[Quest: Defeat the Divine Incarnate, Restore the Pride of the Lord of the Dead]


    Jack stared at the system message hovering in front of him, an incredulous look crossing his face. "I thought I was done with this?" he muttered, brow furrowing as he scrutinized the cryptic message.


    He''d already faced her, hadn''t he? He''d defeated her in the tournament—at least that''s what he thought the quest demanded. But now, with this new notification, he wasn''t so sure. "Maybe the system wants her defeated in another context…" he murmured, trying to make sense of the system''s intentions. He considered the possibility that ''defeat'' didn''t mean victory in a controlled match. No, that would be too simple.


    "Defeat…" he whispered, a faintugh escaping him. The system had used that word before, and each time, it had meant only one thing: kill.


    His lips curled into a sardonic smile as he shook his head. "Can''t this shitty system be straightforward for once?" he grumbled, running a frustrated hand through his hair. He supposed he should be grateful it wasn''t a mandatory quest—yet. The consequences for declining would be severe, but survivable. That didn''t mean he was eager to face the penalties if he chose to ignore it; however, his life was worth far more than some vague system demand.


    The system had granted him incredible power, but that power came with a price. If he weighed the potential gains ofpleting the quest against the risks of crossing a powerful church figure, the bnce tipped heavily toward the side of caution.


    "Killing someone from the church?" Jack chuckled darkly, weighing his options. He''d lived on the edge before, evading authorities as a thief back on Earth, a ce where surveince and policing were inescapable parts of daily life. Here, in this magic-fueled world, he could likely slip away undetected… but it wouldn''t be easy. Technology didn''t exist, and he was free from the prying eyes of cameras and security systems. All he''d have to evade were people and their abilities.


    But there was anotheryer to consider. Even if he managed to pull it off, the act would send ripples across kingdoms. The church would never let the murder of one of their own go unchallenged, and war would be inevitable.@@novelbin@@


    "This isn''t just about killing her," he muttered, thinking aloud. "It would drag every kingdom into conflict, and with my current strength… I wouldn''t be able to protect myself from the bacsh."


    Still staring at the fading system message, he shook his head in denial. "If this is going to happen, it''ll have to be in the nes." His gaze hardened. "I''ve got a list of people to deal with, and when we get there, I''ll handle her properly."


    For now, he was content to let this quest remain a low priority. The dangers far outweighed the rewards, and Jack knew when to y it safe. ''This time, no gambles,'' he told himself, closing the system screen with a quick mentalmand.


    With that decision made, he turned his attention to another matter that had been nagging at him. He pulled a small leather-bound notebook from his waistband, flipping through its pages until he found the section where he''d listed his personal goals. His fingers traced over the entry: ''Master both magic and swordsmanship.''


    The school''s new ss system would divide students by their areas of study, which presented a significant problem for him. He needed training in magic to expand his abilities, but he also had a great deal left to learn as a swordsman.


    [Battle Mage: A-Rank]


    He nced at his stats and let out a frustrated sigh. "I''ve been stuck at this rank for ages. I''ve made strides as a weapon master, sure, but my progress as a mage…" He shook his head. His time training with Alogra had been dominated by swordy, movements, techniques—valuable skills, but none of them had nudged his magical growth forward.


    "I''ve poured everything into swordsmanship, and this still hasn''t budged." He scowled at his stats before letting out a weary sigh. ''At least I understand why now,'' he thought, epting the truth he''de to learn after countless hours of frustration. A mage advanced simply by delving deeper into magic, pushing the boundaries of control and skill. A swordsman''s growth came through grit, discipline, and refinement of technique. But a battle mage, one who straddled both paths? That required bnce, equal attention to both disciplines.


    "I need to split my time between both sses." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "But how?"


    The mage''s ss was crucial for gaining control over the finer points of magic, something that was nearly impossible to learn alone. Without a teacher, he would be forced to experiment, risking mistakes that could drain his mana, leave him vulnerable—or worse.


    And yet, he couldn''t ignore the swordsman sses either. He needed to master aura maniption, a skill that was critical for future confrontations. Aura maniption was both powerful and infinitelyplex, with no end to the subtleties one could learn. Like anatomy booksyered with endless details, mastering aura was a lifelong endeavor.


    "The worst part?" he muttered, running a hand over his face. "I haven''t even started on aura maniption." The daunting nature of his future loomed over him, casting a shadow on his ns. He was outmatched and undertrained,gging behind those who had the luxury of specializing.


    ''It would be so easy if I could take things slow,'' he thought, closing his eyes for a moment. But time was a luxury he didn''t have. Every day he dyed only heightened the danger. Here, every advantage had to be earned with sweat, blood, and relentless ambition.


    Hey back on the bed, staring at the ceiling, exhaustion creeping over him. The weight of his circumstances pressed down on him, and he wondered if he''d ever find a way to bnce everything. But then, as he stared up, something sparked—a glimmer of an idea. He sat up, his heart picking up pace as the beginnings of a n formed in his mind.


    "Yes! That might work…" He didn''t know if it was a perfect solution, but it was worth trying. He would need to pull a few strings, possibly bend a rule or two, but with luck on his side, he might be able to split his time between the sses without drawing too much attention.


    He picked up his notebook again, his mind racing as he jotted down a few notes. The more he thought about it, the clearer the n became. This would be a juggling act, no question about it, but it could grant him ess to both skill sets, allowing him to train as both a mage and a swordsman.


    With renewed determination, he stood, eyes glinting with newfound purpose. This was the solution he''d been looking for—a way to bridge the divide between magic and swordsmanship, a chance to maximize his potential without being forced to choose.


    For now, he would keep his idea to himself. He had no way of knowing if it would work, and if it failed, he preferred that no one knew about it. But if he seeded…


    He allowed himself a small smile. ''If I pull this off, they won''t know what hit them.''