The robed man's smirk faded into a sneer as the air around him crackled with dark energy. He raised his hand, and the shadows around the cavern twisted, forming grotesque creatures. Their bodies were hunched and distorted, their faces twisted into permanent snarls, and their claws gleamed with unnatural sharpness.
"Do you think you're the only one who's fought for power, Luca?" the man said, his voice cold and condescending. "I've bled, I've sacrificed, and now I will take what's mine."
Before I could react, the creatures lunged. The first of them came at me with a speed that defied logic, its claws aimed for my throat. I barely had time to react, swinging the Eclipse Blade in a wide arc. The blade, now pulsing with energy, met the creature's claw with a crack. The force of my strike severed its arm clean off, and black blood sprayed across the ground.
Skill: Eclipse Blade – Level 4
New Ability Unlocked: Void Slash
I felt the system surge inside me, feeding my blood lust. The creatures kept coming, but I wasn't afraid. I welcomed the chaos. I charged forward, slashing left and right, carving through their grotesque forms with savage precision.
One creature leapt at me, and I activated my new skill, Void Slash. A crescent of pure darkness erupted from my blade, slicing the monster in half mid-air. Its torso exploded into a shower of blood and guts, drenching me in viscera. The warmth of the blood dripping down my face only fueled my rage.
Behind me, I heard Ghost's low growl as he dove into the fray. He moved like a phantom, a blur of black against the darkness. His dagger found the throat of one of the creatures, blood spurting out in a high arc as the body collapsed to the ground. Aria followed him, her twin blades spinning like a whirlwind. Her movements were graceful but deadly, leaving a trail of bodies in her wake.
The battlefield was a slaughterhouse. Blood slicked the stone floor, organs spilled out from torn bodies, and the stench of death filled the cavern. But it wasn't enough. The robed man was still watching us, his smile growing wider as the chaos unfolded.
"I see you've grown stronger, but it won't be enough," he hissed, raising both arms as he chanted an incantation. The shadows around the altar began to thicken, forming into an even larger, more grotesque creature. Its body was a mass of writhing limbs and eyes, all of them trained on me.
I barely had time to react before it lunged. Its massive fist came down with bone-crushing force. I dodged, but the shock-wave of the blow cracked the stone beneath me. The creature's other arm whipped around, catching me in the side. I felt my ribs crack as I was flung across the cavern, slamming into the wall with a sickening thud. Blood filled my mouth, and I spat it out onto the ground.
"Luca!" Aria shouted, but I raised a hand, stopping her from rushing to my aid. This was my fight.
I struggled to my feet, my vision swimming. Pain lanced through my body, but I gritted my teeth and focused. I could feel the system urging me forward, pushing me toward something. The Eclipse Blade pulsed in my hand, the dark and light energies warring for dominance.
Then, it happened.
Skill Evolution Triggered: Eclipse Blade → Abyssal Eclipse Blade
New Ability Unlocked: Abyssal Devourer
Power surged through me, stronger than anything I had felt before. The blade in my hand darkened, its edge glowing with a sinister light. The system flashed a warning in my mind, but I ignored it. There was no time for caution.
The creature charged again, its many limbs reaching out to crush me. But this time, I was ready. I activated Abyssal Devourer, and a vortex of swirling dark energy erupted from my blade. The air around us distorted as the vortex expanded, sucking in everything around it. The creature's grotesque limbs were pulled into the vortex, twisting and snapping as it struggled against the force.
I roared, pouring everything I had into the attack. The vortex grew larger, and soon, the entire creature was consumed. Its body was torn apart, piece by piece, until nothing remained but a splatter of blood and broken bones. The vortex dissipated, leaving only silence in its wake.
I staggered, feeling the toll the attack had taken on me. My vision blurred, and for a moment, I thought I might collapse. But then the system chimed again:
Experience Points Gained: 800
Level Up!
Health Restored.
I felt a rush of vitality as my wounds healed, and I straightened, glaring at the robed man.
His smug expression had faded, replaced by something closer to fear. "Impossible," he whispered. "You… you're just a boy!"
I stepped forward, the Abyssal Eclipse Blade humming in my hand. "I'm not just a boy," I said, my voice cold. "I'm your worst nightmare."
Before he could react, I lunged. The blade moved faster than I'd ever seen it, a blur of light and shadow. I aimed for his heart, but at the last second, he raised a barrier of dark energy. The force of my strike shattered the barrier, but it slowed me down just enough for him to back away.
He sneered, though there was fear in his eyes. "You may have power, but you're still bound by the system's limits. You'll never reach your full potential."
I grinned, my bloodied face twisted into a savage smile. "You don't know anything about me."
I activated Shadow Step, my body disappearing into the darkness. The robed man's eyes widened, but before he could react, I reappeared behind him, my blade at his throat.
He gasped, his body frozen in fear. "Wait! We can work together—"
I didn't let him finish. I slashed the blade across his neck, and blood sprayed out in a wide arc, drenching the stone floor. He fell to his knees, his hands clutching at his throat as he gurgled and gasped for air. I watched as the life drained from his eyes.
Quest Complete: Defeat the Dark Ascendant.
New Ability Unlocked: Black Eclipse.
I sheathed the blade, my heart still pounding in my chest. The cavern was silent now, the only sound the soft dripping of blood onto the stone.
Aria and Ghost approached me, their expressions a mix of awe and concern. "Are you okay?" Aria asked, her voice soft.
I nodded, though the weight of what I had just done still hung heavy on my shoulders. "I'm fine. But this is just the beginning."
I turned back to the Orb of Ascension, still glowing ominously at the center of the cavern. This was my next step—the key to unlocking the true power of the Chaos System.
And I was ready to claim it.