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."
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