The towering spire of the National Monster Relic Museum gleamed under the midday sun, casting long shadows on the white marble plaza. From every direction, citizens streamed in and out—students on tours, researchers in lab coats, hunters seeking inspiration.
Sung Daeho stood at the base of the monument, his eyes tracing the massive bronze statue of the ten heroes atop the museum dome.
"The Magnificent Ten."
The first generation of awakened—those who stood against the Great Monster War a century ago. Monsters had poured through the rifts and annihilated seventy percent of the world's population. Civilization was on the brink. Until ten humans awakened powers so great they turned the tide of history.
Today, their legacy lived on through dungeons, guilds, and awakeners like Daeho himself… though he'd only just begun to understand his worth.
A soft hum echoed through the air as a super-sonic train streaked by above him. Powered by dense magic stones harvested from monster cores, these trains were a symbol of humanity's triumph over the abyss.
Daeho had taken one of those trains just thirty minutes ago.
And now he was here—with a plan.
---
The inside of the museum was dimly lit, designed to evoke the haunting chaos of the past. Spotlights danced over enormous skeletal remains suspended in magical stasis. Each display came with a detailed holographic description, highlighting rank, power, and the hero who had slain it.
Daeho passed towering C-rank ghouls, the Thunder Hydra of Spain, and even the infamous Black Wyvern that had once reduced all of Tokyo to ashes.
But he wasn't here for them.
He moved deeper into the restricted beast wing, eyes locked on a specific label:
> A-Rank – Flame Direwolf
Slain by: Arjun Rai (Member of The Magnificent Ten)
Estimated Time of Death: Year 12 After Rupture
Body Count: 18,000 civilians, 102 awakened
Danger Classification: High-tier Beast-type
Status: Neutralized
The skeleton was terrifying even in death—over 4 meters tall, with elongated fangs and ribs like curved swords. Despite its size, the shape told of speed and ferocity. Its claws were long and curved, and the hollow sockets of its skull burned with illusionary red light.
A line of barriers and signs warned:
"Do Not Touch — Relic Status Bound"
Daeho glanced around. No guards nearby.
"Sorry, history," he whispered.
With a slow, calculated motion, he reached out and pressed his palm to the beast's ancient ribcage.
Nothing happened for a second.
Then—
> [Corpse Copy: Valid Target Detected]
Select One Ability to Copy:
🔥 Fire Element Control
⚡ Super Speed (350 m/s)
🔺 Gigantification (3x Height)
🐾 Sharp Claw Enhancement
Four abilities. All terrifying.
He swallowed. Only one per month…
He had to choose wisely.
Fire control was flashy, powerful—but mana intensive and easily detectable.
Gigantification? Too conspicuous.
Sharp Claws? Useful in close combat, but he wasn't a melee type.
That left one.
Super Speed.
He imagined himself moving at 350 meters per second—faster than the eye could follow. Faster than sound. Faster than fear.
> ✅ Super Speed Selected.
Skill Copied.
The red interface updated.
> [New Ability Acquired]
⚡ Super Speed (A-Rank)
Description: Boosts movement velocity to 350m/s for up to 30 minutes.
Cooldown: 5 minutes. Requires medium mana drain.
His heart pounded. He had just stolen the movement ability of a beast that once evaded A-rank hunters for weeks.
A grin spread across his face.
He slipped away from the display silently, avoiding attention. The moment he exited the museum grounds, he dashed into an alley, checking his surroundings.
"No one's watching."
He activated the skill.
> [Super Speed – Activated]
The world blurred. Time seemed to stretch and crack.
Wind howled past him. Buildings, people, and even cars looked frozen.
One step covered ten meters. Two steps, a city block.
His wolf summon tried to keep up—but even its C-rank body couldn't match him now.
He was fast. Faster than the super-sonic train.
---
He raced across districts, the city becoming a patchwork of color and light. Twenty minutes passed in a flash.
When he finally stopped, skidding into a small park near his neighborhood, sweat poured down his brow. His legs trembled—not from exhaustion, but from the sheer exhilaration of having power.
He glanced at the timer on his interface.
> Time Used: 24 minutes
Distance Covered: 310 km
He laughed aloud, startling an old man walking his dog nearby.
"Sorry," Daeho called out, waving, then quickly ducked into a side street.
He reached his front gate and deactivated the skill.
> [Super Speed – Cooldown: 5:00]
He unlocked the door, stepped inside, and collapsed on his bed—still grinning like a madman.
No more porting. No more groveling.
He had an EX-rank ability panel. He had a summoned beast. He now had A-rank speed.
And this… was just the beginning.
---