I didn't know if I should be relieved or angry.
I limped over to the opening, ignoring the shooting pain I felt in my leg as I went forward, getting the manual may not change anything but at least this way the original owner couldn't have it either.
I heard the shriekers trying to tear down the wall their muffled cries reaching my ears as I walked.
They were supposed to be solitary creatures, there was no reason for them to act this way but complaining about it won't change anything.
I still felt the gross flesh clinging onto my skin as their faces filled with ecstasy. The memory made my skin crawl.
In fact, I still saw the faces laughing in my peripheral vision, I could tell they weren't real.
If they were I would sense them with dark mana, and they disappeared as soon as I looked at them.
That didn't make them any less horrifying.
'I don't have the time to rest.'
I began moving quicker towards the opening, I came here for a reason, I wasn't going to give up when I was this close.
The dark mana got thicker and thicker as I got closer to the opening, and I had to adjust the dark vision technique I was using.
I could finally see the inside of the opening and inside of it was what appeared to be a study room.
I would be surprised if I didn't already know what I would see, bookshelves arranged in a semicircular pattern along the cavern walls which were smoothened out artificially.
However, in between the bookshelves was an exquisite dark oak desk with an ornamental design, atop of which was a large book with a pitch-black cover.
======================================
Attano Dagger Art (★★★★★) (Original)
The methodology of the deadliest assassin to walk this land. Utilizes cloaking techniques and quick yet brutal strikes to end fights in an instant.
=======================================
The familiar system window appeared as I observed the manual, the source of the dark mana.
I wasted no time as I limped towards it hurriedly, placing my hand on the leathery cover as I threw the book open.
The book began to levitate, absorbing the dark mana it had emitted before as its pages flipped rapidly.
Soon the book turned to dark mana and shot at my skull, and I inhaled sharply and closed my eyes preparing for a migraine.
...
However, to my surprise I didn't feel any pain as I opened my eyes to see pitch darkness.
'Hah.'
I released a sigh as I knew I wasn't in the cave anymore; this darkness wasn't an absence of light; it was simply an absence of everything.
'Why am I back here?'
I thought for a moment that I had died once again but that was unlikely, I would have heard the shrieker before it got to me.
I looked around and just like before saw nothing except my astral body and decided to move around to see if I could find an exit again.
"Halt." I heard a voice seemingly come from nowhere.
The voice echoed multiple times in my head as my body froze as I looked around.
"There is no point in searching for me vessel."
It said cryptically in response to my confusion.
"What am I doing here?" I asked the main question.
"The vessel has done a good job; it must be rewarded." The voice said robotically.
"Good job?"
"Yes, in warding off the disgraced children of shadows."
I could guess who it was referring to.
"They vie for your power, the power of void." The robotic voice almost sounded angry.
"Show them their place, show them what happens when they dare attack you in your domain."
The voice said commandingly as the darkness of the void melted away and the study room came into view once again.
============================
Learnt Attano Dagger Art (★★★★★)
Awakened Trait: Dark Dominion
=============================
I was back in the cave once again as a system window appeared in my vision once again.
I opened a newly unlocked tab in curiosity.
=======================Traits===================================
Dark Dominion
Unchallenged in darkness: Enhanced regeneration, all stats boosted by 1 subrank.
==============================================================
I widened my eyes as I realized that my injured leg had been healed, leaving only a scar.
What kind of entity can give me such a powerful trait simply as a gift?
What is a vessel?
*CRASH*
Those questions could wait as I heard the wall at the entrance of the cavern collapse as the footsteps and cries of the monsters got louder.
I took a deep breath as I turned around and saw the shriekers running towards me with their haunting smiles.
However, suddenly they stopped moving as their smiles disappeared, replaced by an expression of confusion instead.
Yes, I had realized why everything was spotting me.
I was absorbing far too much darkness mana without realizing it, basically creating a tracker that beasts could use to find me.
After coming back from the void, I had enhanced control over my dark mana and was able to turn this tracker off.
Now my darkness cloak was actually useful as I walked past the monsters towards the entrance.
As I was about to walk out of the cavern, a long human like arm burst from almost hitting me.
I just barely managed to dodge it before it took hold of me, as the arm grabbed the wall and a shrieker emerged from the entrance.
It was crouched and its empty eye sockets stared directly into my eyes.
I took out my dagger, but the beast simply stood up before walking past me.
'I thought it had seen me, but it doesn't look like they can see me at all.' I thought looking at the shriekers in the cavern.
'But I can't leave either.' I saw the huge amount of them still trying to get in.
I calmed my nerves as I brought out my bow once again.
I aimed the arrow at the cavern door as wind whistled as it gathered at the back of the arrow and dark mana slithered to the tip forming a purple black coating.
If there wasn't a way to get out, I had to make one.
I released the bowstring.