The forest was alive with a cacophony of sounds—the rustling of leaves and distant cries of unknown beasts. David moved with purpose, his senses sharp as the night around him. The past two months had been grueling. Each day had brought new challenges, and every night had been a battle for survival. But tonight, something was different. Tonight, he would face a new terror and emerge stronger—or not at all.David had been cautious, using the Millennial Nightshade in small doses, unsure of its full effects. The rare plant, with its deep purple hue and faint, intoxicating glow, promised power, but at what cost? The Nightshade's influence was subtle, seeping into his veins like a slow-acting poison. His body ached, his mind buzzed with dark thoughts, and his senses had become unnervingly acute. Yet, despite these warnings, he pressed on, driven by the desire to survive and grow stronger in this merciless world.A notification suddenly appeared before his eyes:[Dark Affinity Acquired]David paused, absorbing the implications of this new development. The Millennial Nightshade was changing him, granting him a new affinity that he hadn't possessed before. The dark energy inside him felt more potent, more alive, as if it had been awakened from a deep slumber.He had encountered many creatures in the past weeks—Shadow Wolves, their eyes gleaming like coals in the darkness, hunting in packs with eerie coordination; Nightstalkers, humanoid beasts that slithered silently through the underbrush, their elongated limbs and razor-sharp claws a constant threat; and the Poison Lizards, small but deadly, spitting venom that dissolved their prey into paste. These encounters had honed his skills, each battle a lesson in survival.But none of those creatures compared to what lay ahead. As David traversed the dense forest, his mind replayed the night he faced the grotesque beast. It was a nightmare made flesh, a creature so twisted and malformed that its very presence defied nature. Its body was a mass of writhing tendrils and sinew, shifting and reforming with each step it took. Eyes dotted its flesh, glaring at David with a malevolent intelligence, and its maw, filled with rows of jagged teeth, dripped with black ichor.The grotesque beast was likely a Silver Tier creature, a step above most of the enemies David had faced. Its power was evident in the way it moved, with a fluidity that belied its monstrous form. The battle had been nothing short of harrowing.David had stumbled upon the beast by accident, drawn by the unnerving silence that had fallen over the forest. The usual chorus of nocturnal creatures had ceased, replaced by a suffocating stillness. He knew something was wrong, but he continued forward, driven by an inexplicable urge.The beast struck first, a tendril lashing out from the darkness, catching David off guard despite him having his Battle Sense skill activated. It wrapped around his leg, yanking him off his feet and dragging him across the rough terrain. Pain shot through his body as he scrambled to free himself, his hands clawing at the ground for purchase.With a desperate cry, David activated the enhanced version of Earth Shield just as the beast's maw descended, its teeth gnashing inches from his face. The shield held, but only barely, the force of the impact sending cracks through the earthen barrier. David could feel the strain in his mind as he poured more mana into the shield, reinforcing it further against the relentless assault.The grotesque beast reared back, its many eyes narrowing in frustration. It released David and shifted its form, tendrils retracting and new limbs sprouting in their place. It charged at him again, this time with terrifying speed.David had no choice but to fight. He rolled to his feet, his hand gripping Dragon's Fang tightly. The sword hummed with energy as he infused it with his remaining mana, another trick he had learned. This had granted him the skill Mana manipulation.He lunged forward, aiming for the beast's core, where he hoped to find some semblance of vulnerability. The blade struck true, sinking into the creature's flesh with a sickening squelch. But the beast did not fall. Instead, it roared in pain and fury, its body convulsing as it tried to expel the foreign object. David twisted the blade, carving deeper, but the beast retaliated with a swipe of its newly formed claws, raking them across his chest.David staggered back, blood pouring from the wounds. His vision blurred, and he could feel his strength waning. But the darkness inside him, fueled by the dark energy from the Millennial Nightshade, urged him to keep fighting. His thoughts grew more savage, more primal, as if the Nightshade was awakening something more deep within him.He let out a feral growl, his senses sharpening to an almost unbearable degree. The pain in his chest dulled, replaced by a cold, calculating fury. He could see the beast's movements before they happened, his mind anticipating each attack with unnerving precision.The next exchange was a blur of motion. David dodged the beast's strikes with ease, his body moving as if guided by an unseen force. His sword danced in his hand, each strike deliberate and devastating. He hacked at the beast's limbs, severing tendrils and limbs, ichor spraying in all directions.But the creature was resilient. Even as it lost parts of itself, it adapted, growing new appendages and shifting its form to counter David's attacks. The battle seemed endless, a dance of death that neither could escape.Finally, with a burst of energy, David thrust Dragon's Fang into the creature's core, the blade piercing through layers of shifting flesh and pushing a large stone through the other side. The beast let out a horrific scream, its body convulsing violently as it began to disintegrate. The tendrils writhed and spasmed before finally going limp.David stood over the corpse, panting heavily, his chest heaving with each breath. His body screamed in pain, but the darkness within him reveled in the victory. The Millennial Nightshade had taken its toll, but it had also granted him the power he needed to survive.As the beast dissolved into nothingness, leaving only a dark stain on the ground, a series of notifications flashed before David's eyes:[Dark Affinity Increased: Level 2]David fell to his knees, exhaustion overtaking him. The adrenaline that had kept him going drained away, leaving him weak and disoriented. He knew he needed to rest, to let his body recover from the ordeal, but he also knew that the effects of the Nightshade would not let him sleep peacefully.Days passed, and David's condition worsened. His mind became clouded, dark thoughts creeping into his consciousness. The Millennial Nightshade was no longer just a tool; it had become a curse, a slow poison that ate away at his sanity.But amidst the darkness, something else began to stir. David could feel it deep within him, a power that had not been there until now. The Nightshade had awakened something primal, something that lay buried in the depths of his soul. It was a raw, untamed energy that pulsed through his veins, demanding to be unleashed.And then, one night, it happened. As David lay in his bed, his mind a swirling maelstrom of nightmares, the power within him finally broke free. It surged through his body, searing his nerves and burning away the darkness that had taken hold. He writhed in agony as the transformation took place, his muscles bulging, his senses heightening to an almost unbearable degree.[Dark Affinity Increased: Level 4][Attributes Increased: Tempered by Darkness Energy]When it was over, David was no longer the same. He could feel the power coursing through him, stronger than ever before. His mind was clear, his thoughts focused and sharp. The Millennial Nightshade had changed him, but only after enduring the torture of his mind almost being consumed by a dark abyss.As he rose from his bed, David felt a new confidence, a certainty that he could overcome any challenge that lay ahead. The beasts of the forest were no longer a threat; they were prey. He would hunt them, grow stronger, and uncover the secrets of this world. The darkness that had once threatened to consume him had become his greatest ally.David knew that the journey ahead would be fraught with danger, but he was ready. The power within him was still growing, and he intended to use it to its fullest potential. The forest, the mansion, even the system—they all seemed like pieces in a larger puzzle, one that he was determined to solve.As he stepped out of the mansion and into the night, David felt the familiar weight of Dragon's Fang at his side. The blade seemed to hum with anticipation, ready for the battles to come. With a final glance at the darkened sky, David set off into the forest, his senses alive with the thrill of the hunt. The Millennial Nightshade had given him power, but it was his will that would shape his destiny.