In the eerie silence beneath the ruined factory, where blood still stained the stones and shadows clung like a second skin, Rey lay unconscious—his body thrown aside like a broken puppet after the chaos he'd unleashed.
The spirits had placed him away from the bloodbath, resting him atop a cold slab of stone, far from the mess that bore his name.
His eyelids fluttered. A breath. A twitch.
Then his eyes snapped open.
Rey jolted upright, his dagger already in hand, shield raised, instincts primed. The stench of death flooded his nostrils.
Around him—heaps of mangled beast corpses, twisted limbs, black blood. But no enemies in sight.
His mind spun.
What… what happened?
Last he remembered, he was still fighting and still pushing back. Then—nothing. A blank void.
"Aiden," he called out cautiously. "You there?"
A voice, light and grinning despite the grimness, answered, "What happened, kid? Thought you croaked after that stunt. Never seen someone nap in a pile of corpses."
"Enough with the jokes. What the hell happened?"
"You really don't remember?" Aiden replied, voice lowering. "You snapped. Something in you went... dark. Used your abilities like a monster born from the Abyss itself. It wasn't just fighting, Rey. It was a massacre. You slaughtered every beast. Then collapsed."
Rey stared at the carnage again, unease growing in his chest. Something was missing—something not being said.
But his body screamed with every movement, his muscles sore and his bones aching. It felt like he'd torn through hell... and dragged it with him.
'No way someone else did this…' he muttered in his head.
"Alright," he sighed. "If this area's cleared, let's move on."
But Aiden's tone turned cold. "We're not done. Victor found something worse—a broodmother, deep in the lower chambers. She's laying eggs. Dozens. Maybe hundreds. You leave now, and your city's gone before dawn. Your family—dead. So… still wanna leave?"
Rey's eyes narrowed, his voice sharp. "Mention my family again like that, and you'll be my next target."
Aiden chuckled uneasily, hiding something behind his grin. "Fair enough. But let's finish this first. You can level up after the fight. If you do it now, the stat surge will fry you. Trust me, you're hanging on by a thread."
Reluctantly, Rey agreed.
But just as he turned to walk toward the tunnel ahead, his foot stuck.
His shadow… had grabbed him.
No—not the shadow. Oblivion. His ability itself.
"What now?" he sighed.
The shadow reached out, pointing a small inky hand toward the mounds of corpses.
Rey blinked. "You want... them?"
A nod.
Rey smirked faintly, then stepped forward, raising his hand.
"Fine. Have it your way."
The ground rumbled. His shadow stretched, grew, and then consumed the entire cavern floor. One by one, the corpses vanished into the black. The dome pulsed with abyssal hunger.
Even Rey froze, stunned by the sheer range of what he'd just done.
"...Holy sh*t. I didn't even know I could do that."
Aiden watched silently, jaw clenched. 'If he knew what truly allowed that… if he knew who...'
But no time for doubt now.
As the last corpse vanished, a flood of system notifications burst in front of Rey:
—Ding! —Ding! —Ding! —Ding!
───◈ [System Notification] ◈───
[Sub Ability, Devour (F), has consumed several bodies.
Ability: Darkness (EX+) → Sub Ability grade has increased to (D-).]
[You've gained stats and skills in return.]
[Stats Gained ▶ STR +58 | AGL +67 | VIT +42 | INT +23 | STA +59 | END +44]
[Skills Gained ▶ 168×Sound Sweep (D-) | 13×Echo Sense (C)]
[Similar skills are being refined within the ability. Mutation in progress...]
[You've gained the skill ▶ Abyssal Sonar Vein (A+)]
[Your Sub Ability, Storage of Void, has been upgraded → Capacity: 6 m³ → 20 m³.]
[Ability proficiency increased → (6.3%)]
[Hidden condition met for Sub Ability awakening.]
[You've gained the Sub Ability ▶
[Your Ability
[Skill Gained ▶ Instinctual Flow (D+)]
[Warning: The skill has been corrupted by the strange energy coursing through the host.]
[Skill Mutated ▶ Dreadflow Instinct (C)]
[Skill: Abyssal Burst has been upgraded → (C+) through continuous activation.]
[Mutation triggered. Skill has evolved → Abyssborne Overdrive (A+)]
[Your body now serves as a medium to channel the dormant Abyssal Energy embedded within your soul.]
[Warning: High usage will accelerate Mind and Soul Corruption.]
[Condition met: Medium required to wield Abyssal Energy freely. Usage Restrictions: Nullified.]
───◈◈◈◈◈───
Rey's eyes darted across the system panel, his breath catching at the absurd influx of changes.
"…Damn," he whispered, voice hollow from awe.
A storm churned behind his eyes. This wasn't just an upgrade—this was a metamorphosis. Power. Absolute, monstrous power now flowed inside him like a second bloodstream.
His hand trembled slightly as he activated Storage of Void.
—Shwoom!—
A spatial ripple spread in front of him, opening up the upgraded storage. But it wasn't empty. Far from it.
One half was stacked with his weapons, organised in unnatural order. The other half… was disturbing.
Neatly aligned were the materials and bones of the beasts he'd just let his Oblivion ability consume. Every single drop of them had been stored, categorised by an unknown instinct, like his very power had begun to think for itself.
His heartbeat quickened.
He accessed his main panel, scrolling through the stats and skill changes again. The numbers didn't just show growth—he could feel it. Physically. Viscerally. Like chains once shackled to his soul had been shattered.
His muscles pulsed with a brutal rhythm, overflowing with silent strength.
The pressure in his bones had vanished.
The fatigue that clung to him earlier like a second skin was gone.
He could breathe.
A savage grin carved its way across his lips.
"…This… this is insane."
The fight had pushed him past his limits—but what lay beyond wasn't just survival. It was ascension.
__
[Eternal Omniverse System]
Name: Rey Shadowthrone
Age: 18
Race: Human (Fully Dark-Attributed)
Physique: Darkness Physique (Upgradable)
Titles: Self-Learner, The Psycho, The Killing Manic, Abyss's Blessing, Absolute Path Initiate
Class: None
Level: 6 [1,59,371/6000]
Rank: 0th Rank
Core: Darksyth Core [F+] {0%} (Rank 0)
Curse: Nirzveil's Covenant (Origin- Grade)
Variant: Oblivion Gloom (Darkness Path)
Laws: Death {.0009%↑}, Soul {.000005%↑}, 'Darkness' {.01311%↑}, Shadow {.0004%↑}
[Attributes]
HP: 710/710 (Reserve Energy: +710)
MP: 1,012.5/1,012.5 (Mana Overload: +1,012.5)
Stats:
Strength (STR): 160 [E+] (↑20)
Agility (AGI): 169 [E+] (↑20)
Vitality (VIT): 142 [E+] (↑2)
Intelligence (INT): 135 {+270} [C+] (↑0)
Stamina (STA): 196 [E+] (↑40)
Endurance (END): 158 [E+] (↑20)
Luck (LUK): F+ (Dependent on Core)
Free Stat Points: 18 (↑0)
Derived Stats:
Attack Power (ATK): 197.4 [(STR + AGI) * 1.2] (Potential Strength: +197.4)
Magical Power (MGL): 243 [INT * 1.2] (Arcane Potential: +243)
Defence (DEF): 177 [({END + STA} * 1)] (Reinforcement Reserve: +177)
[Skills]
Active Skills:
Tier 0: Eclipse Shroud (S), Umbral Dash (C+) [↑], Abyssborne Overdrive (A+)
Passive Skills:
Tier 0: Darkforged Repair (C+), Phantom Shift (S), Abyssal Sonar Vein (A+, Hybrid), Dreadflow Instinct (C)
Resistance:
Tier 0: Heat Resistance (F), Anesthetic Resistance (F)
Art/Technique(s):
Veil of the Unseen Abyss {Stage 0 – Concealment of Shadows} [38%]
Abilities:
Tier 0: DARKNESS (EX+)
Inventory:
Ravager Claw (Common+) | Ironfang Spear (Uncommon-) | Jackal Guard (Common+)Shadowbranch Bow(Common) | Howlcleaver (Uncommon+) | Stormweave Gauntlets (Common-) | Ironbrand Pistol (Common+) | Tremor Maul (Uncommon-) Silent Fang (Common) | Nightfang (Common-)
───◈ Arsenal Mastery ◈───
Sword: E+ (99%)
Dagger/Knives: E+ ↑ (99%)
Spear: E+ ↑ (85%)
Shield: E+ ↑ (14%)
Bow: E+ ↑ (43%)
Greatsword: E+ ↑ (99%)
Hand-to-Hand: E+ ↑ (18%)
Gun: E (11%)
Hammer: E+ ↑ (2%)
Katana: E+ ↑ (94%)
───◈◈◈◈◈───
Rey stood in silence, eyes locked on the translucent interface before him.
His EXP bar… was overflowing. No number. No cap. No end.
A sea of power surged behind the pixelated gauge, yet no clear figure revealed its depth. It felt infinite. Untamed. Dangerous.
"…This… can't be right," Rey muttered under his breath, disbelief curling in his voice.
Before he could spiral further into speculation, Aiden's voice broke the moment like a blade.
"Don't go dreaming too big, kid. That's not enough to shoot you to Level 20—not even close," Aiden said, arms crossed, but a subtle flicker of intrigue danced behind his eyes. "Your experience requirements are in a different league altogether… more than most."
"What?" Rey frowned. "But this… it should be enough to push me to Level 30 at least. I barely left anything breathing down there! Why even show this much if it's just gonna slap me in the face? That's cruel."
Aiden chuckled. "You think the world cares about your feelings? Be glad it's showing anything at all. You racked up massive bonus EXP—part from your title's 10% boost… but more so from the level gap between you and what you killed. That difference adds up."
Rey blinked, finally realising. "So that's why…"
Still unsettled, he turned to the Law section—and froze.
His breath hitched.
It was glowing.
The very laws of reality… they pulsed with information. His comprehension of them had grown. By a sliver, yes.
But drastically for now.
He hadn't meditated. Hadn't trained. Hadn't sought an epiphany.
He had simply fought—and survived.
"How…?" Rey whispered.
Even Aiden's gaze narrowed in disbelief. But it was Veylen—usually a still and distant flame—who staggered forward, lips parted in astonishment.
"This... shouldn't be possible," Veylen muttered. "Comprehending a law… just from battle? It's unheard of."
Rey looked past them—toward the shadow beneath him.
There, silent and monstrous, curled the Oblivion Gloom—his variant element—having just devoured the corpses of beasts imbued with rage and elemental chaos. A primordial hunger licked from its formless maw.
It slithered back into his shadow like a loyal beast. Rey felt its weight settle deep into him—a familiar pull, heavier than before.
"…It's connected," he murmured. "The comprehension… the devouring… It's all tied to it."
The realisation crept into Veylen's bones. This boy was no longer bound by the curse of their bloodline. No longer a mere anomaly.
He was something else.
A gatebreaker.
A history-changer.
Rey's thoughts spun as he scanned his updated stats. They shimmered with newfound power.
Strength: E+
Agility: E+
Endurance: E+
Vitality: E+
Mana: C+
Stamina: E+
His Mana had jumped abnormally high—courtesy of his mysterious ability. Everything else, while lower-ranked, radiated pressure he hadn't known before.
Powerful.
Controlled.
But still unknown.
He was about to close the screen when he felt it—a nudge at his side.
He glanced down.
The Oblivion Gloom was there again, writhing silently, staring at him with its formless face.
And then, with a gentle ripple, it vanished into his shadow once more.
"…You're the only one who listens, huh?" Rey muttered with a crooked smile. "No backtalk. No sass. Just pure hunger."
Aiden raised an eyebrow but said nothing.
As Rey opened the new or mutated skills, he got just now to get information to use later on while walking forward inside the cave, which Victor pointed out.
__
<
A pinnacle form of echolocation rooted in abyssal resonance. The user's heartbeat synchronises with their surroundings, allowing real-time mapping through layered sonic pulses. Not only does it detect movement—it interprets intentions through micro-vibrations.
Pulse Vision: Generates a full mental map of terrain and entities within 35 meters, updated every second.
Vein of Intent: Detects hostility or killing intent in echo returns with 60% accuracy.
Echo Pierce: Allows soundwaves to penetrate up to thin walls or magical barriers, revealing obscured enemies.
Abyssal Focus: While standing still for 3 seconds, increases detection radius by 50% for 10 seconds.
Stealth Breaker: 70% chance to disrupt active stealth skills beneath A rank.
Silent Domination: Causes lesser beasts within the echo field to hesitate, reducing their agility by 10%.
__
<
A corrupted instinct-based skill that channels battle awareness through a veil of dread. Upon activation, the user instinctively adapts to hostile movement patterns, reacting to threats with unnatural sharpness. The presence of the aura subtly erodes enemy focus and causes hesitation.
Adaptive Instinct: Reflexively adjusts to enemy movement, increasing dodge success by 18%.
Pattern Reading: Grants a 10% chance to anticipate the next melee or projectile attack.
Dark Pulse Feedback: Enemies within 5 meters suffer a 7% decrease in attack precision.
Aura of Dread: Reduces enemy morale slightly, especially in weaker foes.
__
<
No longer just a pulse of strength, Abyssborne Overdrive is the manifestation of the Abyss's will through the user's flesh. Twisting the limits of their body and soul, this mutated skill floods the user's being with diluted abyssal force, coating their muscles, weapons, and even aura with dark power. Every action taken in this state is imbued with dread-born momentum, empowering strikes, bolstering defence, and igniting fear in weaker foes. It is not simply power—it is the overdrive of abyssal wrath made manifest.
Abyssal Surge Core: Instantly increases Strength, Agility, Endurance, and Defence by +35% each.
Weapon Wreath of Dread: Any weapon held is coated in abyssal energy, granting it bonus Darkness Damage and an on-hit corrosion effect against mana shields or armour (depletes 1% of the target's defence per strike for 3 seconds, stacks up to 5).
Aura of Overwhelming Pulse: Emits a faint ripple of abyssal pressure every 3 seconds, lowering enemy attack and movement speed by 15% within a 10-meter radius.
Void-Reinforced Body: Temporarily halves all non-true damage received and grants minor regeneration below and equal to the host tier.
Unholy Momentum: If the user kills or severely wounds a target during the skill's duration, gain +10% bonus speed and damage for the rest of the duration (can stack 2 times).
Abyss Will Echo (Passive while active): Causes fear-type debuffs in enemies with significantly lower willpower.
__
<
An unparalleled darkness-corrupted sub-ability born from the root authority of Oblivion—the end of all existence, and the cradle of rebirth.
Through this ability, the Host becomes the living vessel of Oblivion's Will, capable of perfectly devouring, storing, and replicating the full existence of any defeated beast, being, or entity. Not merely their form, but their very essence—genes, abilities, instincts, memories, elemental heritage, language, bloodline resonance, and soul echoes—are preserved within the endless abyssal core known as the Oblivion Vault.
Upon transformation, the host manifests a Darkness-Mutated Variant of the devoured entity, cloaked in the aura of nothingness and reshaped by Oblivion's dominion. Each replication is flawless—beyond illusion or mimicry—and can tap into the full might of what was once alive.
Oblivion Vault: A limitless darkness archive that stores the entirety of devoured entities. Time, decay, or soul dispersion cannot erode what is stored.
Perfect Mutation: The host can transform into any stored entity in full, taking on its size, powers, and instinct—now imbued with corrupted darkness variations.
Inheritance Extraction: Even without full transformation, the host can extract specific traits (e.g., wings, breath, claws, bloodline) or techniques from stored existences.
Memory Resonance: Access the battle instincts, racial memories, and ancient knowledge of devoured beings—even long-extinct lineages.
Evolvable Transformation: The more powerful the devoured being, the deeper the fusion. Legendary or Mythical-level beings unlock specialised hybrid or awakened states.
______
"Huh…"
That was all Rey could say.
Even Aiden and Victor, seasoned veterans of a thousand battles, were left slack-jawed.
They all stared in stunned silence as the system message hovered before them—ominous and unreal.
[Sub-Ability Acquired:
Victor finally snapped out of it, scoffing under his breath. "Oh, sure. Just toss him everything—no effort required. Hand the boy power on a silver plate while the rest of us bled and crawled our way to strength."
The bitterness in his voice was clear, a reflection of a past he couldn't bury.
Rey blinked, processing. "Wait… what exactly did I meet to unlock this?"
[Requirement Completed: Host has devoured five distinct species through
"…That's it?" Rey muttered, awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "That's seriously the requirement?"
But as he glanced deeper, the truth revealed itself: the devouring had to be done entirely through the Oblivion element. A medium few could even touch, let alone survive.
"So… not that simple after all," Rey thought, realising that even acquiring Oblivion Gloom had been a one-in-a-million occurrence.
Driven by curiosity, he attempted to use the new ability. He focused, letting the system guide his thoughts toward the transformation—an instinctual merge, a metamorphosis.
But… nothing happened.
"…What?" Rey blinked, trying again. Still nothing. "Why isn't it working?"
Aiden chuckled, arms folded. "You think you can just jump into a full-body merge with a monstrous entity right after unlocking it? No, kid. You start small—partial transformation first. Learn it like an extension of your own body."
Rey's shoulders relaxed a bit. "Right… makes sense. I guess I got greedy."
He closed his eyes, focusing again—this time not on the full transformation, but just… a piece of it.
He visualised the beasts and things he had devoured: the tentacled abominations in the nest, the disfigured hand of Darius, and finally the last few monkeys and apes in the forest.
A pulse of void energy surged through his back.
Then—
Squelch.
A black, shadowy tendril erupted from his spine, curling like a whip in the air behind him. It shimmered with deep abyssal black—not ashen grey like the monsters, but purer, darker, his.
It twitched… then twisted.
Rey raised an eyebrow. "Okay, now that's creepy. Cool—but creepy."
He flexed his shoulder.
The tentacle moved with perfect harmony, like an extra limb he'd been born with. Not an external tool. A true extension.
It responded to him like it was him.
"Alright," Rey whispered, summoning his sword as the tentacle slithered behind him. "Let's test it for real."
He stepped forward.
A strange ripple pulsed through the air.
He paused.
Something new… was happening.
A field expanded from him—silent, invisible, yet he felt it. The vibrations in the air shifted, and the world around him lit up in his mind like sonar.
[Skill: Abyssal Sonar Vein (A+) Activated.][Detection Radius: 35 meters.]
"…Echolocation?" Rey muttered. His lips curled into a grin. "Oh yeah. That's gonna be very fun."
He followed the mental map unfolding in his head, stepping into a branching network of tunnels. Dozens of side-caves extended in all directions.
But then—he froze.
Something was moving up ahead.
He crouched low, adjusting his grip on the sword, letting the tentacle hover like a snake ready to strike.
Another pulse spread from his sonar—this one amplified as the tentacle twitched.
[Detection Radius Expanded: 50 meters.]
"Whoa…"
Then he saw it.
The tunnel opened up into a massive cavern—wide, round, cathedral-like.
But it wasn't empty.
It was filled with something.
Rey's eyes narrowed.
"…Eggs."
Hundreds of them. White, semi-transparent, clustered like fungus on the ground.
But then he looked up.
His blood ran cold.
They weren't just on the floor. The ceiling was littered with eggs, too. Hanging like grotesque lanterns. Easily five hundred in total, maybe more.
Inside each one…
"…The same monsters I killed earlier," he whispered. "Just… younger."
No tentacles yet. Smaller. Weaker. But their existence… meant one thing.
"This was a nest all along. If these hatch—our city is doomed."
His fingers tightened around the sword hilt.
'Think, Rey… Destroy the eggs first? Or hunt the remaining ones?'
He stood still in thought—until Aiden suddenly appeared beside him, deadpan stare cutting through his focus.
"Kid. Are you forgetting we exist?" Aiden said. "You've been talking to yourself this whole time."
Rey flinched, nearly jumping. "Y-You scared the hell out of me!"
"You're overthinking it," Aiden shrugged. "Why not both? Let your Oblivion do the cleaning work with the eggs—you focus on extermination duty."
Rey grinned.
"…That's actually a damn good plan."
He raised his hand, calling forth the shadow.
[Ability: Oblivion Gloom Activated.]
From beneath his feet, an explosion of darkness erupted, slithering across the cavern like a black tide.
The eggs didn't even have time to tremble.
The shadow consumed them greedily.
Rey leapt into the fray, the tentacle coiling behind him, sword ready. He landed on a rocky outcrop—and then saw it.
Not all the guardians were gone.
Two monstrous shapes lunged from above—larger than before, bodies bulging with power.
Their backs writhed with six tentacles each, and their auras screamed Stage 2.
"…Damn," Rey muttered, instinctively sliding back. "So the real monsters were waiting until now?"
He gritted his teeth, sword humming with darkness, and took a stance.
His level was still low. Stage 1 by system classification.
But stats?
Stats were a different story.
A storm was about to begin.
He looked at the two towering giants, and his first instinct was to run away from here.
"No... If I back away now... then I never will be able to fight someone stronger than me."
The resolve flared in Rey's chest like a dying sun reigniting, as he gripped his sword tighter and faced the descent of hell itself.
The twin beasts landed—hulking, nightmarish figures whose tentacles writhed with eerie precision. They stomped around the eggs, but not a single one was crushed. Not even scratched.
They were guarding them.
'Rulers,' Rey realised. The tentacles—so many, too many—swayed like a crown of flesh above them. They had the highest count yet. There was no mistaking it. These weren't just guardians. These were the sovereigns of this nest.
And they were coming for him.
Their attacks surged in synchronised waves—each whip of a tentacle a blur of death. Rey weaved through them like a shadow, narrowly evading, parrying, rolling—but never striking the eggs. One misstep, and they'd lose all restraint.
He couldn't risk it.
But on the other side of the battlefield... Oblivion was feasting.
The darkness slithered deeper into the nest, devouring eggs by the dozens. With every pulse of corruption, its domain expanded—spreading tendrils across the cavern walls, inching toward the roof.
Rey smirked. Just a little more.
He was biding his time.
Every second that passed, the beasts grew sluggish. Their limbs felt heavier, their movements dulled—as if they were walking through tar. They were drowning in his darkness. And they didn't even realise it.
He seized the moment.
With a flick of thought, his floating daggers spun up into the air, dancing in perfect formation—controlled by Telekinesis. They whirled around the twin beasts, slashing at joints, nicking their skins, pulling their attention away.
It worked.
The moment their senses flicked elsewhere, Rey vanished—no skill, just raw acceleration.
He reappeared above the nearest beast, sword drawn.
"Abyssborne Overdrive," he muttered.
And the world shivered.
A wave of dark energy exploded outward from him. The same energy he felt at the Gate now surged from every fiber of his being. Black lightning cracked through his veins. His skin tore slightly as muscle overflowed with power beyond his limit.
Even the beast below trembled. It didn't understand what Rey had become—but it feared it.
And that was enough.
Rey raised his sword overhead, preparing a brutal vertical slash—when suddenly... his body shifted.
Not in movement. In instinct.
His posture changed slightly. The way he gripped the blade, the way he angled his wrist—it wasn't something he learned.
It was unrealistic.
He swung.
And what once required brute force—now glided through bone and flesh like butter. The beast was cleaved clean in half. No resistance. No sound.
Just silence and falling gore.
Rey landed softly, blinking in disbelief.
"What... was that?"
No time to think.
The second beast roared in blind rage and lunged from the left, its tentacles screaming through the air.
Rey vanished again—not with magic, not with skill. Pure, unshackled speed.
He appeared before it like a phantom, weapon already morphing mid-air.
—A spear.
He thrust it forward like lightning, slamming it straight into the beast's skull.
Sickening crack.
The beast screamed, thrashing.
Rey leapt up onto its head before it could retaliate, summoned his hammer, and with a roar of his own—brought it down like judgment.
BOOM.
The cavern trembled. Bone splintered. Blood sprayed.
The beast fell, twitching... then still.
Dead.
Rey staggered.
His chest heaved. His skin was now riddled with dark veins and crimson sores. The Overdrive was tearing him apart.
But he wasn't done.
Not yet.
He looked around—eggs consumed, darkness spreading, the battlefield his.
Until...
He saw it.
A small mountain, untouched by shadow, stands still at the far edge of the cavern.
Strange.
Why wasn't it covered?
Rey's stomach dropped.
The 'mountain' shifted.
No...
A rumble. A screech.
The stone burst apart as ten colossal tentacles erupted into the air, shredding through the cavern like bladed pillars.
Rey's heart skipped.
Ten...?
He had only seen six at most.
And now—ten.
The figure that rose was twice the size of the previous beasts. Its aura was suffocating—like a storm made of hatred and wrath. The bloodlust pouring off it was so thick Rey could taste iron on his tongue.
And then... the beast opened its senses.
Rey froze.
This… was the real ruler of the nest.
The air warped. A transparent dome shimmered into existence around him—a Domain.
And he was trapped inside.
With it.
The giant stirred.
It had no eyes—only a vast sensory network, its perception built from the echoing pulses of sound. It scanned its territory, expecting stillness, safety, and the familiar rhythm of eggs being nurtured by its guards.
But what it sensed was chaos.
Something... wrong.
Its entire nest was bathed in a creeping, unnatural cold. Egg after egg—gone. Consumed. The guards? Slain. Torn down like insects. And the only presence remaining...
A human.
A lone, insignificant human standing amid death.
Rage bloomed in the beast's core. A primal, suffocating fury.
Its monstrous body rose, and the tremor of its awakening echoed beyond the cavern. Even the city above, hundreds of meters away, felt the quake. Martial artists noticed. Some paused.
But none understood.
Deep below, Rey stood before a cataclysmic monster—its presence enough to shatter his focus.
"Kid! Snap out of it!"Aiden's voice rang in his head."That's a Stage 2 monster about to ascend to Stage 3! Level 40! You can't win this. Fall back—get to cover!"
Rey's blood ran cold. He didn't hesitate. He turned to flee—
—but the Nest Mother didn't tolerate retreat.
A colossal tentacle, thicker than Rey's torso, came crashing toward him at terrifying speed.
CRACK.
It struck his back like a thunderbolt, sending him hurtling through the air and slamming him into the cavern wall.
His face hit first. Blood gushed from his nose. His front throbbed with fresh bruises and abrasions.
The beast was relentless.
Another wave of tentacles surged forward. Rey, groaning, rolled to his feet and summoned his sword just in time to deflect the first strike. The rest followed like a hurricane.
He dodged, parried, and ducked. He swung his blade, tried to strike—but nothing pierced deep enough. His attacks were like mosquito bites on a fortress.
Weapon after weapon—spear, dagger, hammer—he tried them all. The results were the same.
Nothing worked.
The Nest Mother shrieked, a bone-vibrating scream.
Rey's eyes narrowed. A call... for reinforcements?
But nothing came.
The beast grew confused. It reached deeper into the network of the nest—only to feel emptiness.
Destroyed tunnels. Annihilated spawn. Consumed eggs.
Realisation struck it.
It let out another screech—but this time of pure, focused hatred. Its body launched toward Rey like a boulder from hell.
Rey blinked away just in time. The stone beneath him was pulverised by the monster's jaws.
He didn't want to imagine being caught in those.
Rey gritted his teeth and transformed his weapon into a spear again. He lunged and struck with all his might—only to be repelled as if hitting steel. His weapon bounced off its hide uselessly.
The counterattack came like a storm.
Tentacles battered him. He barely raised a shield in time—but even that shattered on impact. The follow-up blast slammed into his arms, sending him tumbling across the ground.
CRUNCH.
He hissed. Bones. Fractured.
Blood ran down his arms. His healing ability kicked in immediately, knitting the fractures together—but it drained him. His stamina plummeted.
He staggered back, pulling out his bow despite numb fingers. Arrows flew—but the beast didn't even flinch.
Nothing worked.
But then—his eyes locked onto something.
The base of the tentacles.
Where they met, it's back—a seam.
An instinct pulsed. He vanished and reappeared above it, greatsword in hand.
SLASH.
Two tentacles flew off, severed mid-swing.
The beast roared in agony.
But that was all. The rest were larger—armoured, thick, ferocious.
Enraged, the Nest Mother twisted and slammed its body against the ground, crushing Rey beneath it.
BOOM.
His body cracked under the weight. Bones shattered. His lungs almost collapsed. The creature raised a paw—ready to end him.
Rey blinked away at the last moment, appearing a distance away, collapsed, and wheezing.
His body was broken. Healing was taxing. His mana and stamina were bottoming out.
He couldn't keep this up.
Aiden's voice returned."Let Victor take over. You're done, kid. Let us handle it before you're killed."
Victor chimed in."Step aside, brat. Let a real warrior take over."
But Rey...
Rey didn't move.
Instead, he stood.
Bloodied. Bruised. Barely breathing.
But standing.
"No."
His voice cracked, but his eyes—burned.
"I'm not running anymore."
"I'm not backing away just because they're stronger. That's not why I fight."
"You two always save me. Always step in when I'm about to die. But not this time."
"I'm not some protagonist who wins because someone bails him out. I'm just a guy… who wants to fight his way to the top. Even if it kills me."
He gripped his sword tighter.
His body trembled.
But his resolve? Unshakeable.
"Today, either I fall…"
He pointed his sword at the Nest Mother.
"...or you fall beneath my blade."
The beast's massive form loomed.
But Rey didn't flinch.
His aura began to surge again.
And the darkness within him... answered.
The beast screeched—a twisted, bone-chilling shriek—and lunged toward Rey with murderous intent.
But Rey stood his ground.
No fear. No hesitation.
From behind his back, four monstrous tendrils of shadow exploded outward like whips of living darkness—an extension of himself. Like blackened limbs of a beast born from ruin, they curled and snapped in the air.
He had finally activated it.
A dark, abyssal aura erupted from his body, enveloping the area in chilling pressure. The air dropped several degrees as if death itself had crept in.
The beast halted—only for a fraction of a second—but enough for Rey to notice.
It sensed it.
The overwhelming change in Rey's presence.
He was no longer prey.
Now… he was a predator.
But instincts, even divine, couldn't suppress rage. The beast howled and charged again, but this time, it faltered.
Rey's body ached with every breath. His flesh tore from within. Yet he gritted his teeth and surged forward, Howlcleaver gripped tightly in both hands. The sword felt impossibly heavy—like wielding a mountain—but it was his only hope of dealing real damage.
He swung.
The blow collided with one of the beast's incoming tentacles, sending ripples of shock through both of them. He was on equal footing now—barely—but he needed more. His current strength could only leave shallow gashes. He needed to break through its hide completely.
Howlcleaver—an elite weapon forged for destruction—could do it. If Rey could master it.
But what if he couldn't control its weight? What if it slipped, or worse… failed?
While Rey's mind raced, the black tentacles around him moved like sentient limbs—dodging, redirecting, and leaping with frightening precision.
He was in the air now—no longer relying on legs. The tendrils lifted him, danced with him, fought for him.
From a distance, Aiden and Victor watched Rey's reckless, brilliant madness unfold.
His body was deteriorating. Blood seeped from his palms. But his eyes burned with insane resolve.
That was enough.
"Rey!" Aiden's voice echoed in his mind. "We know you won't ask for help, but listen. If you want to defeat that monster… You must awaken a deeper power. Abyssborne Overdrive isn't enough—not like this. But there's something you've neglected. Mana control."
Victor's calm voice followed. "We'll assist this once. Watch carefully. Later, you'll have to master it yourself without the system."
Rey's eyes widened as he felt a shift in his body.
Mana—his mana—began to move in perfect synchrony. Like flowing rivers through his veins, it surged toward his arms, spiralling down into Howlcleaver.
It felt… different. Controlled. Focused.
The exact, fixed flow he always failed to grasp—it was happening now.
Mana reinforcement.
His blade began to glow with a thin, crystalline layer—a transparent blue sheen that wrapped around the steel. Overlapping with the aura from his skill, it shimmered with lethal elegance.
His heartbeat skipped.
He had done it.
Even if aided… he had learned to coat his weapon with mana.
—DING![Your Weapon – Greatsword – has broken through to another realm.]
A cold shiver ran through him.
This was what he had been waiting for. The moment of clarity. The start of something greater. A step beyond talent—a glimpse into swordsmanship's true realm.
Rey exhaled slowly, tightening his grip.
He would carve this creature down to its soul.
But behind that spark of triumph… Aiden's expression turned grim.
He was no longer watching Rey's sword.
His gaze was locked on Rey's mana.
Something was wrong.
Amid the vibrant blue currents flowing through Rey's body… Aiden noticed particles. Not impurities. Not flaws.
But something far more ancient.
Particles of darkness—foreign, silent, and potent—coiled within Rey's mana like sleeping gods.
Barely detectable. But there.
And they didn't exist before the formation of Rey's core.
This wasn't normal. Not even the Eternal System could explain it.
And that unsettled Aiden more than anything else.
Something… or someone… is beginning to awaken inside that boy.
The battlefield trembled beneath their feet.
Above Rey's sword, mana and skill aura began to twist together. The once-separate forces—his controlled mana reinforcement and the unhinged chaos of
Red and black, blue and transparent. Wild madness and calm order.
And then, they merged.
A new kind of power surged forth—one that defied explanation.
The blade was no longer simply coated in mana. The aura fused around it was alive. Pulsing. Breathing. Tamed chaos wrapped in lethal focus.
A feral beast in a collar of discipline.
Rey stared in disbelief as the aura transformed before his eyes. A blood-red and abyss-black glow radiated from his blade, humming with apocalyptic energy.
And just in time.
The Nest Mother lashed out—tentacles clawed through the air, aiming straight for him.
Rey's eyes narrowed.
No fear.
He swung.
And this time, the blade didn't stop.
It sliced clean through the oncoming claw like wet paper.
SCHWIIIK!
The entire tentacle was severed, slamming to the ground as the beast let out a shriek of agony. Rey, now empowered by this unknown fusion, advanced like death given form.
Strike.
Dodge.
Strike.
Strike..
Strike...
He didn't retreat. He couldn't. Time was against him—his body on the verge of collapse. But he pressed forward, determined to do as much damage as he could while this new strength held.
The Nest Mother, sensing the tide had turned, faltered.
It backed away.
But Rey didn't let up.
He vanished from the ground, appearing above in an instant. The same motion he'd used before—but this time infused with everything he had.
He spun midair.
And brought the blade down.
—CRACKK!
Two tentacles were sliced through effortlessly. The blade didn't stop. It tore through the Nest Mother's back, carved through its torso, and even slashed into the ground—shaving off a layer of black flesh from Oblivion below.
For a moment, silence.
Then—
BOOM!
The beast collapsed, its body bisected and falling apart above Rey.
He gasped, deactivating his skill before it destroyed him from the inside.
Pain erupted.
The blade's aura shattered. His arms screamed. His skin cracked with dark pores and torn veins. Howlcleaver's edge dulled, worn thin from overuse.
And then—
A shadow fell.
The beast's corpse—its massive frame—toppled toward him.
He barely escaped, using his dark tentacles to slingshot himself away.
But something was wrong.
There were no system alerts.
No experience.
Rey frowned. Before he could process it, Oblivion surged to devour the body.
But in that moment—PAK!
A shattered claw—one Rey thought destroyed—pierced his abdomen.
His eyes widened.
The beast... was still alive.
Its vitality, far beyond what he anticipated, had kept it barely breathing—and now, it was seeking revenge.
Rey's body froze.
He couldn't move. Couldn't summon energy. Couldn't scream.
He was being dragged—inch by inch—toward its gaping, broken maw.
"So this is it…""After everything…"
His vision dimmed.
But he wasn't alone.
Aiden moved first.
A roar of wind and force erupted from his ability as he shattered the beast's grip, ripping Rey from its clutches. He crushed its fanged jaw with a blast of mental force, buying precious seconds.
Victor surged in, red sigils glowing around him as blood manipulation lashed out like coiled serpents.
Zero moved silently, her body dissolving into silver mist, wrapping around Rey and pulling him away from the danger.
But then—something happened.
Above them, the black layer coating the roof—Oblivion—began to melt.
Not burn. Not fade.
Melt.
It turned viscous. Liquid. And fell from the ceiling like a rain of tar.
Drop by drop.
Then torrent.
Dark, syrupy rain poured down onto the fallen beast.
And it stuck.
Like living sludge, the liquid wrapped around the beast's body. It writhed and struggled, but the more it moved, the deeper it was engulfed.
It wasn't raining.
It was an execution.
Oblivion's wrath.
A black tide is swallowing the Nest Mother.
Its screeches echoed through the underground as the abyss devoured its flesh and soul. Regret. Fear. Terror.
It had built this nest to grow strong—planning to overtake the surface city.
But now, it was dying.
Alone.
In darkness.
Oblivion claimed it.
Crushing even its spirit.
The entire Pseudo-Stage 3 beast was consumed in seconds—like a snack.
When it was done, Oblivion shrank down, returning to its condensed form.
And then, it turned.
Toward Rey.
The spirits tensed.
Ready to fight.
Ready to burn their souls if needed.
But Oblivion didn't attack.
It slithered closer, stared at Rey for several long seconds…
Then quietly retreated back into his shadow.
Gone.
No hostility.
No hunger.
Only silence.
Aiden, Victor, and Zero stood frozen, still on edge.
But nothing happened.
They slowly exhaled.
Not from relief—from survival.
"If Oblivion had fought us… We wouldn't have won," Aiden muttered.
As the final echoes of battle faded, the underground nest lay in ruin. Corpses of tentacled beasts littered the floor. The aura of death clung to the stones like a curse.
And at the center of it all, unconscious and bleeding—but alive—Rey.
The system, quiet all this time, finally spoke.
—DING![...]
The spirits stood over him as he slept.
This wasn't the end for him.
It was just the beginning of a bigger world of power for him.
→ TO BE CONTINUED...
Hello everyone! I apologise for the slight delay in releasing the chapter. Due to its length, it was necessary to take a little extra time. I hope you all enjoy this one.
We'll meet again soon for new chapters, where Rey will receive his rewards for the intense battle he fought for his life and his family's safety.