The D-Rank Guild Master of the No. 1 Guild

“…Huh?”

The players from the other guilds noticed Akata’s arrival.

Recognizing him instantly, they took on threatening stances.

“He’s here! It’s that Akata kid!”

“Grab him! Surround him!”

“I heard he fell off the cliff!”

“Give me a knife!”

The players who had been competing against the monster moments before suddenly united as soon as the young boy appeared.

Weapons of all kinds and flashing unique abilities were aimed at Akata in an instant.

Akata observed all of this with a soft gaze, becoming acutely aware of the jealousy sharper than any weapon.

In this seemingly slow-moving time, Akata for the first time recalled his past memories on his own.

* * *

“Come here and roll up your sleeve. Time for your shot.”

When Aria led him, the boy hesitated and said,

“But, it will hurt again…”

“Take it quietly. Didn’t I say this shot is necessary? …Besides, if you take it, I’ll pet you and stay by your side all night.”

The liquid injected through the needle led him into excruciating pain, as if it was crushing every cell in his body.

This act disregarded the rules of life that separate worlds, gradually damaging his body.

[Basic Stats] A

[Basic Stats] C

[Basic Stats] F

Every time he looked up at Aria through his hazy vision after getting the shot, what kind of face did she have?

Aria never pitied his pain.

If she had, she wouldn’t have had such an icy expression when administering the shot.

But Akata tried hard to think,

This was necessary, that Aria really cared about him.

That’s why she always stayed with him on the days he got the shot.

However, there was one scene he could never forget, no matter how hard he tried.

When he was drifting in and out of consciousness, Aria was…

Indifferently focused on writing in her journal beside him.

Aria left, and another shining person came into his life.

He didn’t know why Rudel resembled Aria. But more than the questions in his head, the thought that loomed larger was that this was his second chance.

A chance for the boy to live again.

‘How do I avoid being abandoned this time?’

After much contemplation, he decided he wanted to be useful to her. He began to train at the training ground, ready to die if necessary.

When he was at death’s door, he suddenly felt a sweet, thick liquid flow into his mouth.

That life-giving sweetness revitalized him.

When he opened his eyes, Rudel was there.

“Thank goodness. Are you okay?”

Her touch was much softer than the blanket that covered him. Akata smiled languidly and replied to her a few times.

The lingering sweetness in his mouth kept his lips moist.

“Ha… I’m sorry, Akata. It must have hurt a lot. I shouldn’t have pushed you so hard. People might say you’re weak, but you’re not. No one who endures such pain is weak. You’re the bravest person in the world.”

Akata had always thought Rudel was more cold and rational than Aria.

Yet here she was, holding her head in her hands, sighing and revealing a vulnerable side—all because of the pain Akata had to endure.

“But it’s okay now. We just need to take the elixir regularly.”

The phrase ‘do something regularly’ pricked Akata’s consciousness.

“Will it hurt?”

“Hmm? Did it hurt when you ate the peach earlier? Do you have an allergy?”

Realizing the elixir Rudel mentioned was the peach he had eaten earlier, Akata hesitated before answering.

“Oh, no…”

“Right?”

In his drowsiness, he heard Rudel mutter to herself, “Do I need to recruit a new guild member…”

When he asked her about it, Rudel evaded the question.

Later, they revisited the topic at the training ground.

Akata, knowing he was still lacking, made a firm resolution.

“Rudel, if you genuinely want to recruit a new guild member, that’s fine… but I think you prefer things as they are now.”

“So, don’t bring in another guild member. I’ll become as amazing as you are. I’ll become stronger.”

“And if I become someone great… then you can use everything I have.”

* * *

In the moment when people were rushing at him from all sides, Akata’s response was disappointingly feeble. He merely raised one palm.

In the next instant, the sound of a violent energy surge filled the air.

Zing-!

For those who didn’t recognize the source of the sound, it was a great tragedy.

But even if they had known, how could these lower-ranking players have possibly responded?

The boy before them was a being of an entirely different level.

“Ahhh…”

The screams were swiftly engulfed by the inferno.

They say the pain of burning is horrific, but Akata’s flames extinguished consciousness and incinerated bodies before the pain could fully register.

For those who died and were immediately returned to the fortress, it might have been a mercy. But for those watching from afar, it was a scene from hell.

Out of the hellish flames, something emerged. The cave seemed about to melt under the overwhelming heat.

Screeeech-!

The flames took the shape of a phoenix, roaring as they reached the ceiling, then spreading like a volcano, scattering mirages throughout the area.

The edges of the boy’s clothes caught fire, burning slightly before extinguishing on their own, a recurring cycle.

This was one of the effects included in his unique ability.

It showcased both his precariousness and sharpness in a multidimensional graphic display.

[Life Force] 73

Creating flames with his body meant that the fire had to burn even his life force as fuel. It had always been this way until now.

But the true awakening unfolded in the exact opposite manner.

[Life Force] 73

[Life Force] 75

[Life Force] 78

The undying vitality of the phoenix, having conquered the ceiling, flew straight down towards the boy.

Akata smiled faintly at the flames bowing before him.

The form of the phoenix, which could blind just by looking at it, subdued its heat quietly in front of the boy.

Now he understood.

To fully control the power he possessed, he had to emulate her.

Rudel, I just need to completely give myself to her.

I will choose to love her.

[Name] Akata

* * *

[Unique Ability] Flame

*[Output] S

*[Precision] F

*[Resistance] S

*[Precision] C

Following the quiet point of the boy’s finger, the flames charged fiercely.

Bang!

Compared to the massive tentacle monster, the phoenix seemed no more significant than a small pebble.

However, blue flames began to spread from the point of contact with the phoenix.

Krrrrr-!

The tentacle monster, which had only endured weak attacks from the players until now, thrashed violently.

Its long tentacles struggled to escape the flames, but it was futile.

Shockingly, the monster’s massive body began to melt. Soon, a tremendous roar echoed throughout the area.

[Player Akata has recorded a total damage of 1,897,384!]

A number far exceeding the tentacle monster’s health.

[Current ranking, overwhelmingly first place, Agasa Guild!]

Akata would no longer be calculated as a low-ranking player.

* * *

Skipping forward to the end of the third round, Rudel jumped down from the lookout and stopped as she encountered the red-haired boy.

Akata looked at the flame flickering on the tip of his index finger like a candle for a moment, then blew it out with a gentle breath.

“Rudel, you’re here?”

He turned to Rudel with a bright smile.

[Emotional State] Sense of Loss

[Emotional State] –

[Emotional State] Joy

The three letters representing the ‘sense of loss,’ which had been weighing heavily, faded and were pulled downwards.

The significance of this change was clear.

Rudel’s perfectly frozen eyes momentarily captured the vivid transformation in Akata.

How had this once lethargic boy grown so quickly?

The boy, already dazzling, seemed to have shed something significant after learning to control the phoenix with his own strength, now exuding a radiant spirit.

Feeling overwhelmed, Rudel placed a hand over her heart.

…Her heart was definitely beating.

* * *

“Hah, ha…”

Before Akata’s brilliant feat, Lilith had been running desperately, barely evading her pursuers.

She finally leaned against a large stalactite to catch her breath.

‘Are you okay?’

Rudel’s clone asked, concerned.

The semi-transparent figure bit her lip and extended a hand as if Lilith’s pain was her own. But she couldn’t touch her.

Due to the cursed rules, she couldn’t physically comfort or help Lilith up. All she could do was watch and guide her.

How many times had the real Rudel at the lookout banged on the control console in frustration, angry at her inability to intervene directly?

Even though Rudel guided her, Lilith had to do the actual moving.

Her basic stats had improved to an average of C, but her innate lack of athletic ability made her an easy target.

“We have to destroy the Agasa Guild, who came in first last round. This is our last chance.”

“Let’s cooperate. Kill Agasa first and then compete among ourselves…”

No matter how insignificant Lilith seemed, with the Agasa Guild’s banner behind her, she couldn’t escape being a target.

Her nearly collapsing lungs soon steadied, but Lilith still couldn’t lift her head.

‘I’m tired… sad.’

The eyes of others glaring at her like a thorn in their side.

‘I can’t endure this alone…’