Sanctuary: Safe Haven

An unknown amount of time later.

Waking up with a pounding migraine, Canna clutches his head. He really didn't know how many times he had passed out already since being in this world, but from his memory, it should be a LOT. He sees Mortem healing him again; he doesn't need Mortem to say it; he can already feel that it was from the backlash of draining all of his mana in one go.

The only thing he can do now is just lay there and let Mortem heal him. To pass the time, he checks his stats to see how much progress he has already.

[Name: Canna Yakane]

Level: 47

Rank: D Ranker

Class: Beast Taming

HP: 75/75

MP: 110/110

Strength: 60

Speed: 20

Defense: 20

Intelligence: 100

Agility: 90

Stamina: 35

Vitality: 10

Charm: 3

Attribute Points: 0

Titles: None

From the last discussion he had with Mortem regarding stats allocation, Mortem mentioned that an all-around balance stats is a dream, but not a lot of people can do that; mostly, it would be the case for heroes since they're blessed by the gods, allowing them to have that perfect ratio.

Canna felt cheated when he heard that; the fact that he could have been blessed to have a good early boost would have saved him a lot of trouble, but instead, he got cursed.

Lamenting his luck, he closed his eyes and sighed; his daily schedule was pure hell, and the fact that he had slain many creatures didn't sit well on his conscience, but he knew it was something he had to do.

Out of all of Mortem's teachings, the one he would always remember is "Power is everything" In other terms, it's a dog vs dog world, and if he doesn't want to be squished like an ant, then all he can do is endure his hellish training.

His ambition, after all, is to create a sanctuary unlike any other that has been seen; to do that, he would need strength. Tonitrum already mentioned that to achieve his goals, the minimum rank he should be at is a "Saint" rank; that way, he can truly be a powerhouse, a force to be reckoned with.

After Mortem finished the treatment, Canna swiftly rose to his feet.

Following several light stretches, he walked towards Tonitrum to ask if he enjoyed seeing him always bruised after every battle; out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glint of something shiny and quickly made his way to collect it.

Clutching the fallen Thornstrider's mana core, he absorbed its energy as he had done with the others. Enjoying the surge of power, he suddenly sensed something different happening within his body, panic flickering in his eyes. Before he could cry out for Mortem, a clapping sound beside him made him startle. Mortem had silently approached, witnessing his master's erratic behavior.

"Master, you're ascending to another rank!" Mortem exclaimed, genuine happiness evident as his master crossed the first milestone on the path to greater strength.

He then approached Canna to offer advice, saying, "Master, please sit down and endure it as best you can. The pain results from your body processing the energy you've absorbed, strengthening your foundation."

Following Mortem's advice, Canna seated himself and endured, clenching his teeth against the discomfort. After a brief time, the pain dissipated as if it had never been there, prompting him to rise. Though the increase in strength was subtle, he could unmistakably feel a difference. With anticipation, he checked his stats once more.

[Name: Canna Yakane]

Level: 47

Rank: C Ranker

Class: Beast Taming

HP: 95/95

MP: 130/130

Strength: 70

Speed: 90

Defense: 30

Intelligence: 110

Agility: 40

Stamina: 45

Vitality: 23

Charm: 12

Attribute Points: 0

Titles: None

Canna was astonished by the stats he received, realizing they equated to at least two weeks' worth of his typical daily routine, if not more. Mortem clarified, "Each rank advancement serves as a significant milestone, providing a substantial physical enhancement across all aspects. You're the youngest individual I've known to reach C rank, and you're not even ten years old, master."

Realizing that despite being 19 years old back on Earth, he was considered a mere child on Sepra due to the imp's curse.

"Well, considering you're the only one I know who can single-handedly defeat dungeon bosses, it's no surprise you're ranking up, master", Mortem commented.

With anticipation bubbling within him, Canna swiftly went about his daily routine, eager to put his newfound strength to the test. He hurried towards Tonitrum, knowing a new challenge awaited him. He was impatient to defeat the upcoming monster as quickly as possible.

As the red portal materialized once more, he tightened his grip on his twin daggers, bracing himself for the arrival of the next monster. When it appeared, he couldn't help but look at the dragon with a resigned face. He sighed inwardly, realizing that the dragon had never once offered him anything easy.

With a resounding roar, the monster announced its arrival. Canna check its stats and wish that he didn't.

[Name: Grimclaw]

Level: 55

Race: Goblin

Rank: Intermediate Rating

Class: Goblin Warlord

HP: 300/300

MP: 100/100

Strength: 120

Speed: 70

Defense: 50

Intelligence: 40

Agility: 90

Stamina: 120

Vitality: 100

This marks Canna's first confrontation with a named creature, and if that wasn't enough, the creature has impressive three-digit values across three of its stat categories.

Without dilly-dallying any further, Canna was the first to initiate, his daggers flashing in the dim light as he darted around Grimclaw's massive frame. With each strike, he aimed for the creature's vulnerable spots, but Grimclaw's thick hide proved to be a formidable barrier.

Canna then called upon the winds to swirl around him, creating a cyclone of razor-sharp air that buffeted Grimclaw from all sides. The goblin warlord roared in frustration, his movements momentarily slowed by the onslaught. He was using a high-tier spell to summon a cyclone around his body, inflicting significant damage to his opponents.

However, maintaining this spell was a double-edged sword as it severely limited his mobility.

As the goblin warlord unleashed a deafening roar, his large frame seemed to swell with newfound power, his resilience reaching even greater heights. His movements became a blur as his speed doubled, and his eyes burned with a fierce intensity, reflecting the depths of his ferocity. Canna sighed in resignation, realizing that his foe would once again test his limits.

Just once, he wishes for a chance to have an opponent that he could destroy with one strike, but alas, fate is a bi**h