Exitus once again returned to the Abyss. He stepped into the pitch black corridor and was immediately transported to a strange area called Floor One.
This place resembled a labyrinth, with wide corridors and countless branching paths. Glowing stones were firmly embedded in the ceiling, thick and solid stone walls enclosed the space, sharp spike traps appeared without warning, and wandering monsters roamed the passages. These traps were designed to injure victims rather than kill them outright. Perhaps that was how Floor One functioned. It made its prey bleed to attract monsters to hunt them down, until they finally died and became nothing more than skeletons scattered everywhere.
Exitus cautiously probed each step within the dungeon. He needed more information in order to survive. After a period of observation, he gradually grasped the rules of this floor, along with the three basic types of monsters that appeared most frequently.
The first type was Ratta, sharp snouted creatures with an excellent sense of smell. They were omnivorous, capable of swallowing anything, even bones or trash. The second type was a kind of bizarre bat that hung from the ceiling and avoided areas with glowing stones. They were extremely sensitive. Even the sound of a single pebble striking the ground was enough to awaken an entire swarm. The last were skull monsters that stood motionless like stone statues. But once Exitus entered their field of vision, they would awaken and begin a slow pursuit.
"Stupid rats, blind bats, and sluggish piles of bones."
In another direction, he discovered a door leading down to a deeper floor. It appeared to be unguarded. Even so, continuing to explore this floor was the safer choice. No one knew how terrifying the monsters below might be.
Exitus hid from afar in a shadowed corner of the dungeon. Before him stood a skull monster, completely motionless like a statue, gripping a heavy greatsword. It wore glossy black armor etched with twisted and bizarre patterns, identical to the illustrations in Madenes's book. Exitus had not obtained any additional pages from the Ratta he had killed. Perhaps repeating the same species no longer worked. He needed to kill another species, or at least a different type of monster. The real problem was that, unlike the rats, the wandering monsters on this floor were far stronger. They could easily kill a boy.
"Behind that skull monster is a treasure chest. There might be something useful inside, a weapon or a potion. I need to distract it."
The skeleton did not react to scent or sound. What made it move was the presence of a living creature within its sight. Naturally, it had to be something alive. Luring it away was a good idea, but he needed the help of another monster. At the same time, Exitus also wanted to test whether monsters would slaughter one another.
He threw the corpse of a Ratta he had killed earlier in front of the skeleton. As before, a dead object failed to attract its attention. Exitus had no choice but to wait. Time in the Abyss was always a question mark. No one knew how long had passed. Exitus remained there, staring at the decomposing rat corpse. Suddenly, another Ratta appeared, sniffing the air as if it had sensed something, saliva dripping at the scent. It crawled closer to the body of its own kind, bared its teeth, tore into the flesh, and devoured it.
Right behind it, black flames ignited within the skeleton's eye sockets. It had sensed a living creature standing brazenly before it. Carrying the greatsword on its back, it slowly advanced toward the small rat. The foolish Ratta was still engrossed in eating, completely unaware that death was approaching step by step. The moment the skeleton passed the corner where Exitus was hiding, he silently slipped out behind it and dashed straight toward the chest.
The wooden chest lay there, covered in dust. Exitus stood slightly to the side and carefully pried the lid open with a piece of bone. There was no guarantee it was not a Mimic. The instant the lid opened, he jumped back. Time passed but nothing happened.
"Phew.! That 's a real chest."
Exitus quickly examined the contents. A bottle of jade green potion and a strange white sheet of paper. On the paper was a pattern of a seven pointed star, with an eye symbol at its center.
"Boom".
A loud sound rang out. Startled, Exitus grabbed the items and bolted for the shadows. As he slipped into hiding, the massive silhouette of the skeleton swept past, its blade stained with fresh blood. It seemed the gluttonous rat had not met a pleasant end. After returned to a safe area, Exitus took out the potion and studied it carefully. The liquid shimmered like emerald, clear and exuding a faint, gentle fragrance.
"It does not look like poison."
Exitus placed a single drop on his tongue and tasted it. If it was poison, he hoped the Ability "Rat Stomach" would help him survive a small dose. The moment the drop touched his tongue, Exitus felt his body grow light and his spirit lift. Within his mind, Madenes's book trembled, its pages flipping rapidly before coming to a stop. Characters emerged upon its surface.
Potion of Draco Wind Step
Description: Draco was obsessed with the power of dragons. He yearned to fly across the sky like wind dragons, and so he used a portion of their saliva to create this potion.
Effect: The body becomes lighter, movement speed greatly increases, sensitivity to the wind element is enhanced.
"Draco was a madman, willing to do anything to become a dragon. Somehow, he truly succeeded". Madenes.
Exitus read to the end of the page. After Madenes's commentary, he felt slightly disappointed that there was no Ability reward from the book.
"It seems only true monsters grant power. Still, this is better than nothing. Information itself is power."
"Light as the wind and leaving no sound." Exitus murmured.
...
Within a mysterious cavern, there existed a strange chamber set upon the symbol of a seven pointed star. Four of the seven points were occupied by figures clad in robes, their forms completely concealed.
"The eighth creation has awakened," an ominous male voice echoed.
"Do you know what the Watchers have said. It has appeared within your territory, Lord Sparkle". Another voice mocked.
"Do not call me that, you damned mosquito." A young man roared in fury.
"Don't be rude to your seniors, child. Even your grandfather's grandfather was merely a child compared to me."
"That is enough, gentlemen. Get to the point." The only female voice spoke, gentle yet cold and distant.
"Remember Madenes's prophecy before his death. When the eight sacred relics are gathered, that is when I shall return, stronger than even the gods. At that time, I will bestow infinite power upon my disciples, enough to reshape this world." A solemn voice recited Madenes's prophecy with reverence.
"Everyone stay in place and do not act rashly. We do not want the Alliance to discover us. The eighth relic is very special. It needs time to mature. If it appears in your territory, Richer, be cautious. First, find the owner of the relic." The ominous voice spoke again, seemingly the leader of this mysterious group.
"No problem! Hellion. I will remember. And you, Drak'Syl, instead of sucking blood, you should keep your mouth shut."
Richer shot Drak'Syl a cold glance and severed the formation's connection.
"That arrogant brat thinks his strength has already surpassed ours, Hellion. We were once the strongest of the old era."
"Do not compare me to you, Drak'Syl. My wish is for a noble purpose, while yours is nothing but cheap selfishness. That is why Richer hates you so much."
"Damn it. Say something, my lady."
"Please. Do not speak to me."
…
Exitus prepared many things before carrying out his plan to kill a bat. A sharpened bone fragment coated with Ratta saliva, a fresh corpse, and a large number of stones.
First, Exitus threw the corpse into an open area. Then he used stones to create noise and lure a bat closer. Each time a sound rang out, the bat immediately swooped down and slashed at the spot where the stone had landed. After confirming there was nothing there, it flew back to the ceiling. The rat corpse lay still until another rat appeared. The sound of its footsteps awakened the bat. It dove down, its claws piercing the rat's neck while its mouth clamped onto the head, greedily sucking blood.
"Now. This is my chance."
Exitus drank the green potion, feeling his body become light as wind and his footsteps as soft as ripples. Gripping the bone fragment, he slowly closed in on the bat that was preoccupied with feeding.
"Stab."
The saliva coated bone plunged straight into the bat's head, all the way to the hilt. The bat screamed in agony and thrashed wildly, slamming into walls and the ceiling of the dungeon. After its final convulsion, it trembled and then lay still. Exitus smiled. As always, the book shook violently, characters pouring out like black serpents as a new page formed.
Monster: Batta
Race: Demon Bat
Characteristics.:Pitch black skin suited for hiding in darkness, a wrinkled and grotesque face, eyes completely degenerated, hook like claws, oversized ears with extraordinary hearing, sensitive to light, wingspan approximately two to three meters. It flies silently to approach prey, embeds its claws into flesh, drives its fangs deep into the brain, sucks blood, and consumes its prey on the spot.
Weakness.:Fear of light.
Strength: Comparable to an ordinary human. Possesses the advantage of flight. Attacks from above gain increased damage due to gravity. No elite individuals recorded.
"A species with keen hearing and nothing remarkable. Ironically, its primary prey is Ratta, yet it itself is a delicacy of Matta the Grawmaster." Madenes.
Ability of the page: Keen Hearing
"Keen Hearing: Enhanced auditory perception."
"This damn Ability is not very useful," Exitus sighed.
His hearing became slightly sharper, and immediately he heard heavy footsteps from far away. Boom. Boom. Boom. Something massive was approaching, slow but relentless. In a dark corner of Floor One, Matta awakened in its lair, drawn by an enticing scent of blood, something it had not tasted in a long time. The fresh corpse of a recently slain Batta. It had grown sick of its own kind's flesh and tasteless bones. Instinct urged it to find and devour that scent.
"This is… a Ratta. Too big."
Exitus swallowed hard as he stared at the giant rat, as large as a water buffalo, slowly advancing. Suddenly, the strange sheet of paper he had found began to tremble. He pulled it from his chest and instinctively held it toward the rat. The paper burst into flames, and its contents appeared within Madenes's book.
Matta the Grawmaster
Monster biography: From the moment of its birth, the first flesh it gnawed was its own mother's body. Matta was a special individual. It mutated, becoming powerful and immune to diseases born of filth. When hungry, it easily killed and consumed its own kind. Constant feeding caused it to grow ever stronger, its fur thick and hardened.
During a hunt, it was captured and used as an experimental subject by a young dark mage named Madenes. Imprisoned in a dungeon, it was forced to eat strange kinds of flesh and endure horrifying liquids poured over its body. Yet it did not die. Instead, it grew until it was as large as a calf. What it felt was not strength, but fear, fear of the terrifying two legged creature that had imprisoned it. Later, when Madenes grew tired of experimentation, he released it. That fear allowed it to survive for a long time, avoiding dangerous creatures and growing ever stronger.
During the event New Born, it was killed by an army led by a Warlord. As the strongest Ratta to have ever existed, it was named by Madenes, who had by then become a New Born God.
"A Ratta possessing intelligence, strength, and fortune. I, Madenes, grant you a name. Your name shall be passed down in legend forever. Matta the Grawmaster." Madenes.
Ability of the page" None recorded.
Matta swallowed the Batta corpse whole in a single bite, then stared at Exitus with greedy eyes. From the boy, it smelled a new and alluring scent. Another piece of fresh meat. Its eyes gleamed as it charged forward like a crazed siege engine.
"Damn it." Exitus cursed under his breath.
Fortunately, the potion's effect was still active, giving him time to run. But what would happen once it wore off. Exitus suddenly remembered the skull monster guarding the chest.
"Perhaps it can hold Matta back. I have no other choice. This time, I must dash into the passage leading to the deeper floor." Clenching his teeth, Exitus sprinted at full speed toward the marked corner.
The skeleton still stood there, guarding the now empty chest. Suddenly, black flames flared in its eye sockets when it saw two creatures, one small and one large, charging toward it. It raised its greatsword and swung a powerful strike at the nearest target. Exitus calculated perfectly, sliding beneath the blade as the force of the swing brushed past his face. He had never been so close to death.
"Crash."
The greatsword struck Matta, but the rat was too strong, merely staggering slightly. Now its target was the accursed skeleton before it. With steel like jaws, it crushed the skull monster's armor and shoulder bones. The sword fell, embedding itself into Matta's leg. Frenzied, Matta whipped its tail, smashing the skeleton into the wall as stone dust filled the air. It did not stop, continuing to ram it until the skeleton shattered completely. Exitus stared in shock at the chaos. His plan had succeeded beyond expectations. In theory, this was the moment to flee into the deeper passage. But a skull rolled to a stop before him, cracked, the flames in its eye sockets flickering weakly.
A once in a lifetime chance for an execution kill.
"Damn it." Exitus ground his teeth and charged forward.