stood face-to-face with the fully formed red portal. His heart raced with a mix of anticipation and anxiety as he took a step forward, standing just inches from the swirling vortex.
"This is it," he whispered to himself, his voice filled with both excitement and nerves. He was eager to begin the quest and see what awaited him on the other side, but at the same time, he knew the dangers of venturing into a high-grade realm alone.
"I\'ll give it my best shot," Silas muttered under his breath, taking a deep breath before stepping through the portal.
---
Within seconds, Silas was transported from the construction site to a completely different world. He now stood in the middle of a vast, barren desert. The sand beneath his feet was a deep, blood-red color, and the moon that hung high in the sky was also a menacing crimson. The entire landscape was bathed in an eerie red glow, giving the environment an unsettling, otherworldly feel.
In the distance, the sounds of growls and roars echoed across the desert, signaling the presence of dangerous mutants lurking just out of sight.
---
[You have entered the Grade 3 mutant realm.]
[Your Evolution Quest has begun.]
[Time left to complete quest: 08:59:58]
---
Silas frowned as he read the notifications that appeared before him. "Eight hours to clear a Grade 5 realm by myself? Are they serious?" he muttered, feeling the weight of the task ahead.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, trying to formulate a plan. "Well, I guess it\'s standard—eight hours is the usual time limit for clearing a realm. If you don\'t finish before then, the realm collapses, and if there are still mutants inside, they\'ll break out and enter the human world."
The idea of a realm collapsing without defeating the realm\'s god was a serious concern for most raiders. If the god and its servants managed to escape, it could wreak havoc on the human world, which was why most teams made it their mission to clear the realm as quickly as possible.
"Eight hours, huh?" Silas muttered, steeling himself as he dismissed the screen and began his trek across the blood-red desert. The clock was already ticking, and he knew he had little time to waste if he wanted to complete his quest.