A Huge Upgrade

Tal took a slow, deliberate step forward,his eyes locking onto Black.

Sensing Black’s spiritual energy,he couldn’t hide his surprise.

“Your aura… you’re already Level 40.”

“For someone your age, that’s exceptional talent.

But talent means nothing if you provoke the wrong people!”

In Tal’s mind, even the greatest prodigy was nothing before reaching their prime.

And today—he’d personally extinguish this rising star.

Meanwhile, Brenna and Leán stood frozen in shock.

Level 40?!

Their cousin—the boy they remembered as hopelessly untalented,stuck in the “useless” Pirate class—was now stronger than they’d ever dreamed?

Brenna, hailed as the most gifted child in their village,was only Level 30.

“Whether I provoked the wrong people…”

Black smiled calmly, utterly relaxed.

After countless battles on the Hodyr,fighting beyond his level had become second nature.

“We’ll see when we fight.”

He extended a hand, almost inviting.

“Arrogant fool!”

Tal’s eyes turned icy.

Without hesitation, he began casting.

His fingers wove intricate seals,his incantation echoing across the deck—until two radiant circles flared before him.

As the light faded,two ferocious beasts stood revealed.

To the left—a Level 35 Swiftwind Lion.

Its snow-white mane billowed like storm clouds,fangs bared, claws crackling with gale-force winds.

To the right—a Level 40 Thunderclaw Tiger.

Black stripes rippled across its fur,a lightning bolt branded on its forehead,crackling arcs of electricity dancing across its frame.

Brenna’s hand flew to her chest, heart pounding.

She knew these beasts well.

In her Dragonheart Academy finals,her four-person team—all Level 30—had barely defeated a single Level 40 Thunderclaw Tiger.

Now?

Black faced both—alone.

A Level 40 Swordsman would struggle.

A Level 40 Pirate?

Hopeless.

“Haven’t moved in a while…”

Black cracked his neck,twirled the Overlord Spear—its shaft humming like a struck bell.

Then—

WHOOSH!

He blurred forward, a phantom streak aimed at the beasts.

“TEAR HIM APART!”

Tal’s command rang out.

The Swiftwind Lion struck first—

ROAR!

It leapt, trailing a hurricane,

its claws lashing five wind blades through the air—

meant to shred Black to ribbons.

But to Black—who’d faced Little Jinzi’s dragonbreath—

these were child’s play.

His wrist flicked—the Overlord Spear carved dark-gold arcs—

SHINK! SHINK! SHINK!

—all five wind blades shattered.

The lion landed,claws ripping toward Black’s throat—a blur of fangs and fury.

Black didn’t even blink.

“Too slow.”

His left foot stomped—

CRACK!—the deck splintered.

He charged head-on,

spear slashing upward,

the tip slipping into the lion’s wrist joint—

SCHLICK!

—ripping the paw clean off!

“Roundhouse Thrust!”

Before the beast could howl,Black spun,the spear’s shaft whipping like a steel whip—

CRASH!

—the lion slammed into Jessy’s cargo pile,making the noble pale with terror.

The entire deck gasped.

Since when could a pirate use a knight’s skill?

And kill a Swiftwind Lion in one exchange?!

ZZZT!

Thunderclaw Tiger struck—three blinding lightning orbshurtling at Black’s back!

“Javelin Toss!”

Black hurled the Overlord Spear—it impaled the deck,vibrating with raw power.

BOOM!

The lightning orbs slammed into the shaft—but a shockwave deflected them backward!

The tiger dodged—only to see the spear vanish from the deck.

“Up here.”

Black hovered midair,both hands gripping the spear,its tip coiled in violet-black energy.

“Charge Thrust!”

The Overlord Spear descended like a meteor.

The tiger erected a lightning shield—but it shattered in three seconds.

The spear pierced through,obliterating the tiger’s head and torso—its body dissolving into fading light.

The wounded lion lunged again—a final, desperate charge.

Black tapped its forehead with the spear—a pulse of spiritual force liquefied its brain.

The beast stiffened, then collapsed.

In under ten moves,a Level 35 and Level 40 summon lay dead.

Silence.

“Sis… is that REALLY Cousin Black?”

Leán’s jaw hung open, stupefied.

Brenna couldn’t answer—she was just as bewildered.

“What trickery is this?!”

Jessy sputtered, eyes wide.

“Tal! You held back, didn’t you?!”

“He’s no ordinary Level 40!” Tal snarled, face grim.

“And that spear— five-star weapon!”

At the word “five-star”,

Jessy’s fear melted into greed.

“FIVE-STAR?!” he shrieked.

“Kill him! I’ll pay you triple! THAT SPEAR IS MINE!”

Five-star weapons were legends—enough to make any man mad with lust.

Even his thugs licked their lips, eyes gleaming.

Black retrieved his spear,breathing steadily,savoring the surge of Level 40 power.

This… is different.

My spiritual energy now—it’s ocean to a puddle.

He’d merely tested his limits—yet the destruction amazed even him.

Sure, the Overlord Spear amplified it—but the leap in strength was monstrous.

“I underestimated you…”

Tal’s voice turned deadly calm.

“But those were just my weakest summons.

Now… witness the power of a TRUE High-Tier Summoner!”