Lemone returned home, heavy armor on his shoulders. Éléa, sitting at her table, was immersed in a book. His face, usually gentle, seemed to have a certain worry on it. Lemone felt even worse. The hurtful words of his comrades still rang in his ears.
He tried to remain calm but his bad mood was palpable. Her responses to Éléa were short and abrupt, unintentionally hurting her friend.
Once alone in his room, Lemone decided to take off his armor. It was then that the dark entity manifested itself, its icy voice echoing in his mind.
"You look very depressed, my dear. Do you really think you'll be able to impress the king with just a sword and some cheap armor?"
Lemone growled. "What do you want me to do? I'm rubbish!"
"No good? You underestimate yourself. I know a place where you could train. A cave, not far from here. The atmosphere there is conducive to concentration. You could get used to your armor and develop skills. new techniques."
The idea of training in a dark cave, alone with his thoughts, did not rejoice him. But he knew he had no choice. He had to get stronger.
"Alright, I'll go."
The entity laughed sardonically. "Excellent choice. Remember, Lemone, the weakest dies. And you don't want to die, do you?"
With these words, the entity disappeared, leaving Lemone alone with his doubts and anxieties. He put on his armor again and left his house, determined to face this new ordeal.
Lemone, her mind heavy with thoughts, headed towards Éléa's room. He knocked gently on the door. "Éléa, it's me. I'm going to practice a little, I'll be back later."
The young woman came out of her reading and smiled at him. "Okay, take care of yourself."
Lemone gave him a forced smile before leaving the house. Once in the forest, he immersed himself in thought. The dark entity was already there, its voice echoing in his mind.
"You're almost there, Lemone. This cave contains many secrets. Dark creatures have taken up residence there. They will be your first real opposition. You will have to fight with a ferocity that you cannot imagine."
Sx
Lemone shivered. He knew the entity always exaggerated a little, but the idea of facing unknown creatures in the depths of this cave terrified him a little.
"And remember, the creatures of darkness are fast and unpredictable. You will have to use your speed and agility to surprise them. And above all, don't let yourself be overcome by fear."
Lemone nodded, trying to reassure herself. He knew he had to be ready for anything. He took a deep breath and stepped into the darkness of the cave.
Lemone's first steps into the cave were hesitant. A cold, damp breeze caressed him, carrying with it scents of damp earth and something indefinable, something... alive. The darkness was such that he could barely see his hand in front of his eyes. A palpable aura of fear filled the place, a visceral sensation that chilled him to the bone.
"This is where you will train yourself," the entity's voice echoed in his mind, tinged with a certain amusement. "A perfect place for a monster like you."
Lemone grimaced. "A monster? That's it, what do you think of me?"
"Don't be under any illusions, Lemone. Most men would have already lost their minds in a place like this. But not you. Your demonic nature makes you resistant to fear."
Lemone thought about these words. It was true that he felt strangely at ease in this oppressive atmosphere. It was like he was at home.
"My demonic nature…" he whispered. He had always felt that he was different from others. This cave, this entity, confirmed his fears.
As he moved deeper into the cave, Lemone began to see indistinct shapes moving in the darkness. At first he wasn't sure of himself. But little by little, the silhouettes became clearer. They were humanoid creatures, with long hooked beaks and pointed ears, strangely reminiscent of the legendary tengu.
Lemone activated her analysis system. The numbers appeared before his eyes, indicating the level of each creature: 1. He sighed in relief. He expected to face much more powerful opponents.
"Tengu...or rather, imitations," the dark entity commented. "Weak creatures, but numerous. The perfect opportunity for you to break in."
"You mean I have to kill them?" Lemone asked, a hint of revulsion in her voice.
"Of course. That's how you progress. The more you kill, the stronger you'll become. Think of it like a video game, Lemone. You have to gain experience to level up."
Lemone hesitated. He had killed people. But the entity was right. It was the law of the jungle. To survive, he had to kill.
And so, Lemone began a merciless fight against the tengu.
Equipped with his sword, Lemone launched into the fray. The tengu, attracted by the noise of the fight, came running in numbers. He began by performing his Dark Chain. Each blow was precise, violent, and seemed to imbue the weapon with dark energy.
He followed up with the Danse Macabre, a series of deadly pirouettes that disoriented his opponents. Finally, he finished with the Blade of Death, a powerful and fatal blow, intended to cleanly cut the throats of his enemies.
With each combination of these three skills, he felt a progression. The levels of his techniques increased, and with them, his power. The tengu fell one after the other, unable to resist his fury. Ten of them lying lifeless on the ground, Lemone felt a tingle run through him. He had reached a milestone. He had gone to the next level.
The cave still resounded with the echoes of his battles. The ground was slippery with blood, the air saturated with the smell of iron and death. Lemone, covered in splatters of blood, was breathing hard. He had won, but at what cost?
A thousand tengu. A dizzying figure which testified to the extent of the massacre perpetrated by Lemone. Each creature slain had brought him closer to his goal, making him stronger, more powerful.
When the last tengu fell limp under his blows, a light message appeared in his field of vision.
Old level: 11 > New level: 111
Ten levels multiplied in one night! Lemone felt invincible. His skills had improved considerably:
[Dark Chain Lv5: An even more devastating combination of deadly moves.]
[Danse Macabre Lv3: Increased agility and smoother movements.]
[Death Blade Lv3: Deadly precision and increased strength.]
[Armor equipped: (+128 strength, +100 speed): Increased protection and increased speed.]
But this power came at a price. The incessant fighting had exhausted its resources. His life energy and magic were at their lowest, only 2% of their maximum capacity. Exhausted, Lemone's body gave way. He collapsed to the ground, unconscious.
Lemone opened her eyes with difficulty. A soft light bathed the room, and a pleasant warmth comforted him. He felt weak, as if he had been sick for days. He slowly raised his head and saw Éléa, her large, amazed eyes fixed on him.
"Lemone! You're awake!" she exclaimed, immense joy in her voice. "I found you near the house. You were all dirty and you weren't moving."
Lemone was completely disoriented. How had he gotten home? He vividly remembered the fights in the cave, the extreme fatigue and his passing out. But the house? Elea? It all seemed unreal.
"How did I get here?" he asked in a weak voice.
Éléa shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know. I just got scared and brought you back inside."
It was then that the voice of the dark entity echoed in his mind. "Don't worry, Lemone. I took care of you. You were too weak to go back on your own. I used some of my magic to teleport you."
Lemone frowned. He was beginning to understand. The dark entity had not only created this cave and these creatures, but it had also manipulated events to help it progress.
"Why are you doing all this?" he asked the entity.
"To make you stronger, of course. So that you can fulfill your destiny."
Lemone felt trapped. He had become a puppet in the hands of this mysterious entity. He had killed hundreds of creatures, risked his life, and for what?
He looked at Éléa, who was sleeping peacefully beside him. He couldn't let this entity continue to manipulate him. He had to find a way to free himself from its grip.