Stepping through the portal was always bizarre. The sensation was like temporarily losing one's grip on existence — ethereal and almost vacant. Once on the other side, sensations like the brush of the wind would slowly seep back into one's awareness.

No matter how many times it was experienced, that fleeting emptiness was something impossible to grow accustomed to.

As Raze's boot met solid ground, the portal behind him snapped shut with a near-electric buzz.

Taking in his surroundings, a whirlwind of questions consumed him.

"Where am I?" Raze pondered. "This doesn't resemble Alterian. I used the identical magic circle formation. How did I end up somewhere entirely unfamiliar?"

Above him, the night sky was painted with the hues of a large red moon, bathing everything beneath in a crimson glow. Cobblestones lay underfoot, and the area was strewn with decaying crates, tarnished silver, and items too eroded to discern. However, what dominated his view was an imposing building, reminiscent of the ancient architecture of Raze's world. It had the majesty of a coliseum, though time had taken its toll on the structure.

A noticeable absence of life — even vegetation — made the scene eerie. Spotting the imprint of his magic circle on the ground, Raze hastily erased it with his foot, making a mental note of his surroundings.

"Between the collapsed wagon and those sinister-looking trees forming a heart shape," he cataloged the location in his mind.

The residual energy of a portal remained for a few days. As long as Raze returned and sketched the same formation, infusing it with his magic, a gateway back to his new homeland would manifest. But he didn't want to risk someone else activating it, hence the need to remove the marking.

For now, exploration seemed the only logical course of action.

He wondered if any records of this place existed in Alterian. Through their portal project, mages had visited numerous worlds, each distinctly unique. Some held treasures potent even for mages, like the book Raze had procured — the one containing the transmigration spell.

While intelligent life remained an undiscovered mystery, remnants of past life were prevalent on these worlds.

Drawn to the grandeur of the coliseum, Raze ascended its steps. The distant cityscape beckoned, but the immediate allure of the massive structure was irresistible.

Suddenly, a guttural growl reverberated from his right. Turning, Raze's eyes locked onto a capsized carriage, behind which glowed three menacing eyes.

"Trust me, growling at me won't end well for you," Raze warned, magic pulsating around his entire hand, amplifying in intensity.

With a terrifying roar, a beastly creature lunged from the shadows of the carriage. About the size of a husky but far more menacing with its triad of eyes, spike-laden back, and hairless, ruby-red skin.

As it launched toward him, Raze thrust forward, "Dark Pulse!"

A surge of shadowy energy burst forth, slamming into the creature, piercing its midsection. As it hurtled onward, Raze deftly evaded its snapping jaws with a roll. Re-composing himself, he noticed the creature, though gravely injured, remained a threat.

Lifting his arm, he pointed it at the head and unleashed a smaller yet more focused "Dark Pulse", instantly incapacitating the beast.

---

'Ugh, my leg is killing me… Maybe the two-step shift would've been smarter. Why'd I trust my instincts?'

The creature, once defeated, emitted a mysterious black mist. The ethereal veil floated towards Raze, sinking seamlessly into his skin, drawn magnetically towards his Dark core.

'The perks of Dark Magic that my previous body couldn't capitalize on.' A smirk played on Raze's lips. 'Each life taken boosts the Dark element. It's why it's been shunned, labeled as taboo. My previous wind core limited my Dark potential. Not this time.'

His gaze landed on the fallen beast, reflecting on their skirmish.

'Stronger attacks, but such limited mana… Three more Dark Pulses at most without casting anything else.' His hands got to work, tearing into the creature with unsettling expertise. Blood spurted and flesh parted until he found his prize: a crystal.

'Bingo. This is why I'm here.' His eyes sparkled with excitement.

The crystal shimmered faintly, a muted yellow hue hinting at its power. The creature was what was known as a basic creature, which gave basic crystals like this one. To the normal folk it was a treasure, to the top mages it was nothing, but to a 1-star mage like Raze, every bit mattered.

Tucking the crystal away, he diverted his attention to the nearby crates and cases. Moments later, he held up a ring. Finding a patch of ground, he began to craft another magic circle.

'In my former life, status restrained me. I made ends meet selling enhanced gear and elixirs to boost mages. Dark magic creations were the pinnacle, if only they didn't come with their… quirks.'

Upon finishing the circle, the ring and crystal met. Fueled by Dark magic, an item could reach a caliber fit for a 3-star mage. A swift magic-infused gesture lit the circle. The silver ring began its transformation, emerging with a regal purple hue.

"Reveal the ring's properties," Raze commanded. A ghostly whisper answered.

[The Cursed Dark Ring] 𝙗𝒆𝙙𝙣𝒐𝙫𝙚𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝒎

[The item is bound to a single user.]

[If taken off, the ring will be destroyed, if destroyed, the user will lose ten percent of its dark attribute power]

The catch of Dark magic, the items were always cursed, meaning it always demanded a price. A general-use item had been transformed into something personal and untradeable. On top of that, if the item was destroyed even in battle, or Raze wanted to use a better item in the future, he would have to deal with losing some of his power.

[For the one who wears this ring, with each life taken with the use of dark magic, a portion of their mana will return.]

'Yes! That's the 3-star magic boost I needed!'

Raze slid the ring onto his index finger. A brief surge of power, an intimate connection with his core, and then... nothing.

'With this, hunting beasts just got a lot easier.' He resumed his journey towards the coliseum.

Suddenly, a distant scream echoed. "ARGHH!"

Raze's steps faltered. "Was that… a human?"