Chapter 18: Boons of hardwork
Cruz fell to his knees, gasping for breath. His health was dangerously low, and his body felt like it was on fire from the poison coursing through his veins. But he had won. He had survived. The battle against the Shadow Assassin had pushed him to his very limits, but the rewards were worth it. As he knelt there, his vision blurring from exhaustion, the familiar chime of the system rang in his head, dragging his attention back to the present.
[Fought and defeated a creature above your life level]
[Experience doubled from defeating a higher life form]
[Interference from...(error??//πππ¦ππ‘π π’π¦ π¦π₯π‘π π’π)]
[Rewards adjusted]
[Difficulty rewards recalculating...β¦.]
Before Cruz could fully process what was happening, a flood of notifications appeared before him, listing his rewards.
[Title earned: Bane of Assassins (Gold Rank)]
Description: Granted for taking down powerful assassin-type creatures in higher-tier dungeons or gates.
Perk: +15% movement speed when in stealth or darkness.
Skill: Shadow Meld β Become partially invisible for 3 seconds, making it harder for enemies to target you.
The rewards continued to pile on.
[Gained equipment: Daggers of the Shadow Assassin (Veil of Shadows Set)]
Type: Weapon (Dagger)
Rank: C
Description: A pair of finely crafted daggers made from the elongated blade limbs of the Shadow Assassin. They shimmer with an ethereal sheen and are imbued with shadow magic, with a poison debuff effect that weakens targets over time.
Stats:
Attack Power: +20 (for both daggers)Critical Hit Chance: +15%Special Abilities:
Shadow Cloak: Grants the wielder invisibility for 3 seconds after a successful kill.
Shadow Rend: Creates a shadowy afterimage that distracts the target, reducing their defenses.
[Gained equipment: Assassin Silence Boots (Veil of Shadows Set)]
Type: Footwear
Rank: C
Description: These boots are crafted for silent movement, allowing the wearer to tread softly and avoid detection.
Stats:
Agility: +6Speed: +5%Special Ability: Phantom Steps β Increases movement speed after evading an attack.
Cruz's heartbeat quickened. These items were valuable beyond measure, especially for someone like him, whose stealth and agility played a key role in survival. Yet something was offβan eerie sensation crept into his mind as the system's notifications continued to glitch.
[Elixir of Vitality]
Description: Increases maximum health temporarily.
Effect: Increases max HP by 20% for 5 minutes.
[interference from...(error??//πππ¦ππ‘π π’π¦ π¦π₯π‘π π’π)]
[Rewards adjusted Elixir of vitality removed]
[Difficulty rewards recalculating...β¦.]
[Potion of Resurgence]
Description: Fully restores health and mana instantly.
Effect: Restores 100 HP and 100 MP instantly.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.
[interference from...(error??//πππ¦ππ‘π π’π¦ π¦π₯π‘π π’π)]
[Rewards adjusted]
[Difficulty rewards recalculating...β¦.]
[Divine boon detected, Divine boon removed ]
[interference from...(error??//πππ¦ππ‘π π’π¦ π¦π₯π‘π π’π)]
[Ability upgrade innate β¦.....(error??//πππ¦ππ‘π π’π¦ π¦π₯π‘π π’π)]
Causality NexusΒ
Type :storage type
Rank :(error??//πππ¦ππ‘π π’π¦ π¦π₯π‘π π’π)
Description: A swirling vortex of light and energy, representing the character's connection to causality. This space can manipulate time and space-related abilities. Integration completeΒ [ β¦..error (πππ) ]
He didn't have time to celebrate before a gut-wrenching pain shot through him. Cruz screamed, clutching his head as needles of agony pierced through his skull. It felt as though someone was branding his soul with molten iron. He writhed on the ground, his cries mingling with the fading echoes of the battle, as the system continued to glitch in and out, the strange runes appearing once moreβπππ.
Each symbol burned itself into his very essence, etching deep into his soul. Distinct chants echoed in his ears, voices that seemed to belong to beings far beyond his comprehension. His vision blurred, and for a brief moment, he caught sight of nine silhouettes standing in the distance, watching him from the shadows of time itself. Then, just as quickly as they appeared, they vanished, leaving Cruz alone once again. The pain receded, but the aftermath left him drenched in sweat, trembling uncontrollably.
His body was burning from within, fevered and exhausted. His wound from the battle was still oozing dark, purplish blood. It was getting worse. Poison from the Shadow Assassin still lingered in his system, eating away at his insides.
But then something clicked in his mind, like a lock finally turning after a thousand years. A new sense bloomed within him, a connection to a space beyond his immediate reality. Cruz blinked, his mind now reaching out toward that spaceβa wide-open field with shimmering grass and floating objects. His dungeon drops. They were all there, hovering in a pocket dimension he could now access.
He gingerly laughed, the irony of it all sinking in. Causality Nexusβhis new storage ability, far grander than anything he'd ever seen or heard of. A personal storage space, linked directly to his mind. He wondered if others had this ability, but he had never encountered anyone who wielded one of this size.
Curious, Cruz reached out mentally, and with a thought, the objects from the field shimmered into reality in front of him. Another thought, and they vanished back into the Causality Nexus. His mind buzzed with the potential of this power, but right now, survival was more important.
He took out the [Potion of Resurgence], uncorked it, and downed the glowing red liquid. Instantly, he felt his body react to the potion. His wounds sizzled, the infection and poison bubbling to the surface before being expelled. He watched in morbid fascination as a lump formed at the site of his wound, pus and poison bursting out with a sickening pop, leaving behind clean, unblemished skin. The damage from the battle disappeared, and a sense of renewal flowed through him as his body returned to peak form.
Cruz pulled up his system panel to check his stats.
Character Profile: Cruz Hernandez
Race: Human
Level: 9
Title: (Bane of Assassins gold)
Perk: +15% movement speed when in stealth or darkness.
Skill: Shadow Meld β Become partially invisible for 3 seconds, making it harder for enemies to target you.
Abilities:
Descent of Primus
Rank: F (evolving)
Effect: User can accelerate or decelerate the flow of time around a target for a short duration.
Description: ?????
+Causality Nexus
Type: Storage (Innate)
Identify
Rank: F (70/100)
Effect: User can discern basic information about an object, creature, or entity, including its name, type, level, and basic attributes.
Weak Quakehorn Titan Bloodline
Rank: ???
Description: Ability absorbed from the Stonehide Rhino's blood.
Earthquake Stomp
Rank: B
Type: AoE (Area of Effect)
Effect: Creates massive tremors that shake the earth over a large area. Knocks enemies back, causing significant damage.
Earth Sense
Rank: F (45/100)
Effect: User can sense vibrations in the earth, detecting nearby terrain features and the presence of creatures.
Shadow Thrust
Rank: E
Effect: A technique that enhances the speed and lethality of thrusting attacks with darkness. Has a chance to stun enemies.
Health and Resources:
Health Points (HP): 70/70
Mana Points (MP): 70/70
Stamina: 62/85
Stats:
Strength: 9
Agility: 12 (+6 from Silence Boots)
Endurance: 9
Toughness: 9
Wisdom: 9
Intelligence: 11
Willpower: 9
Vitality: 10
Current Experience (XP): 2150/3000 (Level 10)
Available Stat Points: 10
Equipment skills:
Special Ability: Phantom Steps β Increases movement speed after evading an attack.
Special Abilities:Shadow Cloak: Grants the wielder invisibility for 3 seconds after a successful kill.
Shadow Rend: Creates a shadowy afterimage that distracts the target, reducing their defenses.
A wave of satisfaction washed over him. He had leveled up twice and was just shy of the critical Level 10 milestone. At Level 10, he would unlock an innate skillβsomething only the most seasoned Awakened spoke of with reverence. Innate skills were unique abilities, often tied to a person's deepest potential, making them invaluable in both combat and survival.
He closed the panel and stood, his body feeling renewed. The air around him seemed clearer, sharper, as if his senses had heightened after brushing so close to death. He flexed his fingers, testing the newfound strength coursing through his veins. Even though the battle had been brutal, he felt stronger, faster, more prepared.
But the lingering pain in his soul troubled him. The symbolsβthe ancient, incomprehensible lettersβhad etched themselves deeply into his very being. He had no idea what they meant, but they felt important, tied to something far greater than he could grasp. Those silhouettes he saw, those distant, god-like figuresβ¦ what had they done to him? And why?
Shaking his head, Cruz decided that those questions would have to wait. He had survived this battle, but it was only one of many to come. The gates still held countless dangers, and his journey was far from over.
As he looked out toward the horizon, the wind blowing gently through the trees, a new determination flared within him. Whatever had just transpired, whatever strange powers had awoken within him, he would master them. And he would uncover the truth about the gates, the Awakened, and the power that now pulsed through his veins.
He took a deep breath and began walking forward, his eyes set on the path ahead. The city was calling his first skill overreacting he needed answers and he knew he could get them inside the dilapidated city.