Reincarnated with SSS-Rank Trait and Unique Ability-Chapter 31: Day Before

E-Rank Dungeon meant the same thing as Category E Dungeon—just a different figure of speech used in this region of the continent.

Over the last three years at the Eastern Outpost, Ares had faced both Category E and C Dungeons. But never B.

Those were reserved for adventurers of Expert Rank and above.

Thankfully, Ares had finally reached that rank. After their last C-Rank Dungeon, he had ascended, and he was now officially an Expert rank.

He tuned out the chatter from his companions about the upcoming dungeon and quietly summoned his status window—something he had done only sparingly as of late.

***

Name: [ Ares ]Race: [ Human ]Rank: [ Expert I ]Soul Weapon: [ Father’s Will, Twin Blades ]Unique Trait: [ Limit Breaker, Rank: SSS ]Trait Description: [ You can possess more than one Soul Weapon. ]Unique Ability: [ Soul Thief, Rank: SSS ]Ability Description: [ You can extract Soul Weapons from fallen foes. ]Elemental Affinity: [ — ]

***

His gaze lingered on his rank.

Expert I.

The same rank his mentor, Nicholas, had reached not long after they’d begun training. The same rank that led Nicholas to answer the prince’s summons and march into a war neither of them had asked for.

That was exactly why Ares kept his advancement secret.

He was young—too young to wear that title openly. Far younger than most who ever reached Expert Rank. He remembered how much attention Nicholas had received upon hitting that threshold. For Ares, the attention would only be worse.

And then there was the Headmaster.

Ares sighed faintly and dismissed the window.

Noticing the subtle shift in his demeanor, Seris turned to him.

"You okay, Noir? You’ve been unusually quiet."

"Unusually?" Talon chuckled. "He’s spoken maybe five times since we met."

Soren joined in with a low laugh, while Seris shot both of them a glare.

"I’m fine," Ares replied, voice level.

The laughter from the two men faded into a moment of awkward silence before Soren rose from his seat.

"We should all prepare. We leave at dawn," he said, his tone firm.

Everyone exchanged a few nods before quietly dispersing from the table. Ares lingered for a moment longer, watching his teammates go.

He allowed himself a sliver of silence. Just a breath to think.

It’s been so long...His thoughts turned inward, to his mother and grandfather. Were they well? Had they received his last letter?

His moment was interrupted by the crash of breaking glass—some drunkard had fallen outside the tavern.

Ares stood and slipped out of the inn.

He wandered aimlessly through the streets of the Eastern Outpost. There was nothing left to pack, no last-minute preparations. For the first time in a while, he had free time.

And he hated it.

Idle hands made for wandering thoughts. And wandering thoughts often brought him back to memories he preferred buried. He liked to stay active—had to, especially knowing his family was waiting for his return.

He made his way toward the main street where dozens of merchant stands lined the stone roads. As he rounded the corner, the heavy scent of roasting meat over wildwood fire hit him like a wave.

The number of stalls was staggering.

Some sold meat of dubious origin.

Some peddled weapons and armour, beaten steel and polished blades.

Others offered farming tools, spools of thread, and even painting supplies.

Then came the rarest stands—those stacked with fruit and vegetables, a luxury in the Wildlands. Massive lines stretched as adventurers fought to grab fresh produce before it vanished.

But the busiest stalls by far were the ones selling fabrics, accessories, and clothing.

Ares blinked. Only now did he realise the sheer number of women in the outpost. All seasoned warriors—battle-scarred, Mana Beast hunters, hardened by the wilds.

He continued walking until one stand, tucked between two larger stalls, caught his eye.

It had no queue.

An old man with a long gray beard and a tattered robe stood behind the table. Spread before him were piles of books—fantasy tales, historical accounts, and even manuals on combat theory.

The man’s face lit up the moment Ares approached.

"Hello, young man," he said with a smile etched deep into his worn face. "Looking for anything in particular?"

Ares didn’t answer immediately. He hadn’t come searching for anything specific. He was just killing time.

"Something... unique," he finally said.

"Ahh. Unique." The old man muttered the word as he rifled through stacks of books, repeating it to himself. "Unique... unique..."

Then he stopped. His hand hovered over a black book with no title. He hesitated, fingers twitching as if unsure whether to pull it out.

Finally, he held it toward Ares.

The boy raised a brow behind his mask. "What’s this?"

"A very unique book, of course."

Ares took it and cracked open the first page.

"The other continent was nothing like depicted by our old books. It was not abandoned—"

"That’ll be ten gold, young man," the old man interrupted, snapping him from the page.

Ares blinked. "The other continent?" He frowned. "Wait—ten gold coins?!" fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓

"Seems steep for one book, doesn’t it?" he asked, but the old man just shook his head with a knowing smile.

"I knew it. Here, take it back—"

"Okay, okay." Ares sighed, pulling a small pouch from inside his cloak. He counted out ten gold coins and handed them over. The man’s eyes sparkled.

Ares shook his head and turned to leave, book in hand.

"Come back anytime!" the old man called as Ares vanished into the crowd.

He couldn’t stop thinking about that first line.

"The other continent..."

He’d read nearly every history book available in the outpost. After all, he wanted to learn everything about the world he’d been reincarnated into. But a second continent? That had never come up—not once.

An uneasy excitement stirred in his chest. A curiosity he hadn’t felt in years.

Without a second thought, he turned on his heel and rushed toward the inn.

There was something about that sentence.

Something that pulled at him.

Ares didn’t know what secrets the black book held, but he intended to find out tonight.