Cursed Devourer

Malik stepped out of the Grand Library, the midday sun casting long shadows over the streets of Vel Ryn. He pulled his hood slightly lower, shielding his ever-shifting eyes from the light, his mind still replaying everything he had just learned.

"So, let's recap," Kairo mused, his voice light but thoughtful. "Nameless may or may not have orchestrated your entire rebirth just to shove you into a hyper-competitive proving ground. We have six months to reach Master+, gather beast DNA, and get a mountain of gold. And, oh yeah, we have no leads on a sponsor or how we'll get into the actual academy."

Malik smirked as he walked through the bustling streets. "You make it sound impossible."

"It is impossible. That's what makes it fun," Kairo snickered. "But still, even for you, this will be a tight deadline."

Malik didn't reply, his pace steady as he weaved through the crowd. His next stop was clear.

The Mercenary Hall—his best chance at quick gold, strong opponents, and unrestricted hunting grounds.

"You know," Kairo continued as they neared their destination, "I was expecting you to struggle with this whole reincarnation thing, but you've adapted better than most would."

Malik laughed. "What's there to struggle with? I wanted a second chance. Now I have it."

"And the elf princess? Does she fit into your grand plans?"

Malik exhaled through his nose. "No distractions. Power first. Everything else later."

Kairo hummed knowingly but didn't press further.

As the Mercenary Hall came into view, Malik could already feel the raw energy radiating from the place. It wasn't just a building—it was a gathering ground for hunters, killers, and warriors who thrived on battle.

He stepped through the wide double doors and immediately, he spotted a familiar group.

Marithia and her team sat near the reception desk, going through some sort of paperwork. The moment Arin spotted him, her face split into a wide grin.

"Well, well, well! Look who finally decided to crawl out of the princess' bed."

Marithia—who had been calm and composed only seconds before—immediately went stiff, her back straightening as her face turned a shade of pink she clearly didn't want anyone to notice.

Malik barely reacted, simply raising an eyebrow. "Not crawling anywhere, but thanks for the concern."

Arin cackled as Marithia shot her a glare.

Dorian leaned back in his seat, arms crossed. "Didn't expect to see you here. You looking to join?"

Malik gave a slight nod. "Solo mercenary."

Rollo let out a grunt. "You're not the type to work under someone."

Malik smirked. "I'm not."

Marithia, who had finally recovered enough to speak, cleared her throat. "If you're registering, you'll need to go through the normal procedure."

Malik gestured for her to continue.

She folded her arms, regaining some of her usual composure. "First, you apply with the guild and take a combat test to determine your initial rank. Then, you wait for them to issue your certification."

"How long does that take?"

"A few days, usually," Dorian said.

Malik frowned. He didn't have time to wait for bureaucratic nonsense.

"We need that certificate today," Kairo muttered. "The faster we start, the better."

Before Malik could ask if there was a way to expedite the process, an unfamiliar voice cut in.

"You looking to join today?"

Malik turned, his gaze falling on a broad-shouldered mercenary with a scar across his jaw, his armor dented and well-worn from real battles. The man gave him an appraising look, sizing him up with thinly veiled amusement.

"I could get you your certificate right now," the mercenary continued, crossing his arms. "That is, if you entertain me."

Dorian immediately scowled. "Reigar, don't start shit."

Marithia let out a sharp breath, already looking frustrated. "You're seriously trying this?"

Arin, on the other hand, looked delighted. "Oh, I wanna see this."

Malik exhaled slowly. Another idiot who thought he could test him.

Reigar smirked. "I'm a ranking officer in this guild. I can push your paperwork through today. All you have to do is prove you're worth it."

Malik tilted his head slightly. "And how exactly do you want me to entertain you?"

Reigar cracked his knuckles. "A fight, of course. Nothing serious. Just a little—"

"Don't do this," Marithia cut in, her voice cool but firm. "If you pick a fight with him, you'll regret it."

Reigar let out a bark of laughter. "Come on, Marithia. You think I can't handle some new guy?"

Dorian pinched the bridge of his nose. "Reigar, listen to me. You don't want this fight."

Rollo grunted in agreement. "I actually like you. I don't want to see you break something you can't fix."

Reigar scoffed. "You guys really think he's that dangerous?"

Arin smirked, her sharp gaze flicking between Malik and Reigar with clear amusement. "He's got a point, though. We've never actually seen Malik fight at his full strength."

Marithia sighed, rubbing her temples. She knew this was going to happen.

Malik, meanwhile, remained calm.

"What do you think?" Kairo asked. "Worth the trouble?"

Malik's lips curled into a slow smirk. "Well if they think they are going to see me at full strength they are sorely mistaken. But this is too perfectly timed to pass up."

"A fight gets me my certificate now?" He asked, narrowing his gaze.

"Yes."

"Then fine." Malik took a step forward, his gaze locking onto Reigar's with quiet intensity. "Let's get this over with."

Reigar grinned. "That's what I like to hear."

The entire Mercenary Hall had taken notice by now. A few warriors leaned against the walls, watching with interested expressions, while others placed quick bets, already anticipating a good fight.

Marithia shook her head. She had a bad feeling about this.

"You idiot," she muttered, mostly to herself.

Arin just grinned. "This is going to be so fucking fun."

Dorian sighed, already preparing to call the healers.

Rollo simply shook his head, muttering, "Poor bastard."

Reigar, still completely oblivious to what he was walking into, stretched his arms before rolling his shoulders.

"Don't hold back, newbie," he said, his confidence unwavering. "I wanna see what you can really do."

Malik tilted his head slightly.

"Are you sure about that?"

Reigar smirked. "Oh, I'm sure."

Malik's smirk widened.

"He really has no idea, does he?" Kairo chuckled.

"No," Malik responded, rolling his neck as he stepped into position. "But he's about to find out."

The Mercenary Hall had gone silent, the air thick with anticipation as the crowd gathered around the open sparring space.

Malik stood calmly, his hood partially concealing his shifting eyes, his hands resting at his sides as if the fight didn't concern him in the slightest.

Reigar, on the other hand, grinned with confidence, rolling his shoulders as small tremors rippled beneath his feet. His earth-aligned mana surged, the ground beneath him vibrating as he cracked his knuckles.

"You're ballsy, I'll give you that," Reigar said, his smirk widening. "But let's see how you handle this."

Malik tilted his head slightly. "Go on then."

The official raised his hand.

"Begin!"

Reigar stomped his foot the instant the fight started, his mana rushing into the stone beneath them.

A massive rock pillar exploded upward from the ground, aiming to catch Malik directly beneath the chin—

But Malik was already gone.

With a single stomp, he propelled from his spot, reappearing three feet away, watching the pillar shatter against empty air.

Reigar's eyes widened slightly, but he adapted quickly, swinging his fist toward the ground.

A trail of jagged spikes burst from the floor, tearing toward Malik like a row of sharpened spears.

This time, Malik didn't move immediately. He watched, his enhanced perception tracking the shift in mana beneath the earth, analyzing the speed at which Reigar's attacks formed.

At the last possible second, he sidestepped, narrowly slipping through the gaps between the spikes. Not dodging chaotically, but weaving through the gaps as if he already knew exactly where they would emerge.

Reigar growled in frustration. "You cocky—"

He slammed his hands together.

The entire floor trembled.

Chunks of stone levitated into the air, hovering around Reigar like an orbiting shield before suddenly launching toward Malik like projectiles.

Malik's eyes flickered, watching their trajectory.

Instead of dodging, he raised both hands—

And caught the first boulder mid-flight.

Reigar's smirk faltered as Malik held the massive chunk of rock in his grip like it was nothing, the weight meaningless against his enhanced strength.

Then, with a flick of his wrist, he threw it back—twice as fast.

Reigar barely had time to throw up his arms before the boulder slammed into him, sending him skidding backward across the floor. Dust and debris scattered in all directions, the impact cracking the wooden beams of the hall's foundation.

The crowd let out a mix of gasps and muttered curses.

"He… threw it back?"

"Is he that strong?"

Reigar shook off the blow quickly, rolling his shoulders as he dug his feet into the ground.

Malik exhaled, rolling his neck slightly. "You're not bad," he admitted. "But you're too slow."

Reigar scowled. "Let's fix that then."

He clenched his fists, and the earth beneath him responded instantly.

The moment Reigar's mana surged, the floor split apart beneath him, and he sank into the ground.

Malik's eyes flickered slightly, his enhanced perception tracking the sudden shift in mana underground.

A trap.

Then—

The ground beneath Malik erupted.

Massive stone pillars shot up in a circle around him, attempting to box him in from all sides like a collapsing tomb.

At the same time, Reigar burst from the ground behind him, swinging a fist encased in hardened rock straight for Malik's back.

But Malik had already predicted it.

Instead of retreating, he moved forward.

Before the pillars could fully close in, he shot forward at an angle, dodging through the narrowest gap with perfect precision.

Reigar's punch hit nothing but air, his eyes widening just as Malik twisted, faster than he could react—

And drove a fist directly into his gut.

A loud crack echoed through the hall.

Reigar's body folded inward, his breath escaping in a violent wheeze as the impact lifted him off the ground.

But Malik wasn't finished.

Before Reigar could crash backward, Malik twisted his body, bringing his elbow down into his spine, slamming him into the ground with brutal efficiency.

The floor beneath them fractured on impact, sending a deep crater of shattered wood and stone outward.

Reigar gasped, the wind completely knocked from his lungs as his face pressed against the floor.

The entire Mercenary Hall went dead silent.

Malik stood over him, his stance relaxed. "You done?"

Reigar groaned, trying to push himself up, but his body refused to respond.

His mana was still active, but his movements were sluggish, his body overwhelmed by the sheer speed and force of Malik's attacks.

It wasn't just raw strength.

It was the difference between power and mastery.

"You had good control over your element," Malik said, tilting his head slightly. "But you rely too much on predictable formations. Every attack you made had an obvious tell."

Reigar gritted his teeth.

Malik crouched slightly, watching him with an unreadable gaze. "Do you want to try again?"

The question wasn't mocking—it was serious.

He was giving Reigar a choice.

And Reigar, though humiliated, knew the truth.

He wasn't on Malik's level.

Not even close.

Finally, with a heavy exhale, he let his head drop slightly. "No," he muttered. "I yield."

The official overseeing the match hesitated for a moment before raising his hand. "Winner—Malik."

The moment the fight ended, the hall erupted into conversation.

"What the hell was that speed?"

"He took a boulder to the face and barely reacted."

"I thought Reigar was one of the better warriors here… how did he get crushed so easily?"

Malik, however, barely paid attention. He simply turned and walked toward the ranking officer, his expression unreadable.

"My certificate?"

The officer swallowed hard and nodded quickly. "I… I'll have it prepared by tonight."

Malik smirked. "Good."

As he stepped back toward Marithia and the others, he caught Arin grinning at him.

"That was… brutal," she said with an amused chuckle. "You're fun to watch."

Dorian sighed. "We tried to warn him."

Rollo gave a slow, approving nod. "You fight efficiently. No wasted movements."

Marithia, however, watched him carefully.

He expected her to sigh in exasperation or make a remark about restraint, but instead, she simply exhaled and said, "You don't like drawing things out, do you?"

Malik gave a half-smirk. "Why would I?"

She shook her head slightly, but there was no irritation in her tone—only curiosity.

"Just try not to make too many enemies in one day."

Malik turned away, already heading toward the exit.

"No promises," he said over his shoulder.

And with that, he left the hall to take a break, planning to get back here for his certificate later.