Killer Instinct unleashed

Shuuta braced himself, eyes fixed on his father as Abaddon prepared to release his mana.

"My son, I will teach you a passive skill that truly makes a beast of a Mystic. Like I said, it makes you unpredictable and dangerous. [Sense Danger]. This skill can turn the tides of a battle by a huge margin. The best part? It's costless."

Shuuta's ears tingled at the prospect, and he exclaimed with joy, "For free?! Hell yeah!"

'Why is this idiot happy?' Abaddon raised an eyebrow, dismissing Shuuta's exuberance.
Inwardly, he mused, 'Does he not know the true cost of a passive skill?'

"Anyhow, get ready, Shuuta, because I'm going to drill so much Mana towards you... also, try not to pass out!" Abaddon ascended a few yards, fixing a gaze on his son laden with killing intent.

"Mm? What is he—" Shuuta suddenly paused, feeling the same mana pressure as before. His heart skipped a beat, and he almost succumbed to the vast power being channeled into his body.

Trying to match his father's level, Shuuta released all his mana, desperately attempting to withstand the onslaught. However, the reality was stark – he was not even Heavenly Commander level.

Abaddon grinned as he observed his son's efforts.

In a split second, Abaddon halted his mana release, granting Shuuta a brief respite.
Without warning, he unleashed his mana once more, catching Shuuta off guard.

The crimson-haired youngster felt the ground crack beneath him, debris floating in the air. The room trembled, and Shuuta's vision began to dim. The once-white room seemed to transform into an abyss, or perhaps it was the effect of Abaddon's overwhelming aura.

Shuuta was in disbelief. How powerful did he need to become to surpass his father?
Abaddon ceased releasing his mana once again. Shuuta could finally breathe, recognizing the potential lethality of Abaddon's mana release.

"…!" Shuuta knelt with both hands on the ground as Abaddon resumed his mana release.

"Is he trying to kill me?!" Shuuta clung to the ground desperately, struggling to stay conscious. Abaddon's relentless mana release threatened to overpower him.

Again and again, Abaddon released his mana, an inconceivable amount being wasted. Shuuta, trembling like he was in the Antarctic cold, somehow maintained his sanity with sheer determination.

"One more…" Abaddon announced.

"…!" A shiver ran down Shuuta's spine, his surroundings suddenly alive with vivid sensations. The air crackled with anticipation as he cast his eyes upward to his father. In that suspended moment, time itself seemed to slow, and with a resonant surge, Abaddon unleashed his mana.

With a triumphant revelation, Shuuta felt the surge of a fresh ability—[Sense Danger].
With a surge of newfound confidence, Shuuta rose to his feet, defiantly crossing his arms in an X, a determined barrier against the impending torrent of mana.

"Oh? Already?" Abaddon's smile deepened, transforming into genuine happiness as he released the final wave of his mana. Slowly descending, he walked menacingly toward his son, the air thick with the weight of their shared power.

Shuuta was impressed by Abaddon's tenacity. His father's mana was like an ocean, and Shuuta was a mere puddle on a sidewalk. Yet, his determination to surpass his old man remained unwavering.

Initially deemed impossible, Shuuta now realized Abaddon wanted him to surpass him.

Abaddon was providing skills he had never heard of, almost as if he were cheating.

As Shuuta sensed Abaddon reaching his limit, he stood before his father and smiled, "Thanks, Dad."

Abaddon's lips curled into another smile before he passed out, having depleted almost all of his mana. Shuuta quickly caught him and gently laid him on the ground.

The space around them began to crumble and dematerialize as the spell to stop time came to an end. Everyone started moving again as if nothing extraordinary had happened.

"Mmm…interesting," Granny Iho remarked after being released from Abaddon's spell. She admitted that Abaddon had stopped time, rendering her temporarily powerless. It was a rare experience for her.

"Shuuta, what happened?" Granny Iho, initially heated, calmed herself upon realizing that Shuuta had undergone a transformation. His aura had changed into something...potent.

Kentaro, puzzled, couldn't grasp the situation. What had Granny Iho noticed? The girls continued to cheer for Shuuta, unaware of the shift in atmosphere.

"Did something happen, Iho-dono?" Kentaro inquired, curious about Granny Iho's reaction.

"Time stopped? What? Abaddon had such a spell hidden, eh?" Kentaro found the concept of a time-stopping spell absurd, but knowing that Abaddon had cast it made the idea plausible.

"Yes. It seems Abaddon kept developing spells and skills inside Shuuta," Granny Iho sighed, directing her gaze toward the crimson-haired youth.
Abbadon materialized in Shuuta's arms, and motes of lights faded as his lips arced up.

'Dad… no wonder you passed out.' Shuuta understood that his father had returned to his throne world inside him.

Shuuta, clenched and unclenched his fists, noticing that his MP had been completely restored, and his HP was more than enough for battle.

"You… your wounds. What did you do?" The Fallen glared, trying to comprehend Shuuta's sudden change.

Taking a deep breath, Shuuta released his oxygen, keenly sensing the Fallen's mana and evaluating him.

"Hmph." Shuuta decided to confront the Fallen with his new skill, [Sense Danger].
[Sense Danger] might sound like a skill any Mystic should have, acquired through battles and monster encounters. However, this seemingly basic skill was a relic forged by Legendary Smith masters, passed down through legends. It was a millennia-old skill, founded by the first Mystic to set foot on the land.

Facing the Fallen, Shuuta coldly challenged, "Come at me."

The Fallen gritted his teeth and unleashed his mana.

"…!" Shuuta flinched briefly, then relaxed. The vast difference between his father and the Fallen was apparent. With enough mana and HP to fight, Shuuta imagined the sun next to the Earth.

The Fallen charged with killing intent, slamming his sword downward and breaking the ground into rubble. He then sliced sideways, creating a gleam of light.

Shuuta, with eyes glowing like a white nova, sensed the sword's trajectory and dodged with a slight movement. The Fallen's sword recoiled from something, and Shuuta had stopped the blow with his Muramasa Blade.

"A crack on his sword," Shuuta noted in his head, deciding to focus on the battle.
The Fallen, angered by Shuuta's defense, created rifts and launched a barrage of blows. Shuuta sensed each attack, anticipating the Fallen's moves, and skillfully parried and blocked the onslaught.

Hikaru, astonished, couldn't comprehend how Shuuta, previously wounded and drained, was now effortlessly defending himself.

The Fallen, glaring with frustration, was irked that a mere kid could successfully withstand his onslaught.

"You stubborn pest, meet your demise!" The Fallen intensified his onslaught, resembling a predator closing in on its prey, ready to consume.

Peng!*

Peng!*

Peng!*

Shuuta, however, maintained his composure, skillfully deflecting each blow with precision, hunting for an opening to counter.

His eyes widened as he spotted an opportunity—a rift appeared right in front of him. Sensing danger, he thrust forward, narrowly avoiding the sword. Though a minuscule slice grazed his cheek, Shuuta's katana pierced the rift, inflicting a wound on the Fallen.

"What—?" The Fallen stared down, feeling a burning sensation in his gut. A katana blade had impaled him.

Shuuta passed through the rift in an instant, slashing downward and cleaving the Fallen in half. Without stopping, he unleashed a new skill he had acquired earlier.

"[Devour Cannon]!" Shuuta's shout accompanied a red beam that obliterated the Fallen completely.

"…!" Kentaro was stunned by Shuuta's sudden triumph over an enemy who had nearly killed him moments ago.

"A magnificent display of skill. Just moments ago, he was on the brink of death. What could he have done?" Kentaro speculated, leaning towards the idea that Shuuta's father played a crucial role.

"Oh? Oh, oh? Shuuta-boy emerged victorious in the end. But how did he do that?" Granny Iho expressed her curiosity, linking Abaddon's time-stopping spell to Shuuta's sudden strength.

"Truly, a Demon King. You had me worried for a second there, darling!" Kakoyo exclaimed in excitement, joined by Yuri in celebrating Shuuta's survival.

"Shuuta…" Hikaru, while smiling, clenched his fist. "You're still on top, but one day, I will surpass you." Despite the rivalry, Hikaru acknowledged Shuuta's role in his growth.
Thankful for Shuuta's existence as a motivating rival, Hikaru's competitive spirit ignited. "You did it. And here I thought you needed someone to save you," he said, walking closer to Shuuta.

As Shuuta witnessed his katana transforming into ethereal motes of light, a profound sense of strength welled up within him, and a radiant smile illuminated his face.

"I've grown stronger," he whispered with a mixture of joy and triumph, the weight of his newfound power, lifting the burdens that had long tethered his spirit.

"Yeah, yeah. Save it for later," Hikaru said, attempting to pat Shuuta's back.

"…!" Hikaru flinched as his hand was effortlessly blocked by Shuuta. "Oh… uhh, sorry. I was too focused," Shuuta apologized, surprised by his newfound ability to sense danger.

"We should get out of here; this place feels odd, like we shouldn't be here," Hikaru suggested, heading back. Suddenly, a gust of wind passed, and Shuuta found himself back with Granny Iho.

"Huh?!" Both Shuuta and Hikaru grunted in confusion, back with Granny Iho.

"Granny? Did you…?"

"Yes. I did." Granny Iho confirmed.

Shuuta exchanged a puzzled glance with Hikaru. "Shuuta! You're back!" The girls' joyful voices filled the air as Yuri and Kakoyo tackled Shuuta with unexpected force.

"Gaaak?!" Shuuta who, was caught off guard, found himself breathless. 'I guess it doesn't work all the time!' he thought, amused by the girls' exuberance.
Sliding away from them, Shuuta changed the subject to Granny Iho, who was grinning.

"Young ones these days, can't believe my eyes. At least 'he' is finally put to rest."
Shuuta couldn't help but wonder about Iho's emphasis on 'he'. He knew the undead guy held significance due to his peculiar state and impressive abilities.

Hikaru inquired about the undead's identity, and Granny Iho explained deliberately, "He was a mad scientist with the power to revive and control the dead. Such powers are prohibited by today's standards, but back then, Hiroyama needed all the power they could get. That undead is 2000 years old," she paused, glancing at Kentaro, and continued her explanation.

"An ancient general, vanquished by a rising youth. Kentaro-boy, it seems we are prepared now. You see..." Iho's voice carried a weight of history as she paused, turning her gaze back to the crimson youth.

"That undead used to be a Heavenly Commander," she declared, punctuating her statement with a sly smirk.

Shuuta's eyes sparkled with excitement, relishing the satisfaction of swiftly ascending to the level of a Heavenly Commander.

"Don't let it get to your head, Shuuta. Or you'll be killed. Never get cocky, kid, especially around Heavenly Generals. One wrong move could be your end." Iho's cold glare conveyed the gravity of facing a Heavenly General, urging Shuuta to recognize the stakes.

'She's right… I can't lower my guard against a Heavenly Commander.' Shuuta tightened his grip on his shirt, refocusing on the imminent challenge.

"And for your information, a Lieutenant can also end you in an instant if you're not careful."

"I understand, Granny," Shuuta replied, acknowledging the severity of the situation.
However, the serious atmosphere was abruptly shattered.

Shuuta's arm began corroding from within, and he howled in unexpected agony, collapsing to his knees as he clutched his arm.

"Shuuta?! Are you okay?" Yuri rushed to his side, concern etched on her face.

Hikaru joined, placing his hands on Shuuta's back and casting a healing spell. "[Minor Heal]"

Kentaro's expression turned unexpectedly serious. "It has begun."

"Yeah," Iho affirmed, her face darkening with a menacing aura.

"Hanako…" Shuuta gritted his teeth in a mix of rage and agony, hearing her screams echoing in his mind like a haunting memory.

In a single second, Shuuta experienced an overwhelming influx of agony and despair, emotions not originating from within himself but belonging to Hanako. The intensity of the emotional assault left Shuuta reeling, realizing the gravity of the impending ordeal.