The tavern smelled of ale, smoke, and sweat. The clamor of voices filled the room, a mix of NPC patrons and fresh-faced players celebrating their first kills in Eternum Online. Tankards clinked, laughter rang out, and arguments broke out over loot distribution.
Noah sat quietly at a corner table, nursing a wooden cup of water the barkeep had shoved in front of him. He ignored the noise, eyes fixed on his interface.
[Character: Noah Graves]
[Level: 3]
[Class: Shadow Reaver]
[HP: 130 | MP: 70]
[Skills: Umbral Step, Hunger of the Void, Devour Essence]
His stats had already begun creeping higher than the average beginner. Two permanent points in Strength, one in Agility, all thanks to Devour Essence procs. Small now, but in the long run? Broken.
Noah smirked. The snowball has started rolling.
Still, he needed money. The starter gear was trash, and while his Shadow Reaver skills gave him an edge, he couldn't take on the tougher mobs without at least decent weapons.
He closed the interface and listened to the tavern.
"…heard there's a rare spawn out in the hills—drops a magic dagger…"
"…guild recruiters are already out here, trying to lock in talent early…"
"…this food actually tastes better than my mom's cooking, I swear!"
Noah filtered through the chatter until one conversation caught his attention.
At a nearby table, three players huddled together, whispering. They wore mismatched leather armor, clearly fresh beginners, but the gleam in their eyes betrayed ambition.
"Look, I'm telling you, there's a hidden quest in the catacombs," one said. "You just have to get past the locked gate."
"Yeah, right. Probably just a rumor."
"No, seriously! My cousin's in the closed beta—he said someone found it and pulled a blue-grade weapon!"
Noah's interest sharpened. The catacombs. He knew that place. A dungeon most players wouldn't discover for weeks. And inside it…
He remembered. A mini-boss. One that dropped a weapon perfectly suited for his class.
His fingers drummed on the table. Opportunity knocks early.
---
The catacombs lay beneath Grayhaven, accessible through a crumbling stairwell at the edge of the city cemetery. Most players avoided the place—it didn't give any tutorial prompts, and the undead mobs were tougher than the fields outside.
But Noah knew the path.
He slipped through the gates of the cemetery under the simulated moonlight. Fog curled around gravestones, and the sound of distant wolves echoed in the night. Other players clustered near the entrance, hesitating.
"Dude, these skeletons hit too hard."
"I lost all my HP potions already."
"Forget this, let's go back to the boars."
Noah passed them without a word, his boots crunching on gravel. The shadows seemed to bend toward him as he descended the stairwell into the catacombs.
The air grew colder, damp stone walls lined with moss. Torches flickered weakly, casting long shadows. Perfect for him.
Skeleton warriors lurched from alcoves, rusty swords raised.
Noah activated Umbral Step, vanishing into the darkness beneath him. He reappeared behind the first skeleton, dagger plunging into its spine. It collapsed into bones, its essence sucked into his blade.
[Essence Devoured. +1 Agility permanently gained.]
Noah's lips curled into a grin. "Good start."
He moved like a phantom, weaving through the catacombs, striking from shadows, draining essence. The mobs were stronger, yes, but they were slow, predictable. In the dark, he was untouchable.
By the time he reached the lower chambers, he was Level 5, his stats already skewed higher than most players his level.
And then he found it.
A rusted gate barred the way forward, chains wrapped tight around it. An inscription above read:
Only those who walk with shadows may enter.
Noah pressed his hand to the lock. His shadow stretched unnaturally, seeping into the chains. With a hiss, the metal dissolved.
The gate creaked open.
[Hidden Instance Unlocked: The Forgotten Ossuary]
Noah stepped inside.
---
The chamber beyond was vast, filled with rows of stone coffins and a chilling silence. At the center, a throne of bones rose from the floor. Upon it sat a tall, armored figure, its eyes glowing with pale blue fire.
[Mini-Boss: Wraith Knight — Level 8]
A system prompt appeared:
[Warning: You are under-leveled for this encounter.]
Noah's pulse quickened. He remembered this fight. In his past life, a team of five players had struggled for hours before finally killing it. But the reward…
His eyes locked on the boss's sword—a jagged blade radiating darkness.
[Item Drop: Dagger of Withering Night (Rare)]
It was perfect for him.
Noah exhaled slowly. "Alright. Let's dance."
---
The Wraith Knight rose, its skeletal frame towering, a rusted greatsword clutched in both hands. With a guttural roar, it charged.
Noah dove sideways, rolling into the shadows cast by a coffin. Umbral Step triggered, blinking him behind the boss. His dagger slashed across its back, drawing a streak of black mist.
[-12 HP]
The Wraith swung its sword backward in a brutal arc. Noah barely avoided it, the blade cleaving a coffin in half. Stone shattered, bones scattering across the floor.
He gritted his teeth. One hit would crush him. He couldn't fight this head-on. He had to bleed it, piece by piece.
He darted in and out of shadows, striking at joints, vanishing before the counterattacks landed. His dagger dripped with stolen essence, his HP refilling with every shadow strike.
The Wraith roared, sweeping its greatsword in a wide arc. Noah ducked behind a pillar, panting. His cooldowns ticked down.
This is it… the turning point.
The boss charged again. Noah feinted left, then triggered Umbral Step, reappearing at its flank. His blade sank deep into its side. At the same time, he activated Devour Essence, ripping a surge of energy from the creature.
The Wraith staggered, its glow dimming.
[Critical Devour! +2 Strength permanently gained.]
Noah's grin was feral. "Got you."
He pressed the assault, weaving from shadow to shadow, carving at the boss. It howled, collapsing to one knee, its greatsword clattering to the ground.
With a final thrust, Noah drove his dagger into its skull. The Wraith shrieked and exploded into fragments of bone and shadow.
[Mini-Boss Defeated: Wraith Knight]
[EXP Gained: 450]
[Level Up! You are now Level 6.]
[Drop Acquired: Dagger of Withering Night]
The weapon materialized in his hand—a sleek black dagger that seemed to drink the torchlight. Its edge pulsed faintly with dark energy.
Dagger of Withering Night (Rare)
Attack: +15
Special: Strikes deal bonus shadow damage.
Noah twirled the blade, a thrill coursing through him. This was it. His first real weapon. His first real step beyond the masses.
He sheathed it and looked down at his shadow, which writhed eagerly.
"Yeah," he muttered. "We're just getting started."
---
By the time he returned to Grayhaven, dawn was breaking over the simulated horizon. Players crowded the marketplace, showing off wolf pelts and rabbit horns like trophies.
Noah walked past them, his new dagger hidden under his cloak.
While they celebrated scraps, he carried the first rare weapon in the game.
And he wasn't going to stop here.
Because Noah Graves was no longer a beggar clawing for survival.
He was a predator in the making.
And soon, the world would know his name.