David stood at the edge of the forest, his body still aching from recent battles, but his mind sharper than ever. The Abyssal Terror had left him with wounds that were slow to heal, and the mystery of what it guarded in that dark cave gnawed at him day and night. He had thrown everything he had at it, used every skill and ability at his disposal, yet it hadn't been enough. The realization that his current power wasn't enough to break through was a bitter one.
He wasn't just frustrated with the Abyssal Terror; he was frustrated with himself. He had fought tooth and nail to survive in this world, pushing his limits, growing stronger, but still, it wasn't enough. He needed something more, something that could push him beyond his current capabilities.
That's when he turned to the system again.
For a long time, David had ignored the option of acquiring a secondary class. He had been so focused on mastering his shapeshifting abilities, honing his elemental affinities, that the thought of branching out had seemed like a distraction. Besides, his initial paranoia about the system had held him back—he didn't want to rely on it too much, fearing what strings might come attached. But after his recent acceptance of the system, after realizing he had been holding himself back out of misplaced fear, David knew he had to push forward.
The Wraithkeeper class had been available to him for some time, but something about it had unsettled him. The idea of transforming into a Spectral Blade, commanding wraiths, and delving into the ethereal realm—into death itself—had always felt too dangerous, too alien. But now, with the mounting threats and the looming power of the Abyssal Terror, David realized that it might be the key to unlocking the strength he needed.
Opening his system interface, he scanned the familiar prompts, knowing this decision would mark a turning point.
System Prompt:
Secondary Class Slot Available: 20,000 Points
Would you like to purchase a secondary class slot?
[Yes] [No]
Without hesitation, he confirmed the purchase.
System Prompt:
Wraithkeeper Class Available for Purchase: 50,000 Points
Would you like to purchase the Wraithkeeper class?
[Yes] [No]
David paused, a sliver of doubt creeping in, but only for a moment. He confirmed the purchase. He had the life energy of several powerful wraiths he had hunted recently, and the points he had painstakingly earned from hunting stronger Gold-tier and low-Platinum-tier beasts were finally about to be used.
The moment he confirmed the purchase, the screen flickered, and a cold surge of energy washed over him. It was unlike anything he had felt before—a chilling force, ancient and distant, yet now connected to him. His entire body shuddered as the Wraithkeeper class fused with his very core.
System Message:
Wraithkeeper Class Unlocked.
Spectral Blade Transformation: Allows transformation into an ethereal Blade Wraith, nullifying physical attacks. Time limit: 10 minutes.
Skill Acquired: Command Lesser Wraiths – Summon and control wraiths from the spectral plane for combat.
Skill Acquired: Soul Shroud – Temporarily cloak yourself in ethereal energy, allowing you to interact with the soul of various beings and inflict harm on a deeper level.
David exhaled slowly, feeling the strange power swirling inside him. It was cold, otherworldly, and unsettling. Unlike the raw, primal strength of his shapeshifter abilities or the elemental affinities he had mastered, this power felt closer to death, to the edges of existence itself. It was an entirely new realm of combat, and while it disturbed him, it also excited him. This class would give him the edge he needed.
He knew he had to test it.
A Few Days Later…
David stalked through the deeper regions of the forest, far beyond where he usually hunted. Here, in the platinum-tier territories, danger lurked at every corner. For days, he had fought tirelessly, battling low-Platinum-tier beasts and Gold-tier creatures that still posed a challenge. He needed the points and experience to master his new class, and this region provided both.
Each encounter had been brutal. The forest here was darker, the air thicker with danger. He had faced off against towering Ironback Gorillas, whose strength alone had nearly flattened him, and Venomous Direboars, whose toxic tusks had barely missed piercing his flesh. Each battle had tested his new abilities, but it was the Wraithkeeper skills that intrigued him most.
Now, after gathering the experience and honing his abilities, he sought a real challenge.
Ahead of him, prowling through a rocky gorge, was a Crimson Fang Basilisk—a mid-Platinum-tier beast whose serpentine body rippled with raw muscle beneath crimson scales, it was likely an evolved version of the Crimson Serpent. Its eyes glowed with a malevolent yellow, and venom dripped from its fangs, sizzling as it hit the ground. It was likely a creature with lethal venom and powerful constrictions, one that could easily tear apart even experienced hunters.
David's eyes narrowed. He had fought Platinum-tier beasts before, but never with the Wraithkeeper class to aid him.
He activated Spectral Blade.
The transformation was instant. His body dissolved into a ghostly, ethereal form, his physical presence vanishing as he became a wraith that floated silently in the air. In this form, he felt weightless, unburdened by the physical laws of the world. His movements were swift, almost fluid, and he could slip through the air with deadly precision.
The Basilisk, sensing his presence, lashed out, its fangs striking like a viper. But David, in his Blade Wraith form, was untouchable. The venomous fangs passed through him harmlessly, and in a blur of motion, he slashed at the Basilisk's scales. The blade cut deep, far deeper than his human form could ever manage, slicing through the creature's tough hide as though it were paper.
But there was a downside.
The longer he stayed in this form, the more the hunger for violence grew inside him. Each strike fueled a growing bloodlust, a thirst for destruction that clouded his mind. He felt the urge to stay in the form, to kill without hesitation, to revel in the destruction. It was intoxicating, and for a moment, he almost lost himself.
But David forced himself to pull back, his body shifting back into human form. Panting, he tried to shake off the bloodthirsty frenzy. The Basilisk roared in anger, its tail smashing into the ground, sending debris flying in all directions. Quickly, David activated Soul Shroud, cloaking himself in ethereal energy. The Basilisk's next attack—a stream of venom—was dodged by him as he closed the distance.
With a surge of power, he summoned his wraiths. Dark, shadowy figures appeared from the spectral plane, surrounding the Basilisk in an instant. The creature thrashed wildly, its body smashing against the ground as it tried to shake off the wraiths. But they were relentless, their spectral claws tearing into its flesh, weakening it further with every attack.
David punched the beast in the head, as the wraiths tried to keep it in place. He then backed away and observed from a distance, calculating his next move. The Wraithkeeper class was powerful, but there were limits. The cooldown on his Spectral Blade transformation was a significant weakness, and the bloodlust it invoked was dangerous. He couldn't rely on it too much.
The Basilisk, weakened but still dangerous, lunged at him again, its venomous fangs aiming for his chest. David narrowly dodged, using Darkstep to teleport behind the beast. He shifted into his Shadowbane Wolf form, his body becoming sleek and agile as he lunged at the Basilisk's exposed neck. His claws sank deep into the creature's flesh, and with a final twist, he ended the battle.
David wiped the blood on him, the cold wind of the forest brushing against his skin as he turned away from the fallen Basilisk. His mind raced, processing the power he had just unleashed, the new abilities he had barely scratched the surface of. The Wraithkeeper class had proven to be both a powerful weapon and a dangerous temptation, but it gave him something he sorely needed: a way to push past his limits.
The battle had left him with a few light injuries, nothing serious. His body ached from the strain of shifting between forms and wielding his new spectral abilities, but it was a familiar pain. He welcomed it, knowing it meant he had survived and grown stronger. The bloodthirsty pull of the Spectral Blade was still there, lingering at the edges of his mind, but David had pushed it back. For now.
As he walked through the darkening forest, heading back toward the mansion, his thoughts drifted. He had always been methodical, careful in how he approached the challenges of this world. But this new class? It was raw, wild, dangerous in a way he hadn't anticipated. And yet, he knew he couldn't afford to turn away from it now. The power of the Wraithkeeper could be the key to unlocking the strength he needed to face the Abyssal Terror again.
The Abyssal Terror—David clenched his fists, remembering the pain from their last encounter. The creature had nearly killed him, guarding its cave with a ferocity that suggested something important was hidden there. He had been forced to retreat, bloodied and broken, but not defeated. Not yet.
His footsteps slowed as the mansion came into view. The familiar structure that had once been his sanctuary after endless battles. It wasn't much, but it was safe. Or at least, it had been. But something was wrong.
David's heart skipped a beat as he saw the rubble, the crumbled stone of the mansion's walls. The entire structure had collapsed, its once-impenetrable defenses now reduced to dust and ruin. He froze, disbelief washing over him. The mansion had been fortified by a complex array of mechanisms and it was likely able to repel beasts below Platinum-tier. It shouldn't have fallen. Not like this.
But it had.
David's eyes narrowed as he stepped forward, his senses on high alert. The closer he got to the ruins, the more the air around him thickened with an unnatural energy. It wasn't just the destruction of the mansion that unnerved him—it was what he sensed within.
Standing amidst the rubble, cloaked in shadows, was a dark figure. Its form was indistinct, but there was something unsettling about the way it moved, as though it didn't belong to the world of the living. The figure didn't respond to David's presence, but its very existence sent a chill down his spine.
His hand instinctively went to the hilt of Dragon's Might, the newly bonded weapon resting at his side. He could feel the connection between them, a pulsing energy that tied the sword to his soul. But even with the weapon in hand, David knew better than to act rashly.
The dark being was unlike anything he had encountered before. It wasn't a beast, at least not one he could identify. And that made it dangerous.
David's thoughts raced as he slowly circled the ruins to find out more, keeping a safe distance from the figure. His heart pounded in his chest, his mind replaying the countless battles he had fought, trying to find a clue, a strategy, something that could explain what he was seeing. But nothing came to mind.
His eyes flicked toward the collapsed mansion once more, the protective arrays shattered and useless. How had this happened? He had tested the defenses himself, the barriers that should have kept even Platinum-tier creatures at bay for some time. And yet, something—someone—had torn it all down.
The dark figure shifted slightly, its movements slow and deliberate, as though it had all the time in the world. David couldn't tell if it had noticed him or if it simply didn't care. But he knew one thing for certain: whatever had happened to his mansion, this figure was at the center of it.
A surge of anger rose within him, but David forced himself to stay calm. He needed answers, not reckless violence.
"What are you?" he muttered under his breath, his grip tightening on Dragon's Might.
As if in response to his words, the dark figure tilted its head ever so slightly, its form becoming even more indistinct in the fading light. David's instincts screamed at him to be cautious, to retreat and regroup, but his curiosity was stronger.
He stepped forward, just enough to get a better look at the figure, his mind already preparing for the worst. If it attacked, he would fight. He had no choice. But for now, he waited, watching and listening, trying to piece together the mystery of what had happened to his home.
The dark figure stood motionless, its presence a silent threat in the broken remnants of David's sanctuary. Whatever this being was, it had destroyed the mansion along with it's barrier with ease—and that meant David was in more danger than he had realized.