The underground cave world stretched out like a hidden paradise beneath the earth's surface.
Towering trees reached towards the cavern ceilings, casting long shadows over the expansive terrain. Lush forests of tall, bioluminescent trees lined the landscape, their leaves glowing faintly in shades of green and violet, illuminating the dim surroundings with a soft, ethereal light.
In the distance, a vast field of pink grass spread out like a delicate carpet, its blades swaying gently in an unseen breeze.
The grass was a soft pastel hue, almost surreal in its beauty, contrasting vividly with the dark stone walls of the cave.
Clusters of large blue crystals dotted the cave ceiling, their sharp edges glistening in the dim light.
During the day, these crystals shone brilliantly, but now, in the evening, they had dimmed to a subtle azure glow, as though they were resting, waiting for the next cycle to bathe them in energy once more.
The air was cool and damp, carrying the scent of earth and fresh foliage.
The blue pond at the edge of the cave glittered like a liquid gem, adding to the wonderful mix of colours that seemed to reside within this place.
The entire scene felt like a forgotten world, untouched and tranquil, suspended between the realm of dream and reality.
It was a calm evening in the underground world, and it looked wonderful!
Within the field of pink grass, a bare-chested young man with a black spear could be seen performing a series of moves.
His simple black spear moved like the wind, elusive and swift. His movements were fluid, like a tranquil lake, while his attacks carried the lethal precision of a striking snake.
Though he wore nothing but ragged shorts, the sheer elegance of his spear technique was dazzling.
With each completed move, the black tome lying on the floor some metres away displayed a score:
[100% Mastery]
This score appeared repeatedly for every single move, and as the man progressed, his movements became even faster.
Faster and faster still!
He transitioned seamlessly from one spear move to the next, and from one combo to another, at an astonishing pace.
It almost looked like a dance—a dance of the spear.
Whoosh!
After hours of this spear dance, the young man delivered a final thrust and came to a stop.
Instantly, the black tome glowed a bright blue, and a holographic display showed a congratulatory message.
[Congratulations on becoming a Spearman!]
Neo wiped the sweat from his forehead and smiled at the message.
He had completed the basic level of the 'Overlord Spear Manual'!
And it had only taken him one month of hard work to achieve this.
Although he had yet to master any of the stances in the book, he had officially become a spearman now.
This was a massive feat for him, considering he was a total noob in the way of the spear just a spirit month ago!
He had gone from noob to beginner in just a few real days!
Neo sat on the grassy field and picked up a juicy pink fruit.
He examined it absentmindedly and began to eat, replenishing his energy and quenching his thirst. As he ate, memories of the past month came flooding back.
In one sentence, Neo had suffered.
His bad luck had been cruel to him, and he had faced ordeal after ordeal with no moment of rest!
He couldn't even count the number of times he had nearly died—if he tried using all his fingers, toes, and even... certain other body parts, it would still not be enough!
It was simply wild!
Neo had encountered problems so crazy and unbelievable over the last month that anyone hearing them would be shocked.
He still remembered the time he had gone hunting for lone Common-grade beasts and stumbled upon three gorillas... having a threesome.
Yes, a f*cking threesome!
Upon discovering him, they had chased him relentlessly, forcing him to leap into the lake and nearly escape to the surface, but at the last minute, they had turned back and left.
Thinking back now, Neo realised those gorillas had been desperate to protect their dirty little secret...
No wonder they did it outside the settlement. They were to scared to be found out.
Due to that incident, he also discovered that most beasts seemed to fear the blue pond for some reason. He had tested it and confirmed that fact.
But for what reason, he had no idea.
Neo sighed and shook his head.
'This cave is something else...'
When he finished eating the pink fruit, Neo swam for a few minutes, taking the time to wash his sweat and grime-covered body.
Emerging from the pond feeling fresh and clean, he climbed back to his treehouse and untied the black satchel, placing the tome inside it, beside a few dozen blue fruits.
These were the fruits he had stolen in the secret cave of the gorilla settlement.
These blue fruits had one simple but extremely useful effect.
When consumed, they temporarily enhanced one's mental capacity and capability.
They had played an enormous role in helping him master the basic stage of the spear manual so quickly. Under the effects of the fruit, Neo's thinking speed, positional awareness, and mind-to-body coordination were all improved, making it easier and faster to learn new things.
Unfortunately, his supply was dwindling. He had barely three dozen left from the initial 200.
And he didn't dare risk getting more!
After securing the tome, Neo picked up a second black tome and retied the satchel.
He had always wanted to explore the contents of this second tome but had lacked the necessary energy.
Now, as a Spiritual and a true spearman, it was time to see what lay within.
Neo slowly placed a finger on the tome's tiny glowing dot.
It was time to learn the 'Finality Art'.
Crack!
The moment Neo placed his finger on the glowing dot, he suddenly heard a loud cracking noise resound in his mind.
His vision abruptly darkened and his body jolted, and the next thing he knew, he was in space!
Neo's gaze was still confused when he suddenly saw a dashing young man holding a green spear in space.
He was so awestruck at the aura of power the figure exuded that he forgot to breathe.
The man gazed at him with a weak smile and softly spoke.
His voice was obviously soft, yet his low voice resounded within space like the chants of heavens themselves!
"The first Peak. The peak of Infinity!"