Traveling through the game world, starting out as a third-rate villain

"Hey...Dude..." When Ethan re-entered the room after talking to the girl named Emily, his two friends Lucas and Julia greeted him with mischievous smiles.

Ethan rolled his eyes at their usual teasing, preparing himself for the next bit of teasing. This wasn't the first time they had taken the opportunity to tease him about anything related to romance or relationships.

"How was the chat with that mysterious girl?" Julia asked sweetly, but her twinkling eyes betrayed her true intentions.

Ethan sighed and decided to deal with them. "Just a normal chat, nothing special."

Lucas raised an eyebrow and smiled even wider. "Oh, Ethan, 'just a normal chat'? You've never been the type to casually hang out with strangers, especially a pretty girl like her."

Ethan ran his hands through his hair, feeling his cheeks warm up slightly under their teasing gazes. "Well, she wanted to talk to me about something. It's nothing serious."

Julia's smirk grew even deeper. "'Something', huh? Care to share?"

Ethan shook his head, not intending to give them more topics to talk about. "There's really nothing worth gossiping about."

Hearing this, Lucas's smile got even bigger. "Looks like our Ethan has finally gotten over that slightly gloomy guy?"

"Tsk... How many times do I have to tell you this isn't true?" Ethan smacked his lips when he saw the topic turn to this again. The twins had a talent for turning anything into a joke.

"Oh? What's that? Every time I see you, I feel like you're talking about him?"

"That's just what you think."

"Yes, yes." Lucas leaned back in his chair lazily and sighed exaggeratedly. "I thought our Ethan finally came out of his shell and chatted with the mysterious girl. Will you start exchanging love letters next?"

Ethan gave him a fake glare, and the embarrassment on his face was slowly dissolved by the joke. "You are so boring."

Julia shrugged, her smug smile unfazed. "Just making sure our friend's social life has some movement."

"You make it sound like I don't talk to anyone at all?"

"But you don't? Who else do you talk to besides us?"

After hearing this question, Ethan began to think about his life in college. In this regard, they were right. Ethan was indeed a person who hardly interacted with others except his circle of friends.

"But isn't this a good thing?" he asked. He was not a fool, and he knew that if it weren't for his last name and his status, people around him would probably treat him coldly.

"Well... it's not that bad, but you really should meet some people," Julia replied. Although having a few friends is not bad, she also hopes that Ethan can experience the life of a young person like her.

"For example, let's say I'm meeting someone..."

"Ha! Who did you meet?"

"None of your business."

"Tsk, of course it's my business. I'm your brother."

"So what?"

"At least tell me, I'm curious."

"I won't tell you."

"well……"

As the two continued to bicker with each other, Ethan's thoughts turned to Emily's request.

He had no reason to suddenly accept such a request, but after seeing Emily's appearance, he couldn't help but feel a little sympathy. As Ethan saw, it was obvious that Emily's family was in trouble, and he hoped to help her.

"Hey, do you know Emily's family?" Ethan asked, changing the subject.

Lucas raised an eyebrow and jokingly said, "Oh, is this what you call 'normal chat' again?"

Ethan sighed, already used to their teasing. "Answer the question."

Julia leaned forward, her tone mockingly serious. "Oh oh, our Ethan is actually starting to care about other people's family affairs? I'm really shocked."

Ethan rolled his eyes and ignored their jokes. "Come on, if you know anything, tell me."

Lucas leaned back in his chair, pretending to think. "Hmm, let me think... I haven't heard of it."

Julia nodded in agreement. "Yeah, Ethan. We're just your friends, not your private investigators."

Ethan gave them a mock glare. "You two are being unreasonable."

Lucas smiled. "Okay, okay, we do know one thing. Emily's family has been having financial difficulties lately."

Julia nodded. "Yeah, she doesn't talk much, but she's always looking for ways to help."

Ethan frowned. "What do you mean by finding a way to help?"

Julia shrugged. "I heard she's not at the academy most weekends. It seems she's been exploring the dungeons to make some extra money."

Ethan raised his eyebrows. "Exploring the dungeon? For a student, this is no small matter, right?"

Lucas nodded. "Yeah, but from what I understand, she's quite capable. She's been doing this for a while, so it should be fine."

It looked like Emily wasn't lying. Of course, Ethan wanted to believe her, but in the end, he needed to confirm these things.

"That makes sense."

"What makes sense?"

"nothing."

Just like that, Ethan's investigation ended here, and he made his own judgment based on all this. Like a hero, he immediately judged that he should help those in need...

......

"I want to use the phantom puppet." I stood in the middle of the academy's training ground, my eyes focused on a relatively empty place.

A coach supervising the training raised his eyebrows slightly, as if he was a little skeptical of my request. "Are you sure?"

My answer was unequivocal. “Yes.”

The coach smiled. "Okay, then use the phantom puppet."

The Phantom is no ordinary training tool. It is designed for close combat students like me, to improve skills in fast-paced engagements. Unlike other training tools, it moves quickly and unpredictably, simulating the agility and tactics of a real opponent. It requires quick reactions and adaptability, pushing students to their limits.

However, mastering the Phantom Golem is not an easy task, especially for a freshman like me.

At least that's the case for ordinary students.

It requires great skill and a deep understanding of combat techniques. Only those who are well-versed in combat principles and possess a keen sense of self-awareness can benefit from this challenging training.

'Considering that I made the most progress when sparring with Ethan, this should help me.'

I did improve as I fought and hunted monsters, but I noticed that when I was sparring with an intelligent opponent, I could see my own mistakes and correct them.

[Insight Perception] is indeed a powerful trait.'

"Okay, Morse. Just a reminder," the coach's tone turned serious. "Phantom Puppet is generally not recommended for freshmen due to its complexity and high ability requirements."

“I know, and I’m ready for the challenge.”

The coach nodded in approval. "Very good. Remember, initial frustration is normal, but every battle with a phantom puppet will teach you valuable lessons. Don't let setbacks discourage you."

"I won't."

It was in the distance, waiting for me. The sun lengthened the shadows, and the breeze carried the scent of green grass.

I took out two daggers and took a deep breath. The cold metal felt comfortable to me. I got into position and focused my eyes on the phantom dummy.

It was still early in the morning and the training ground was almost empty. No one else was there except for "weirdos" like me.

My feet shifted slightly and my posture adjusted slightly, which was both an instinctive reaction and a deliberate action.

My eyes were fixed on the phantom figure, which looked almost unreal in the morning light.

There it stood, an inanimate object brought to life by magic. I flexed my fingers, the leather of my glove making a slight sound, and tightened my grip on the dagger. My heartbeat remained steady, even as it throbbed with anticipation.

whoosh

I dash forward. The world around me blurs as I rapidly approach the golem. The wind brushes against my skin, whispering of the challenge to come.

whoosh

The phantom puppet wasted no time. It came alive at an unusually fast speed, its movements full of flexibility and precision.

Clang

My first strike was aimed at its side, but it dodged easily, barely changing its stance. The air swayed slightly, and it dodged easily. I turned quickly and swung the second dagger at its exposed back.

Clang

It dodged the blow again, and with a flash of light it slid to safety, and I couldn't help but admire its speed, for it lived up to its reputation.

But I didn't lose heart. Instead, I felt excited. Every dodge, every avoidance, was a lesson. It was like a silent communication, an exchange of tactics and skills.

My eyes watched its every movement, and the dagger in my hand seemed to become a part of me.

Ding Ding

I attacked again, a series of swift blows that were quickly countered by the puppet. Its defense was as smooth as flowing water, almost making me unable to take my eyes off it.

clang

The pace of the battle intensified. I parried its attacks, counterattacked with my dagger, and looked for gaps in its defense. This was a test of my reflexes and adaptability, a challenge I would surely win.

clang, whoosh, bang

Every ten attacks, each of my attacks was accompanied by a momentary burst of the puppet.

It fought back, and it fought back with uncanny accuracy. I had to be ready to block, dodge, and even fight back.

That's why this puppet isn't so popular. It's extremely fast, thanks to its special design, it can read the enemy's movements very accurately, and each attack comes with a powerful impact.

"cough--"

I couldn't help but spit out a mouthful of saliva, feeling the aftermath of its attack. My body was numb, but it was a very refreshing feeling.

whoosh

This time, I infused the dagger with mana as I attacked. Although my mana control was not yet proficient, at least I could feel that I was slowly improving.

It’s still pretty rusty, but that’s how it is.

Sweat began to gather on my forehead, my breathing was rapid, and the battle continued. I was so focused on the battle that the training ground seemed to disappear, leaving only me and the phantom puppet.

clang

My concentration became sharper, and every move was carefully considered, striking and defending.

But in the heat of battle, something changed. A fleeting illusion, an illusion that should not have appeared in the movement of the phantom puppet.

As I lunged forward, I saw a figure out of the corner of my eye.

It was the mysterious figure that had appeared in my recurring dreams, standing at the edge of the training grounds, just out of my sight. The figure that had once guided me in the art that suited me now taunted me with its own virtuosity.

At its provocation, my daggers seemed to be guided by an invisible force, and their trajectory changed slightly.

clang

The phantom puppet seemed to react differently, as if it was adjusting its movements to my new tactics.

At this moment, I saw the mysterious figure's movements. My eyes were red as I observed the figure and understood the essence of his movements.

The name of the skill appeared before my eyes.

'Blood Moon Storm'