Archelius spent the next few hours consolidating his position within the small, humid grotto. He didn't dare venture out, knowing the Shadow Wyvern might still be patrolling the desolate landscape. He used the time to rest, tend to the minor scrapes that had burned through his trousers (thanks to the Corrosive Grotesques), and deeply examine the War God System.
V He sat on a low, dry slab of rock, the energized obsidian shard resting beside him.
[Current Stats:]
[User: Archelius]
[Level: 2 (XP: 10/200)]
[Rank: F]
[Core Power: 83/100]
The lack of mana was still unnerving. In his old world, power was tied to the Mana Core—the biological engine that cycled ambient energy. His Core Zero status was the source of his failure. But here, the System bypassed that, granting him a finite pool of "Core Power," which was replenished only through leveling up or, perhaps, absorbing specific energy sources he hadn't yet found.
He needed a clear goal, or he would be eternally stuck fighting Level 3 Grotesques.
Why the War God System? Why me?
He focused the question mentally. The System responded with the usual floating, ethereal text:
[Analysis: User was selected due to absolute lack of biological energy reserves (Core Zero). The War God System is designed to create a supreme power entity outside the conventional energy cycle of Aethelgard. Status: Unique.]
So, my weakness was the key to this power, Archelius realized with a strange mix of bitterness and awe.
He moved on to his skills, focusing on the newly acquired War God's Strike.
[War God's Strike (Rank F, Active): A continuous channeling of energy into a melee weapon or object. Cost: 2 Core Power per second.]
The skill was vital. It allowed him to turn any crude object—like the obsidian shard—into a lethal, effective weapon. The low energy drain meant he could keep the weapon energized during extended combat.
I need a better weapon, though. That obsidian shard will break eventually.
He looked around the grotto. Nothing but slick, black rock.
[System Note: User has available a basic Crafting function.]
Crafting?
[Crafting Menu: Requires materials from defeated entities or environmental harvesting.]
He immediately checked his inventory, which appeared as a new, small menu window.
[Inventory:]
Void Lurker Scales (Minor) x 5
Corrosive Grotesque Residue (Foul) x 3
Academy Uniform (Ruined) x 1
The Grotesque Residue was still slightly toxic, sizzling faintly. The Lurker Scales were tough and slick.
He mentally directed the System to the Crafting Menu.
[Available Blueprints (Rank F):]
[Simple Dagger (Requires: 4 Scales, 2 Residue)]
[Arm Guard (Requires: 5 Scales, 1 Residue)]
"A dagger," Archelius murmured. He needed a reliable, energized weapon.
He selected the Simple Dagger blueprint. The System instantly materialized a schematic diagram, showing him how the scales and residue would combine.
[Crafting Simple Dagger (Rank F). Success Chance: 95%.]
He confirmed the crafting. The items vanished from his inventory. There was a brief, intense flare of silver energy in the air before a solid, dark weapon materialized on the slab of rock beside him.
It was a dagger, about twelve inches long, with a comfortable, grooved grip. The blade was forged from the Void Lurker scales—dense, slightly purple, and wickedly sharp.
[Simple Dagger (Rank F) Acquired. Durability: High.]
Archelius picked it up. It felt balanced, heavy, and reassuringly real. He immediately activated War God's Strike. The silver-white energy flowed, bathing the dagger in a shimmering, dangerous light. He felt a minor drain of Core Power.
[Core Power: 81/100 (Remaining).]
He now had a proper weapon, two combat skills, and enhanced stats. He was ready for the next level.
The Raid on the Lower Passage
Archelius decided to clear the lower passages connecting to the grotto. It was a calculated risk—limited space, but guaranteed low-level XP.
He moved deeper into the labyrinthine tunnels, the energized dagger held ready. The tunnels were hot and humid, the perfect breeding ground for the corrosive creatures.
He found his first targets quickly: a cluster of four Corrosive Grotesques (Level 3) feeding on a patch of luminescent moss.
He initiated the fight with a burst of speed, using his new Dexterity. He didn't rely on the single, powerful punch; he relied on the continuous lethality of the energized dagger.
He plunged the dagger into the first creature, dissolving it instantly. He twisted and slashed the second one, relying on the Iron Skin to absorb the splattering corrosive fluid.
Slash. Parry. Dodge. Archelius found a rhythm, an almost preternatural coordination he had never possessed in the training yard. The System didn't just give him power; it gave him fighting instinct.
The third creature was slightly larger—a Mutated Grotesque (Level 4). It was faster, snapping its jaws viciously.
Archelius dodged the lunge using a quick Sprint Burst movement (though he hadn't formally purchased the skill, his improved Dexterity mimicked the effect), and drove the dagger upward.
THWACK!
The Grotesque dissolved. The final, smaller one fled deeper into the tunnel.
Archelius chased it down, finishing it quickly. He deactivated the War God's Strike.
[Core Power: 75/100 (Remaining).]
[Total XP: 170/200. Corrosive Grotesque Residue (Foul) x 5.]
Almost Level 3, he thought, catching his breath. He had gained 60 XP and was feeling the flow of combat.
He pressed on, finding a slightly larger chamber where a larger concentration of threats was guaranteed. He encountered two Level 4 Mutated Grotesques and a pair of Level 5 Void Lurkers—the same creatures that had almost killed him upon arrival.
This was a serious fight: four enemies, two of them as strong as his first kill.
He engaged the fight with lethal control. He used the War God's Fist on one of the Lurkers, obliterating it instantly, creating a temporary diversion.
[Core Power: 70/100.]
He used the War God's Strike to handle the Grotesques, moving with blinding speed, a dancer of death in the sulfurous tunnels. He took several minor hits, but the Iron Skin held firm.
He finished the last Lurker with a series of deep cuts from the energized dagger, feeling the drain on his Core Power, but also the intoxicating rush of the fight.
[Total XP: 250/200. Level Up: User Level 3!]
The explosion of silver light was internal, powerful, and restorative.
[Level 3 Achieved. Core Power Restored: 100/100.]
[Available Skill Points: 1.]
Archelius leaned against the rock, his body humming with restored energy. He had faced down his initial terror, earned a significant amount of XP, and understood the System's logic.
Targeting isolated groups of monsters near my level is the most efficient way to survive and thrive.
He immediately spent his new Skill Point. He returned to the Skill Menu and focused on the mobility he desperately needed.
[Sprint Burst (Rank F, Active) Acquired. Cost: 1 Skill Point.]
[Skill Description: Briefly increases Dexterity for fast evasion. Cost: 3 Core Power.]
He tested it immediately, pushing off the wall. A surge of energy flowed to his legs, and he shot across the small chamber in a controlled, exhilarating blur.
"Okay, Aethelgard," Archelius said, looking at the dagger, now deactivated. "I'm Level 3. I have speed, defense, and power. Let's find out what's beyond this grotto."