RLRD Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Skill rankings went from F rank all the way to S rank. That’s what Alex had told him. It’s what Kyro had always known, from the countless games he’d played to the way the Purgers ranked each other. It was the universal truth within their world.

But even within S rank, there was a wide variation in power. Because it was considered the upper limit, there wasn’t really a proper scale beyond it. The difference in strength, the way skills worked, it was almost impossible to compare. In truth, S rank Purgers and their skills felt like they belonged in a completely different league.

Which was why this moment was so strange.

For the first time, Kyro saw something new, a skill labeled L rank, and it had just appeared in his system.

It wasn’t just a visual update either. He could feel it, energy coursing through his body, powerful and wild. His consciousness began to waver, slipping slightly, like he was standing too close to something too big to understand.

"Kyro, what are you doing? Concentrate!" Slith shouted.

The bear beast was charging straight at him, fearless and fast. It had already leapt into the air, ready to strike.

Kyro didn’t have time to think. His body moved on its own. His fist pulled back instinctively, no hesitation, no thought.

As he drew it back, his hand began to change. Hardened red scales spread across his skin, and then, flames started to twist and dance around his fist, alive and furious.

[Skill Activated]
[Flaming Dragon Fist]

Kyro let the punch fly, and it landed dead center, right in the beast’s stomach.

In an instant, flames exploded outward, and a gaping hole was blown straight through the creature’s belly.

But the attack didn’t stop there. The sheer force of it kept driving forward, pushing the beast’s body back like it weighed nothing. The momentum carried through, as if the very air had been set on fire by the blow.

When it finally ended, Kyro remained frozen in place, his fist still outstretched, just staring ahead at the devastation his strike had caused.

“Was that... me?” Kyro whispered.

A chunk of the forest was simply gone. Trees, earth, obliterated. As if a massive crater had been carved out of the world. At least a hundred meters ahead had been torn apart, with flames still flickering across broken tree trunks and scorched underbrush. Thankfully, the fire wasn’t spreading like a natural blaze. The flames began to flicker out on their own.

Kyro slowly looked down at his fist, which had returned to normal. “Was that me? Or was that you?” he asked, his voice low, uncertain. “It didn’t feel like I was completely in control of my body.”

“You’re right... it felt almost like the two of us were synced,” Slith replied, his voice echoing inside Kyro’s mind.

And just like that, the energy began to fade. The power that had surged through Kyro moments ago was vanishing. He no longer felt unstoppable.

This... this was Slith’s doing.

He was pulling back, breaking the connection, and as the bond weakened, Kyro’s system began to shift before his eyes.

“It’s gone… The skillm it’s no longer there!” Kyro said, panic rising in his voice. “Did it disappear completely? No… it’s because of you, right, Slith? You broke the connection.”

“Correct,” Slith replied calmly. “It seems that in the world of Shira, I’m able to connect with you more deeply than I ever could on Earth. With that connection, I can channel more of my power to you.”

Kyro took another look at the wreckage, the scorched earth, the massive crater carved into the forest. A slow smile tugged at his lips. “Well... I’ll say this much,” he said. “You were right. There’s no way L rank stands for loser. That has to be Legendary Rank.”

When he first connected with Slith, Kyro had already been grateful. Grateful for the second chance, for no longer being just an ordinary human. But now... now, with this kind of power flowing through him, maybe, just maybe, he could actually become someone in the world of Shira.

“What the heck happened here?! Someone destroyed the forest!” a loud voice rang out nearby.

‘Kyro, I think you’d better get out of here,’ Slith warned. ‘Right now, we still don’t know how everything works. This could turn into a major headache.’

“You’re right. Let’s get out of here,” Kyro said as he took off, sprinting away from the scene.

Unbeknownst to him, several adventurers had already been wandering nearby when the strike occurred. The sheer force of his attack had shaken the entire region, and its shockwave had triggered a chain reaction, one that sent ripples of chaos through the forest and disturbed the beasts that lived within.

Some of the creatures the adventurers had been fighting scattered, darting off in all directions. With the chaos echoing through the forest, it was only natural for the adventurers to move toward the source of the commotion.

A small group finally reached the path of destruction, and froze.

“What happened here?” one of them asked, eyes wide as they scanned the wreckage.

“Look over there,” a female adventurer said, pointing ahead. “I think that’s a Holy Bear... or at least, what’s left of it.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” another muttered, examining the scorched ground and charred remains. “Judging by that attack... do you think an S-rank adventurer came through here?”

“It has to be,” someone else replied. “But what would an S-rank be doing in this part of the forest?”

Meanwhile, Kyro was making his way back toward the town center.

There was another reason he needed to return, it had been a few hours since he left, and the club activities would be wrapping up soon. He needed to meet up with Alex before he left for the day.

As he entered the town, Kyro walked slowly, still processing what had just happened.

‘So I can blast things to pieces with that skill... but how do I make money off it?’ he wondered. ‘And what if it causes problems? The skill doesn’t even show up in my system, it only activates when Slith links with me. I don’t even know how long he can keep that connection going. I need to run more tests. No matter what, I have to join the VR club. It’s the only way I can figure this out.’

As Kyro entered the starter village, he spotted Alex standing there, waving him over with a grin.

“Hey! Looks like someone’s wearing a big smile. Had a good time? Figured out how to use your skills?” Alex asked.

“Yeah,” Kyro said, nodding enthusiastically. “I fought a few creatures. The feeling... it’s mesmerizing. Everything feels so real. This is amazing!”

“I’m glad to see you enjoying it,” Alex replied. “You know, maybe next time we should try PvP mode. Since you’ve got the hang of your skills and everything, it’ll be a whole different experience, and a different kind of thrill when you beat your opponent.”

He gave Kyro a knowing look. “It’s also the best way to learn how to fight, honestly.”

“Right, right,” Kyro said, his grin widening.

“Alright, let’s log out for now,” Alex said as he pulled up his system interface.

Kyro did the same, and the two of them began the logout process. The scenery around them started to dissolve, fading bit by bit into darkness. Moments later, everything was gone, nothing but pitch black.

Then came the sound.

Kyro heard the soft hiss of his pod door as it ejected open. Slowly, he opened his eyes, the feeling not unlike waking from a deep sleep. He placed a hand on the side and pushed himself up, stepping out of the pod.

Across from him, he saw Alex doing the same.

“Alex, that was amazing,” Kyro said, eyes still wide with excitement. “I can’t believe it, the world of Shira is even more impressive than I imagined. Which is why I’ve decided... I want to join this club. How do I sign up?”

Alex’s face lit up with a big smile at first, but it didn’t last. In an instant, the smile faded.

“Sorry…” Alex said, his voice quiet. “But you can’t join the club. We’re not accepting new members right now. I had a great time today, really... but I think it’s best if you don’t come back.”

Kyro opened his mouth to respond, but something in the air shifted, something cold and unfamiliar. He didn’t know what it was, but it stopped him. He didn’t press any further. Instead, he simply stood there, watching as Alex turned and walked out of the room, starting to lock up behind him.

No explanation. No goodbye.

Kyro left the classroom in silence, a thousand questions swirling in his head, none with answers.

Behind him, Alex stood at the door, hand resting on the key as it clicked into place. He stayed there for a moment, shoulders trembling.

Tears fell silently from his cheeks, hitting the floor one by one.

“I’m sorry... I’m sorry,” Alex whispered to himself. “It’s not right to drag you into this. It’s not right to drag anyone into this mess of a club.”