The Abyssal Wyrm's corpse lay smoldering, its massive body casting long shadows in the eerie light of the gate. Around me, the aftermath of the battle was clear—hunters lay wounded, some dead, and the few who remained standing looked shaken. The power struggles had left their mark, but I had come out on top.
Leon was still staring at me, disbelief and confusion flickering across his face. His once unshakable arrogance was nowhere to be seen.
I approached him slowly, each step purposeful. The Eclipse Blade in my hand still hummed with power, the light and dark energy swirling within it, resonating with my own emotions. The system chimed softly in my mind:
Experience Points Gained: 500.
Skill: Eclipse Blade – Level 3.
New Ability Unlocked: Shadow Step.
Another rush of energy surged through me, but I kept my focus on Leon. This was the moment I had been waiting for.
"You—how did you…" Leon stammered, his eyes darting between me and the fallen Wyrm. He was trying to piece it all together, but the shock was too much for him to handle.
I stopped just a few feet away from him, staring down at the man who had once been my leader. "It's over, Leon," I said, my voice cold and steady. "You thought you could control everything. But this time, I'm the one in control."
His eyes widened as he finally understood. "You knew…" he whispered, realization dawning on him. "You knew about the betrayal, about Kade, about all of it."
I nodded. "I knew because I lived it once before. This time, I wasn't going to let you stab me in the back." I watched as the fear in his eyes grew, the weight of his actions crashing down on him. "But it's not just about survival anymore. It's about revenge."
Leon's face paled as he scrambled back, his hands shaking. He was no longer the confident leader who had orchestrated my death. Now, he was just another pawn in my game. I raised the Eclipse Blade, ready to end it, when a voice called out from behind me.
"Luca, wait."
I turned to see Aria standing a few paces away, her expression unreadable. Ghost hovered nearby, his presence as silent and ominous as ever.
Aria stepped closer, her eyes flicking between me and Leon. "This isn't the time for revenge. We still have to get out of here alive. If you kill him now, we'll have to deal with the rest of his followers."
I glanced at the remaining hunters, many of whom had been loyal to Leon. They were still recovering from the chaos of the raid, but if I killed their leader, it wouldn't take much to ignite a new conflict. Aria was right—we weren't out of danger yet.
I lowered the Eclipse Blade, though the desire for vengeance still burned hot within me. "You're lucky she's here," I muttered, glaring down at Leon. "But don't think for a second that you've escaped what's coming."
Leon swallowed hard, his body trembling as he nodded. "I… I'll fall back. You won't see me again," he said, his voice shaking. He scrambled to his feet and stumbled away, his loyal followers moving to help him as they fled the scene.
For now, Leon was no longer a threat. But I knew he wouldn't stay hidden forever.
As I watched him go, the system chimed once more, signaling another update:
Quest Complete: Defeat the S-Rank Beast.
New Quest Unlocked: Rise Above.
I opened the system's interface, curious about the new quest. The details appeared before me in glowing text:
Rise Above:
Objective: Reach Level 10 and uncover the true nature of the Chaos System.
Reward: Legendary Class Evolution.
My heart raced. A legendary class? The power that came with such a title was beyond anything I had ever dreamed of. This was my chance to break free from the limitations of my past life and ascend to something greater—something unstoppable.
But first, I needed to grow stronger.
I turned to Aria and Ghost. "We've still got work to do. There's a lot of power in this gate, and we're going to need every bit of it."
Aria nodded, a small smirk playing on her lips. "You don't need to tell me twice. Let's finish this."
Ghost merely inclined his head, his eyes flicking toward the distant horizon. He had already sensed it—the lingering presence of other monsters deep within the gate. We weren't done yet.
With Leon gone, the remaining hunters were scattered, unsure of what to do next. Some of them began looting the Abyssal Wyrm's massive corpse, while others tended to their wounded comrades. I didn't care what they did. My focus was on the system, on leveling up and claiming the power that had been denied to me in my past life.
"Let's move," I said, gesturing for Aria and Ghost to follow.
We made our way deeper into the gate, the oppressive heat of the realm pressing down on us as we ventured into uncharted territory. The landscape shifted around us, the jagged rocks giving way to vast caverns filled with dark, swirling energy. I could feel the pull of something powerful lurking within these depths, and the system seemed to agree.
Warning: High-level creatures detected. Proceed with caution.
I gripped the Eclipse Blade tightly, my mind focused on the battles to come. I wasn't afraid. Not anymore.
As we descended further into the caverns, the air grew colder, and the shadows seemed to stretch unnaturally long. The monsters here were unlike anything we had faced before—twisted, nightmarish creatures that moved with unnatural speed and ferocity. But with each one we defeated, I could feel the system feeding me strength, pushing me closer to my goal.
I watched as Aria danced through the battlefield, her twin daggers flashing in the dim light, while Ghost struck from the shadows, his movements barely perceptible. They were formidable allies, and I was grateful to have them by my side. But even as we fought together, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching us—something far more dangerous than the monsters we had encountered so far.
And then, as we entered the heart of the cavern, I saw it.
A massive stone altar stood at the center, pulsing with dark energy. At its base lay a shimmering object—an orb, radiating with power unlike anything I had ever felt before. The system immediately reacted:
Item Detected: Orb of Ascension.
I stepped forward, my heart pounding in my chest. This was it—the key to unlocking my true potential. The Orb of Ascension was a relic spoken of in legends, said to grant unparalleled power to those strong enough to wield it. I had no doubt that this was what the system had led me to.
But as I reached out to take the orb, a voice echoed through the cavern, low and menacing.
"So, you've come for the power, have you?"
I froze, my hand inches from the orb. Slowly, I turned to see a figure emerging from the shadows—a man draped in dark robes, his eyes glowing with an unnatural light.
He smiled, a cold, cruel smile. "You're not the only one seeking ascension, Luca."
My blood ran cold. This wasn't over yet.