As Eli emerged from the depths of the Scorpion Den, the visions that had seized him within the hidden chamber lingered at the forefront of his mind. The darkness he had witnessed, a force so malevolent and consuming, left him with a sense of dread deep in his bones. It was a darkness that promised oblivion, a suffocating void that could extinguish life as easily as a candle's flame. The ancient warning carved into the very stone of the chamber haunted him: if humanity were to face this darkness again, their fate would be sealed, just as it had been for those in the past.
Determined to push these thoughts aside for the moment, Eli focused on the task at hand. With renewed vigor, he set his God Hands to work, systematically clearing the dungeon of every last scorpion. Their efficiency was unmatched, and within two more hours, the dungeon was devoid of life, leaving Eli with a considerable haul: 1432 chitin and 1432 scorpion stingers.
As he collected his spoils, a thought nagged at him. "Why was there no boss?" It was common knowledge that every dungeon harbored a boss creature, a final test for those brave or foolish enough to challenge its depths. Eli considered the possibility that the sheer number of scorpions, overwhelming for a dungeon of this class, had somehow compensated for the absence of a traditional boss. It was an anomaly, but one that worked in his favor, accelerating his progression.
Upon leaving the Scorpion Den, Eli had reached level 17, a testament to his efficiency and the sheer number of adversaries he had overcome. As he stepped into the fading light of day, he took a moment to assess his gains, understanding that each level up brought not only increased strength but also the opportunity to further refine his abilities.
Emerging victorious from the Scorpion Den and reaching level 17, Eli has amassed a significant array of resources to further enhance his capabilities. Specifically, he has gained 25 stat points over five levels, allowing him to substantially increase his physical and magical attributes to better confront the dangers that lie ahead. Additionally, Eli has accumulated 15 skill points, offering him the flexibility to deepen his mastery in existing skills—such as Multi-Hand, Weapon Master, and Defense—or to venture into the realms of Blacksmithing and Alchemy, potentially unlocking new strategies and tools for survival. Moreover, through dedicated photosynthetic conversion, Eli has generated an impressive total of 36,000 energy points, providing him a vast reservoir of energy to upgrade his skills, particularly the potent Multi-Hand skill, or to explore new abilities within his skill trees, thus preparing him for the challenges that await as he continues his journey in a world reshaped by the Cataclysm.
Exiting the dungeon, Eli was too wrapped up in his thoughts to notice the guards' attention fixed on him. Their conversation, however, did not escape the dungeon's silent watch.
"Did you see that?" one guard whispered, disbelief coloring his tone. "He cleared the dungeon. By himself."
The other guard, equally astounded, nodded. "And he's registered as low class. How's that possible? No low class awakened has ever cleared the Scorpion Den alone."
Their curiosity piqued, they recalled Eli's registration card, which indeed marked him as a low-tier ability user—a classification now clearly at odds with his demonstrated capabilities. The guards shared a look, a silent agreement passing between them.
"We need to report this," the first guard decided. "If he's truly low class and managed this, he's either a prodigy hiding his strength or he's discovered something we haven't."
"Yeah," the second guard agreed, his gaze lingering on Eli's retreating figure. "This could be big. If he's got talent or knowledge that's slipping under the radar, the higher-ups will want to know. Could change the game for us."
As they set about notifying their superiors, Eli continued on his way, unaware of the stir he had caused. His mind was preoccupied with the artifact, its secrets, and the ominous vision it had bestowed upon him. The darkness from his vision weighed heavily on him, a reminder of the stakes at play. But within that weight also lay determination. Eli knew that understanding the artifact and the ancient civilization's downfall might hold the key to preventing history from repeating itself.
As he made his way home, the artifact secure in his pack, Eli felt a resolve solidifying within him. The journey ahead was fraught with unknowns, but one thing was clear: he would not face it alone. With the powers at his disposal and the potential for untold discoveries within the artifact, Eli was ready to confront whatever lay ahead, for himself, for humanity, and for the future that was still theirs to shape.