Journey to Become the Zenith

The Calm Before the Storm

Victor smiled calmly.

”I don’t have all day.”

He pointed casually down the road that stretched deeper toward the wilderness.

The distant tree line marked the outer reach of Mystery Woodland, the strange forest whose secrets had swallowed countless adventurers.

”I still need to reach Mystery Woodland before sunset.”

Then he gestured impatiently, flicking his wrist as if urging a group of late servants to hurry.

”So...”

”Can we start already?”

The thirteen men stared at him.

Fully stunned.

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For several seconds, the forest road fell into complete silence.

The wind whispered through the leaves overhead. Dust rolled lazily across the dirt path.

And in the center of it all stood Victor—relaxed, hands loose, golden eyes calm as a quiet lake.

The leader of the assassins blinked.

Then blinked again.

His expression slowly twisted from confusion... into disbelief.

And finally—

Into anger.

”Are you mocking us?” the man growled.

Victor tilted his head slightly.

”I’m asking you to hurry.”

The man’s jaw tightened.

With a sharp motion he pulled a weapon from behind his cloak—a thick short sword, sturdy and practical, the kind often used by professional killers.

Steel flashed under the afternoon light.

The other men followed immediately.

Metal rang softly as hidden blades, curved daggers, and narrow swords slid from beneath their loose robes.

Within seconds Victor was completely surrounded.

Thirteen killers.

Every exit blocked.

Victor merely sighed.

Then—

He turned casually and snapped a thin long grass from a nearby field.

The sound of wood cracking echoed softly.

The assassins stared.

Victor examined the long grass briefly, testing its weight.

Good enough.

He quietly suppressed his mana until it was barely detectable.

Only a thin thread of mana flowed into the long grass —just enough to prevent it from snapping during impact.

Then he stepped forward.

One foot slightly ahead.

Long grass angled like a sword.

A simple stance.

Yet the moment Victor settled into position—

The air changed.

The assassins felt it immediately.

Something about his posture felt... wrong.

Uncomfortable.

Like standing in front of a predator that had finally decided to play.

The leader’s eye twitched.

”...You think a stick is enough?”

Victor’s lips curled into a vicious smile.

”I think it’s more than enough.”

The thirteen men felt as though they had just been slapped.

Hard.

Their patience snapped.

”Kill him!”

The ambush began instantly.

The first attack came not from blades—but from the air.

Several assassins flicked their wrists.

Silver flashes cut through the air.

Knives.

Dozens of them.

They flew toward Victor from multiple directions at once.

Victor didn’t move his feet.

Instead—

The long grass in his hand blurred in green streak.

Clack.

Clack.

Clack.

Clack.

Every knife was knocked aside.

Some spun harmlessly into the dirt.

Others ricocheted into tree trunks.

Victor didn’t even blink.

The assassins were not surprised.

Their information had been clear.

Victor had defeated Albion, an advanced rank swordsman.

His combat strength had been estimated somewhere around Master rank, possibly nearing Saint rank.

Those knives had never been meant to kill.

They had another purpose.

The assassins suddenly pulled back on their wrists.

The knives jerked violently.

Thin lines tightened behind them.

Strings.

Dozens of near-invisible threads snapped tight as they attempted to wrap around Victor’s arms, legs, and torso.

Binding him in place.

Victor noticed immediately.

Spider silk.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

Sand spider threads.

An A-rank demonic beast known for webs stronger than steel.

But Victor moved faster.

The long grass flashed downward.

Snap.

Snap.

Snap.

Every thread was cut instantly.

The assassins froze.

Their minds struggled to process what they had just seen.

Those threads were supposed to be nearly indestructible.

Yet Victor had cut them—

With a tree branch.

One assassin whispered in disbelief.

”...That’s impossible.”

Another clenched his weapon harder.

Still—

The battle had already begun.

Retreat was no longer an option.

The leader snarled.

”Attack together!”

”If we overwhelm him—”

His words were cut short.

Victor suddenly tilted his head.

Something sliced through the air behind him.

Without turning—

The long grass flicked backward.

Clang.

A sharp metallic sound rang out.

An arrow spun away from him, deflected mid-flight.

Victor glanced toward the trees.

Hidden within the shadows—

Two archers shifted position.

The assassins’ final reserves.

Their arrows glimmered faintly with a green sheen.

Poison.

Victor chuckled quietly.

”So the cowards finally joined.”

More arrows flew.

Victor didn’t move his feet.

The long grass danced through the air.

Tap.

Tap.

Tap.

Every arrow was knocked aside with effortless precision.

The assassins began to feel something unsettling.

Victor wasn’t using his mana.

Not really.

Aside from reinforcing the long grass—

Everything he was doing relied purely on physical skill.

Reflex.

Timing.

Control.

And yet—

They could not touch him.

Victor sighed.

”This is boring.”

The leader’s face twisted.

”You—!”

Victor suddenly closed his eyes.

The assassins froze again.

”...What is he doing?”

Victor exhaled slowly.

The forest breeze brushed against his face.

Leaves rustled.

Footsteps shifted in the dirt.

Heartbeats.

Breathing.

Victor sharpened his senses.

Sight disappeared.

But everything else became clearer.

Left.

The long grass flicked sideways.

Clack.

A dagger was knocked away.

Behind.

The long grass swung backward.

Tap.

Another arrow deflected.

Right.

Victor twisted his wrist.

A sword strike slid harmlessly off the wood.

His eyes remained closed.

The assassins watched in horror.

Victor stood calmly in the center of their formation—

Deflecting every single attack.

Without even looking.

And the worst part?

He looked completely relaxed.

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Authors Notes: Dear Readers, Thanks so much for joining me on this adventure! Your enthusiasm, feedback, and encouragement really keep me motivated to keep bringing *Journey to Become the Zenith* into existence. If you’re loving the Chapters, I’d love it if you supported my book with a Powerstone, review, or even a Golden Ticket—it helps me develop as a writer and lets more readers enjoy the story. I look forward to hearing your ideas and thoughts, so please don’t hesitate to share!

With love,

Scorpio_saturn777

Journey to Become the Zenith

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