Leveling From Hell

The cheers of the audience abruptly stopped as Arzael's body slammed hard against the arena wall. Dust billowed, shattered stones scattered, and a rumble echoed throughout the arena.

In the stands, Seraphina sat with her usual expressionless face, but her crimson eyes were locked sharply onto the arena. There was something different in them, no longer the calmness she usually carried, but a hidden trace of worry.

On her shoulder, Puff screamed loudly.

"Waaahhh what the hell was that speed?!" Puff grabbed at her own ears in panic. "He's old, his body is that huge, and yet he can move like lightning? That's not even human anymore! Boss… he could die at this rate!"

Seraphina remained silent, only her eyelids quivering slightly. Her gaze was cold, yet clearly laced with unease.

Puff turned to her, trembling. "Hey, Seraphina… you're worried too, aren't you?"

There was no reply, only Seraphina's breathing, slightly heavier than before.

On the arena floor, Arzael slowly rose from the rubble. Dust still swirled around him. His hand gripped Crimson Edge so tightly that the veins in his arm bulged. Blood dripped from his lips, but his eyes blazed with determination.

"My physique and speed… are still far behind," he muttered under his breath, audible only to himself. "If I want to win, I have to be smart."

He did not charge forward. His body stood still, his feet planted firmly on the ground, eyes locked fully on Grokk. He waited.

Grokk, with his massive body and aura still burning brightly, only grinned. "You can still stand? Good. I like the stubborn ones."

Then, without warning, the giant figure vanished again.

Arzael cursed inwardly. "Damn it…"

In an instant, Grokk reappeared at his side, throwing a punch strong enough to shatter massive stone. But this time, Arzael had anticipated it. With reflexive speed, he raised Crimson Edge to block.

BOOOOMMM!

The impact shook the entire arena. The ground trembled, the floor cracked, and fissures spread outward from the point of collision. The spectators fell into stunned silence, overwhelmed by the force unleashed.

"What the hell is that pressure?!" a fellow adventurer shouted from the stands.

Arzael leapt back quickly, gaining distance. His breath came in ragged gasps, but his eyes remained sharp. Then, he activated one of his skills.

[Skill Activated: Blood Manifest Lv. 1]

[+25% ATK for 15 seconds]

The air around Arzael shuddered. The blood dripping from his wounds lifted into the air, forming dozens of crimson arrows. With a flick of his hand, they shot toward Grokk at incredible speed.

Grokk was taken aback for a moment. Inwardly he thought, he can use...blood magic?

But with his extraordinary speed, Grokk weaved between them, dodging as the blood arrows rained down, tearing into the ground and leaving behind small craters.

While Grokk focused on evading, Arzael vanished from his spot.

"Where is he?!" Grokk muttered.

Suddenly, Arzael was right in front of him, swinging Crimson Edge with all his might. The blade slipped past Grokk's guard, slicing his shoulder, blood spraying.

The arena erupted in chaos.

"OHHH! Look at that! The kid managed to wound the guild master!"

"No way! Guild Master Grokk was injured?!"

Grokk glanced at the small wound, then let out a low chuckle. "Heh… not bad. But…" His gaze grew sharper. "I'll get a little more serious now."

In the blink of an eye, Grokk lunged forward at lightning speed. This time, instead of punching, he caught Arzael's body with one hand.

"Shit—"

DRRRRTT!

Arzael's body was slammed violently into the ground, stone erupting and dust exploding.

Before he could recover, Grokk delivered a brutal kick, sending Arzael crashing into the arena wall once more.

-100 HP

+20 EXP

HP: 470/900

EXP: 485/600

Arzael spat blood, his body trembling. "Shit… even when he's not serious, he's already this strong…" His breath came in ragged gasps. "Is he… toying with me?"

...

"Seraphina! Look at that!!!" Puff screamed, eyes wide. "AHHH I can't watch this anymore!" She covered her eyes with her tiny paws.

Seraphina remained seated, her face blank. Yet her fingers clenched tightly upon her lap. Inside her chest, something churned, something on the verge of bursting free.

"Boss… don't die…." Puff whispered softly, her voice trembling.

Arzael slowly stood once more. Though his body was battered and bloodied, his steps were steady. This time he walked calmly, without rushing.

Grokk narrowed his eyes. "Huh? What are you planning, boy?"

Arzael didn't answer. Once within range, he grabbed a chunk of stone with his strength. The fragments of rock and dust lifted into the air, hurled toward Grokk. At the same time, Crimson Edge shot forward.

Grokk scoffed. "A little trick?" He easily shattered the rocks and deflected the sword.

But in that moment, Arzael was already at his flank, driving a fist into Grokk's jaw.

BUKK!

Grokk staggered slightly.

The audience roared again.

"He struck the guild master! That kid is insane!"

Grokk simply laughed. "Not only strong and talented… but clever as well."

The battle raged on. Strike after strike was exchanged. Each time Arzael was thrown down, he stood again. Each time Grokk struck him, Arzael found a way to counter.

But little by little, Arzael's HP dwindled.

HP: 90/900

Seraphina's gaze began to waver. Puff was nearly in tears on her shoulder. "Boss… don't die… don't die…"

And as Arzael's blood fell below 10%, a notification appeared.

[Skill Activated: Cursed Blood]

[Increase all stats drastically]

STR: 51 → 102

AGI: 38 → 76

VIT: 42 → 84

INT: 29 → 58

LUK: 10 → 20

Arzael paused for a moment, then smirked coldly. "Finally."

Deliberately, he wounded himself further, triggering another skill.

[Skill Activated: Pain Conversion Lv.1]

[+50% STR]

STR: 102 → 153

A dark aura erupted from his body. The air around him trembled violently. The audience began backing away in fear.

"What the hell is he?!" someone shouted.

Arzael moved—faster than before, slashing with Crimson Edge. Grokk tried to evade, but the blade pierced his guard, carving a deep wound into his arm.

SWIISSHH!!

Arzael struck again. And again. Three times in succession. Grokk staggered backward, his body accumulating more wounds.

Grokk thought grimly, What is this boy? His speed suddenly skyrocketed… his strength too. He's not an ordinary human.

Arzael's gaze was icy. "You're still holding back. Try… not to."

Grokk stood still for a moment, then smiled. "As you wish, boy."

At once, Grokk's aura exploded outward. A crushing pressure burst from his body, slamming across the arena. The audience screamed, some thrown from their seats. The shockwave spilled beyond the arena, shaking the entire guild.

"What the hell is this?!" Arzael braced himself against the overwhelming force with his sword.

"This is insane!!!!" one adventurer shouted.

In the stands, Seraphina clenched her teeth. Her breathing quickened. Then she rose to her feet. Mana flared wildly around her as her hand lifted.

Puff turned to her in panic. "Seraphina! What are you doing?! Don't… don't do that!"

But Seraphina didn't answer. For the first time, her face was filled with emotion, rage and fear entwined together.

Just before her surge of mana could burst forth, a deep voice resonated across the arena.

"Stop."

Everyone turned. From the arena corridor, an elf woman walked in. Her long green hair shimmered, her eyes glowing gently yet filled with authority. She was an S-Rank adventurer.

"Guild Master," she said flatly. "Are you serious? Unleashing your full power just to fight this boy? Do you mean to kill him?"

Grokk froze, then exhaled deeply. His overwhelming aura slowly subsided. "You're right… my apologies. I went too far."

He turned to Arzael. "Boy, forgive me. You're too strong, I ended up drawing out my full strength."

Arzael, his body battered and bloodied, stared back coldly. "Is that a compliment… or an insult?"

Grokk left the arena, and the elf woman approached Arzael. Her eyes sparkled as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Ara-ara… you're very handsome, young man. What's your name?"

Arzael remained silent, his gaze cold.

Immediately, Seraphina descended from the stands. Puff, still on her shoulder, shouted "Hey, lady! Keep your hands off Arzael! He already has a partner, you know!"

The elf woman only smiled faintly. "Ohhh? A rabbit that can talk? How interesting." She gave Arzael one last strange glance before walking away.

Seraphina approached, her face expressionless, though her voice betrayed her concern. "You should have been more careful."

Without waiting for his reply, she touched his hand. A faint warmth flowed through, slowly healing his wounds.

Puff looked at them. "Boss, you know? Seraphina almost blew up that guild master earlier. She was really worried about you!"

Arzael only cast a brief glance. "That old man wasn't even serious against me. Next time… I'll fight him again."

"Boss!! You're insane!" Puff nearly fell from Seraphina's shoulder.

That day, the guild buzzed with talk of the incident. After the commotion, they returned to the inn. They ate a simple meal, then went back to their room.

In the room, Seraphina and Puff shared the same bed. As usual, Seraphina hugged Puff tightly, her face peaceful as she rubbed her soft fur. Puff purred softly, eventually falling into deep sleep.

Arzael sat on the other bed, staring at the ceiling. His wounds still ached, but his mind was filled with something else.

"I don't yet fully understand this world. The guild master was only the beginning. If I wish to take revenge on the Alzareth Empire and the gods themselves, I must become stronger than anyone else in this world."

He slowly closed his eyes. In the silence of the night, only the sound of Seraphina and Puff's breathing remained, calm and soothing.

But deep within Arzael's heart, his resolve for vengeance burned brighter than ever.