Kael stood at the edge of the forest, his newly-forged armor gleaming under the faint shafts of light piercing through the canopy. The smell of earth and damp moss filled the air, but all Kael could focus on was the feel of raw power coursing through him. The armor clung to his form like a second skin, light and flexible, yet he could sense its immense strength, a gift from the Crystal of Creation. Every movement was sharper, quicker, like his body had been fine-tuned to perfection. He flexed his fingers, watching how the gauntlets moved seamlessly, enhancing every small twitch with supernatural precision.
"Ah, feeling it now, aren't you?" The voice in his head was teasing, its usual playful malice evident in every word. "Ready to test out your new toy, Kael? Or is it too much for you to handle?"
Kael clenched his jaw, suppressing the irritation that bubbled up at the sound of the voice. It was always like this—mocking, taunting. But he couldn't deny the crystal had given him something powerful, something that could help him survive in this brutal world. He just had to put up with its incessant games.
Before he could respond, a rustle in the bushes drew his attention. His senses, heightened by the armor, picked up the subtle vibrations in the ground. The faint tremor grew stronger as shadows began to move between the trees. Dark, twisted forms emerged from the undergrowth, their fangs glinting menacingly in the pale light. They were like wolves, but far more monstrous—larger, more savage, with claws that looked like they could tear through steel. Their glowing red eyes were locked on Kael, and their growls reverberated through the air.
Kael's hand instinctively reached for his gun, fingers brushing against the cool metal of its grip. He smirked, ready to unleash a barrage of bullets and see just how far the armor could push him.
But before he could draw, the voice interrupted. "Oh, no, no, no... guns? Really? That's so boring. Besides, every time you fire a bullet, you're wasting the crystal's power. How about something more... fun?"
Kael's expression darkened, the familiar frustration boiling up inside him. "You really love making things harder, don't you?" he muttered under his breath.
A flash of light flickered in his hand, and suddenly, a sword materialized in his grip, shimmering with a faint, eerie glow. Kael tightened his hold around the hilt, feeling the weight of it, a perfect balance between sharpness and force. He hated that the crystal could just alter his plans on a whim, but at the same time, he couldn't deny the weapon felt right in his hands.
"Trust me, Kael. This is going to be much more entertaining." The voice purred, clearly enjoying itself.
The twisted wolf-like creatures didn't wait. As one, they lunged, their claws flashing through the air like blades. Kael moved instinctively, his enhanced reflexes kicking in as he sidestepped the first strike. His sword slashed upward in a blur, cleaving through the nearest monster in one clean stroke. The beast's body split in two, blood spraying out as it collapsed to the ground in a heap.
Before the blood even hit the ground, Kael was already spinning on his heel, his blade cutting through the air. Another creature lunged at him, jaws wide, but Kael's sword met its throat mid-leap, severing its head from its body. The armor's power surged through him, turning every move into a dance of death. There was no hesitation, no sluggishness, just pure, efficient violence.
Three more of the creatures charged from all sides, trying to overwhelm him. Kael dropped low, ducking beneath the first set of claws, and brought his sword in a sweeping arc, slicing through two monsters in one powerful motion. The third beast leaped at his back, but Kael's enhanced senses caught its movement before it could strike. He whirled around, his fist—now encased in the armored gauntlet—smashing into the creature's skull with enough force to crack bone. It fell lifeless at his feet.
Breathing hard, Kael paused, the adrenaline still thrumming in his veins. The forest around him was silent now, the twisted bodies of the beasts littering the ground. His sword dripped with their blood, but his grip remained steady, his body thrumming with energy.
He sheathed his blade, exhaling sharply. "Is that all you've got?" he muttered to himself, half-expecting another wave of monsters.
But before he could catch his breath, the voice echoed once again, a sinister laugh curling around its words.
"Not bad, not bad at all. But if you really want to push your limits, there's something... nearby. Something fun."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "What are you talking about?"
"Oh, just a little challenge," the crystal purred. "A dungeon. A place where monsters thrive, and heroes fall. But don't worry—it's nothing you can't handle... right?"
Kael's body tensed. He had heard of dungeons—mysterious, deadly places where magic twisted reality, and creatures of all kinds lurked. Dangerous, yes, but also full of riches and power.
"What's the catch?" Kael asked, suspicion clear in his voice. He had long learned the crystal never offered anything without a price.
"Oh, nothing much. Just... once you enter, you can't leave until you defeat the floor you're on. Beat the monsters, slay the boss, and you're free to go. Simple, right?"
Kael felt a pit form in his stomach. "I'm not looking to get trapped in some death maze, Voice."
"But think of the rewards! The power! You want to get stronger, don't you? Well, this is how. Besides," the crystal's voice turned sickly sweet, "if you don't want to do it for yourself, do it for them. You wouldn't want to disappoint the village when they need you most, right?"
Kael scowled, hating how easily the crystal manipulated him. Its words hit their mark. He did need to get stronger. If he didn't push his limits, he wouldn't survive this world, let alone help the village.
With a deep breath, Kael followed the crystal's pull deeper into the forest, his steps firm but his mind racing.
Hours later, Kael stood before a massive stone door hidden beneath the roots of an ancient tree. Vines curled around it like snakes, and strange symbols were etched into the stone, glowing faintly as if they sensed his approach.
"Here goes nothing," Kael muttered, placing his hand on the cold surface. The door groaned and shuddered as it slowly opened, revealing a staircase spiraling down into the darkness below.
He descended cautiously, the air growing heavier, thicker, as if the very dungeon walls were closing in around him. His armor absorbed the oppressive atmosphere, but Kael could still feel it pressing against his mind. When he reached the bottom, a vast, cavernous room awaited him.
The first floor of the dungeon stretched out before him, a gloomy expanse lit only by faint, eerie lights embedded into the stone walls. The space reeked of dampness, and the silence was deafening, broken only by the distant drip of water echoing through the chamber.
He wasn't alone.
From the shadows, shapes began to move. The glow from his armor flickered against the dungeon floor, casting long, dancing shadows. There, in the gloom, he saw them—goblins. Their twisted, hunched forms moved slowly at first, eyes glinting with malice as they crept forward, clutching crude weapons in their clawed hands.
The first goblin lunged, its rusty dagger aimed straight for Kael's chest. With lightning reflexes, Kael sidestepped and sliced downward, his blade cutting through the goblin's arm like it was nothing more than paper. The creature howled in pain before Kael delivered a finishing blow, his sword slicing clean through its throat.
No time to rest. More were coming.
Two goblins attacked together, their movements frenzied, trying to overwhelm him with sheer numbers. Kael deflected a club aimed for his head, spinning around to kick the second goblin square in the chest. It staggered back, and Kael followed through with a precise thrust, driving his sword into its heart. Blood sprayed across his armor, but he barely registered it—his mind was focused, calculating every move.
The remaining goblins hesitated, watching as their comrades fell like leaves before a storm. Then, with an enraged snarl, three of them charged at once.
Kael ducked under the first attack, his enhanced speed making him a blur in their eyes. He swung his sword in a deadly arc, cleaving through the first goblin's ribs. Without pausing, he twisted, delivering a swift upward slash that sent the second goblin's head flying into the air.
The third goblin—smaller and faster—danced around his strikes, its jagged blade slashing across his leg. The cut barely pierced his armor, but the sting was enough to make Kael snarl. With a powerful backhand, he knocked the goblin off balance, then drove his sword into its chest with brutal force.
Silence followed. The floor was littered with the bodies of slain goblins, their lifeless forms twitching in the dim light.
Kael wiped the sweat from his brow, his breath steady but strained. The thrill of battle pulsed in his veins, but he knew this wasn't the end. There was more.
"Ah, that was fun to watch," the voice purred, "but you're not done yet. There's something more... interesting ahead."
Kael sheathed his sword and began moving deeper into the dungeon, his eyes scanning the walls for any sign of what was next. After several minutes, he found it—a massive door, much larger than the entrance. Its surface was decorated with twisted symbols, the air around it thick with dark magic.
"Behind that door is the real fun," the crystal whispered, "Ready for the boss?"
Kael didn't answer. He stepped forward, placing his hand on the door. The cold stone beneath his palm seemed to hum with dark energy as it creaked open, the sound echoing ominously through the still air. Beyond the door, a massive chamber stretched out before him, shrouded in darkness, save for the dim flickers of light from distant sconces lining the walls.
At the center of the room, bathed in the eerie glow, stood the Goblin Shaman.
Larger than any goblin Kael had ever seen, the shaman was hunched, its back arched grotesquely under the weight of a twisted staff that pulsed with dark energy. The creature's yellowed, beady eyes gleamed with intelligence and cruelty as it grinned at Kael, its jagged, rotting teeth bared in a sneer. The skin of the shaman was a sickly green, mottled with dark patches of rot, and its long, spindly fingers twitched around the staff as if it could barely contain the raw power it held.
A low hiss escaped its lips, and the air around Kael crackled with energy.
"Oh, this one's a real treat," the crystal's voice slithered into his mind, dripping with excitement. "A Goblin Shaman. It loves sending magic your way. Careful now."
Kael barely had a moment to process the words before the shaman acted. With a guttural snarl, the creature raised its staff high, dark energy swirling violently around the twisted wood. Then, with a sharp flick of its wrist, it hurled a barrage of glowing projectiles, each one crackling with deadly power.
Kael moved on instinct, leaping to the side as the blasts slammed into the stone floor where he'd just stood. The ground shook beneath the impact, shards of stone spraying in every direction as the force of the magic ripped through the chamber. Heat singed the air, the raw power of the attack sending a shiver down Kael's spine. This wasn't just any goblin. This was something far more dangerous.
"Enough of this," Kael muttered, his voice a low growl, his grip tightening on his sword.
Without wasting another second, Kael charged forward, his armor enhancing his speed, turning him into a blur of motion. But the shaman was ready. It cackled, a vile, high-pitched sound that reverberated through the room, and with a sweeping motion of its staff, another wave of dark magic hurtled toward Kael. He twisted in mid-air, narrowly avoiding the searing energy as it scorched the ground behind him.
The shaman laughed again, the sound cruel and mocking, filling the chamber with malice. The darkness seemed to pulse in rhythm with its magic, the air growing heavier with each spell cast.
"Having fun yet?" the crystal's voice teased, its tone dripping with amusement.
Kael gritted his teeth, rage bubbling in his chest. He was tired of the games, tired of the crystal's mockery. His eyes locked onto the shaman, his muscles coiling as he prepared for another strike. With a burst of speed, he dashed forward again, weaving through the projectiles as they exploded around him in a shower of sparks and debris.
The shaman's eyes widened in surprise, realizing too late that Kael had closed the distance. Its fingers fumbled with the staff, trying to summon another spell, but Kael was faster. His sword swung in a deadly arc, the metal gleaming in the dim light as it connected with the shaman's staff. The force of the blow sent the staff flying from the creature's grasp, clattering to the ground far out of reach.
The goblin let out a shriek of fury, its gnarled hands clawing at the air as it tried to summon magic without its staff, but Kael didn't give it the chance. With a swift, precise movement, he thrust his sword forward, driving the blade deep into the shaman's chest. The creature let out a final, strangled cry, its body convulsing violently as the last of its dark energy flickered out.
For a moment, the shaman's yellowed eyes met Kael's, filled with rage, pain, and fear. Then, with a shuddering gasp, its body went limp, collapsing in a lifeless heap at his feet.
Silence fell over the chamber once more, thick and oppressive. The only sound was the faint dripping of water from the ceiling, echoing through the vast emptiness.
Kael stood over the fallen shaman, his breath coming in heavy bursts, the adrenaline of the battle still coursing through his veins. His muscles ached, and the lingering sting of the magic burns throbbed against his skin, but the thrill of victory surged within him.
"Not bad, not bad at all," the crystal whispered, its voice almost impressed for once. "But this was just the first floor. There's more where that came from. So much more."
Kael wiped the blood from his blade, sheathing his sword with a practiced motion. His heart still pounded in his chest, but the reality of what lay ahead began to settle over him like a heavy weight. The thrill of victory was already fading, replaced by the cold knowledge that this was only the beginning.
He glanced back at the door, the only exit from this chamber, and for a brief moment, he considered his options. The crystal hadn't been lying—he couldn't leave until he cleared this floor. And now that the shaman was dead, the way out was clear. But beyond this room lay deeper floors, darker dangers, and even more powerful foes.
"You've only scratched the surface," the crystal continued, its voice coaxing, tempting. "If you want real power, you'll have to keep going. Think of how strong you'll become. Think of what you'll gain."
Kael shook his head, forcing the voice out of his mind. He knew better than to trust its promises, but he also knew that he couldn't walk away from the challenge. Not yet.
But for now, the battle was won.
"Time to head back," he muttered under his breath, turning his back on the dark chamber. His footsteps echoed as he made his way toward the entrance, the heavy weight of his armor barely noticeable after the intensity of the fight.
As Kael left the dungeon behind him, he knew this was only the beginning of the trials that awaited him. The village would still be there when he returned, but the real battle had only just begun.
He Had Returned That Night Falling Into a Deep Sleep
[Crystal of Creation]
+ Absolute Creation
Grants the ability to forge anything imaginable, constrained only by physical limits like size and complexity.
+Infinite Creation
Creations are permanent, but each one gradually depletes the crystal's power over time.
+Armor of Power
The strength of the wearer increases exponentially, with enhancements varying based on the weapon equipped. When wielding a weapon, strength can be amplified by up to XX. However, when unarmed, the armor boosts the wearer's power tenfold, granting 10x their normal strength.
+Muscle Creation
Generates enhanced muscles beyond the user's natural limits, creating strength and power where it never existed before.
New Abilities Locked – Awaiting Unlock