2025-04-08 20:16:39Leo walked with calculative steps, his grip tight around the hilt of his light dagger. Before him stretched a gaping, worm-like tunnel, wide and pulsating faintly with an unnatural energy. The air felt colder the closer he got to it, as if the tunnel exhaled death itself. He paused at the entrance, his eyes narrowing at the darkness that stretched downward in a spiral.
"If this is the second floor," he muttered, "then it's probably ten times worse than the last."
Every sense screamed caution, but Leo knew he had no choice. The mission must be completed—and besides, that damn internal backlash wasn't going to give him much of a break. He tiptoed forward, dagger poised, feet silent against the stone.
The walls shimmered faintly with embedded stones—some dull, others glowing faintly with colors ranging from icy blue to pale green. As he walked deeper, he noticed the luminous stones were getting smaller.
"Wouldn't hurt to take a few," he muttered, reaching up to pry three larger stones from the wall. He weighed them in his hand. "Might be worth something."
But then he frowned. "Where the hell do I keep these? I can’t carry them forever."
Ding!
[System Notification: Host has access to a Personal Vault. All non-consumable items may be stored safely.]
Leo smirked. "About damn time you said something useful. Store stones."
The stones glowed and vanished into digital particles before disappearing into the air. The tunnel was darker now without them, but he pressed on.
Five steps further, a noise stopped him cold.
SSSSLLLRK—SSHHH—SSSSSSK—
Slithering. Multiple. Quick. Close.
Ding!
[WARNING: Multiple Nightscale Crawlers detected ahead.]
[Objective: Eliminate all Nightscale Crawlers to unlock floor access.]
[Reward: +1 Stat Point | Night Hunter Passive Skill Scroll | 100 EXP]
Leo clenched his dagger and cursed. "Couldn't be something that sleeps peacefully, huh?"
From the shadows ahead, the beasts emerged—dozens of them. Each crawler was nearly the length of his torso, sleek and pitch black with reflective scales. Their mouths split open vertically, revealing rows of shimmering, curved fangs. Neon green venom dripped from their fangs onto the floor, burning small holes in the stone.
The first one lunged.
Leo sidestepped, slashing down with his dagger, but the crawler twisted midair and slithered up the wall like a serpent. Another came from behind, and another from the side. He barely parried one before being knocked to the floor by another.
His back hit the ground hard, the air rushing from his lungs. A crawler leapt at his face—he rolled and stabbed blindly, feeling his blade sink into something soft.
Screeeee!
The creature screamed and convulsed before bursting into a sickly green mist.
Leo scrambled to his feet, breathing hard. "They're coordinated... dammit."
He slashed, dodged, ducked—one cut across his arm made him hiss in pain. The venom from the tip of a fang grazed him, and his muscles spasmed slightly.
"One more hit and I’m toast..." he muttered.
They were too many. He couldn't keep up. His lungs burned. His dagger felt heavier with every swing. A crawler sank its fangs into his boot—he screamed and kicked wildly, stabbing down.
[HP Critical.]
[Vital Signs Unstable.]
"Is this it?! Is this where I die?!" he yelled through clenched teeth.
Ding!
[Emergency Protocol Activated. Temporary Skill Awakened: Arc Spark Blade]
[Duration: 3 Minutes. Cooldown: 24 Hours.]
Suddenly, Leo’s dagger pulsed with electric blue energy. Sparks danced along the blade, crackling in the silence.
He blinked. "Whoa. This—this feels—"
He didn't finish. A crawler sprang at him, but Leo swung the now-sparking dagger. The blade slashed through the air—and the creature exploded into ash, its body disintegrating with a shriek.
He didn’t hesitate.
With a feral roar, Leo spun into motion, his limbs fueled by adrenaline and the strange energy. Each strike was followed by a burst of electricity that burned through the creatures. Their shrieks echoed like dying sirens.
One leapt from above. Leo twisted, impaling it mid-air. Another crawled along the wall. He threw the dagger like a javelin—crackling energy split the tunnel and the crawler combusted mid-crawl.
"Come on! Who’s next?!" he screamed.
He slashed. Sprinted. Jumped. Rolled. He became a blur of motion, a deadly force of light and sound.
And then...
Silence.
The tunnel was littered with burnt scales and twitching remains.
Leo panted, falling to one knee.
[All Beasts Eliminated. Objective Complete.]
[Reward Unlocked.]
[+1 Stat Point Earned.]
[Item Received: Night Hunter Passive Skill Scroll]
[EXP Gained: 100. Level Progress: 100/200]
Leo stared at the notifications, then at his shaking hands. The light from the Arc Spark Blade faded, and the dagger returned to its normal, dull glow.
He exhaled deeply. "I... actually survived."
He wiped blood and grime from his face and looked around.
"System... show me the scroll."
[Item: Night Hunter Passive Skill Scroll]
[Effect: Increases visibility in low-light environments, boosts evasion against dark-aligned creatures by 15%. Permanent once activated.]
Leo grinned. "I’ll take it. Activate."
The scroll disintegrated in his hand, the energy seeping into his skin. His eyes shimmered briefly before returning to normal.
[Skill Acquired: Night Hunter (Passive)]
He leaned against the wall, finally able to breathe without fear of being attacked.
And just as he started to rest...
The ground beneath him shook.
KRUMMMM—
From the darkness ahead, a larger presence stirred.
Ding!
[Warning: Mid-Boss Creature Approaching. Prepare for Battle.]
Leo’s grin faded.
"You’ve got to be freaking kidding me."
He stood up, wiped his dagger clean, and squared his shoulders.
"Alright, bring it on. If I’m gonna die, I’m taking something ugly with me."
Previous Chapter
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Chapter 26: Expensive Taste, Cheap Patience
The grand spire of the Central Guild disappeared behind Leo as he strolled into the bustling commercial sector of Rosa City. Sunlight gleamed off metallic rooftops and floating ad-panels, and the scent of roasted skewers and mana-infused sweets danced in the air.Leo’s thoughts, however, were far from food.“A house,” he muttered, walking with a purposeful gait. “Top of the list: a house. Maybe a small castle… pool out back… gargoyle guards…”He grinned to himself, already mentally spending the 40% from the last raid.Just then—ding!A blue screen popped up.[New Sub-Mission Unlocked]Mission: Renovate your Forest Shack into a Livable Home.Penalty for Abandoning the Forest: Immediate Death.Leo stopped in his tracks.“…What?”He blinked at the screen, rereading the words.“You can’t be serious,” he muttered. “You want me to stay in that moldy wooden box in the middle of nowhere!?”Another prompt appeared.Yes.Leo gritted his teeth, fists clenched. “This system is cursed.”He sighed
Chapter 25: The Girl and the Key
Leo staggered slightly, blood crusted on his chin and knuckles aching from the last strike he’d delivered to the Gargoyle Lord. The massive stone den around him now felt eerily silent, save for the low rumble of wind through jagged pillars.He still held the shimmering orange core, its heat pulsing faintly in his hand.And yet, the system’s timer reminded him:[Time Remaining: 09:37]Objective Incomplete: Obsidian Key of Dominion Not Acquired.Leo groaned, “Of course it’s not over. Why would it be?” Turning to face the gargoyles, he asked, "Which one of you knows where the key is?"Without warning, one of the gargoyles—larger than the rest, wings like scythes and stone horns curled back—swooped down from the shadows and crouched in front of him. Leo tensed… until the beast knelt.Then it gestured with a talon, as if beckoning.Leo blinked. “…You want me to ride you?”The creature only bowed its head lower in response.“Not gonna lie, this is creepy,” Leo muttered, but climbed on anywa
Chapter 24: The Rise of the Gargoyle Overlord
Leo stared at the massive stone door ahead as it creaked open with a low, ominous hiss. The smell of sulphur and rotting flesh struck his nose like a slap. Flames oozed from the cracks at the base, casting twisted shadows on the floor.With his Snarl Twist dagger materializing in his right hand, he stepped cautiously into the chamber.The room was massive, the ceiling stretching high above like the hollow of a volcano. Tall pillars lined the center of the chamber, and atop each one sat motionless gargoyles—at least twenty of them. Their wings were folded, claws gripping the stone, expressions frozen in a permanent snarl.Leo slowed to a halt and scanned the room suspiciously. “Why aren’t they attacking?” he muttered.As if in response, the blue system interface blinked to life.[Notice: The Gargoyle sentries are currently in dormant stasis. Time until reactivation: 5:00 minutes.]Leo’s eyes widened. “Five minutes?” he hissed. “I have to find and eliminate the Gargoyle Lord in five dam
Chapter 23: Echoes of the Forgotten Shrine
The battleground was painted in shadows and flame.Leo twisted and ducked beneath the slashing claws of a demonic gargoyle, its obsidian wings slicing through the stale, sulfur-laced air. With fluid movement, he spun on his heel, jamming his blade upward into the creature’s chin. The blade sparked and sliced through, disintegrating the demon into dark smoke. Behind him, the rest of the team fought in tandem, fending off the relentless swarm.“Formation Delta! Fall back behind the tanks! Mages, fire in intervals! Don’t waste mana!” Leo’s voice rang out over the chaos.Sammy and two other assassins moved like blurs, carving through wings and claws. The mages launched bursts of lightning and fire that lit the tunnels in strobing flashes of hellish brilliance. The warriors held the front line with grit, sweat, and sheer force.Leo’s commands kept the team alive. Casualties were minimal. One minor injury here, a scratch there—but nothing fatal. Not like Darius.With each gargoyle that fell
Chapter 22: I’m going to be rich!
The eerie silence that stretched across the corridor was shattered by the rhythmic echoes of their boots slapping against the moist stone floor. Gareth walked ahead, his hand never leaving the hilt of his broadsword. His body was stiff with purpose, his back impossibly straight. Though he said nothing, his posture screamed readiness. The team followed in an inverted triangle formation: mages conjuring balls of flame to light their path from the middle, warriors guarding the flanks, and assassins trailing silently behind.Leo lagged just a step from the rear, eyes not on the path ahead, but locked onto the glowing blue interface hovering before him.[SYSTEM UPDATE]Item: Abyss Wyrm Core (Mutated Variant)Options:Sell to Market (Value: 320 Crystals)Sell to System (Value: 400 Crystals)SynthesizeExtract Essence[Achievement Unlocked: Wyrm Slayer]Reward:+2 Stat Points1 Random Passive Skill1 Advanced Equipment Box+10 Hunter Reputation"Hunter reputation? Oh right I saw something li
Chapter 21: Threat
Just as Leo was mumbling to himself and scrolling through the synthesis options the system had presented after claiming the Abyss Wyrm Core, the hum of the system’s blue interface illuminating his face, a heavy shadow loomed over him.One of the mages from the team—a tall, broad-shouldered man with a severe face and trimmed obsidian beard—approached him with a glint of suspicion in his pale gray eyes. His aura was sharp, cut from years of magical discipline, yet his energy wavered slightly—either from fear or barely masked insecurity. His name was Darius, a C-Class Fire Mage, and while he’d said little during the earlier chaos, his pride was loud enough to fill the chamber now.“Hey,” Darius said, standing before Leo with a puffed chest and crossed arms. “You disappeared back there. Without a spell. Without a portal. What sort of sorcery are you using? You know sorcery is banned within the Rift.”Leo didn’t even look up at first. His finger swiped lazily across the interface.“I’m not
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