Lux keep trained relentlessly after getting the new quest. He pushing his body beyond what should have been its limit.
He ran through the same exercises again and again — running laps through the alleyways, dropping to the ground for push-ups, sit-ups, and squats. His arms trembled, his legs ached, and his stomach clenched painfully from hunger, but he didn't stop.
He did the exercise five more times, and finally got the notification of level up.
By the time the sun dipped below the horizon, the city lights flickered on, casting shadows on the streets.
Lux finally allowed himself to stop, his breath ragged, sweat dripping from his brow.
His muscles screamed in protest but he was still standing.
That was strange.
With the way he had been pushing himself, he should have collapsed by now. And yet, despite the exhaustion, he could still keep going.
He frowned, wiping sweat from his forehead.
"Is this the Abyss System doing?"
Lux clenched his fists, flexing his fingers. His body was in pain but it wasn't shutting down. He could still move.
It felt like something was reinforcing him and keeping him from breaking.
"This strange power was altering my body. I'm sure of it."
He had no proof but the thought settled deep in his mind. It made sense. The System wanted him to grow stronger. It allowed him to keep training past his natural limits.
A small smirk tugged at his lips.
"Fine. If that's the case, I'll use it as much as I can."
Finally, as night fully descended over the city, Lux sat down against the wall of the abandoned building, his body finally at rest. He took a deep breath before summoning the runes of the system.
A familiar glowing rune appeared before him.
[ Status Window ]
Name: Lux Aliqyeri
Level: 3
Class: Novice Hunter
Exp: 20/100
HP: 210/210
MP: 50/50
[Stats:]
Strength: 12
Agility: 12
Endurance: 12
Perception: 5
Intelligence: 5
Charisma: 5
Luck: 5
[Skills:]
1. Basic Combat Skills
Lux stared at the runes, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"My stats were all at 5 before... and now Strength, Agility, and Endurance have increased by 7 points each."
The growth was significant. He could feel it, his body was stronger, faster, more resilient than it had been this morning. If he had tried pushing himself this hard without the System, he would have collapsed long ago.
He flexed his fingers again, feeling the tension in his muscles.
This power it wasn't normal. But he didn't care.
Because he needed it.
He closed the rune window with a flick of his wrist and stood up. There was no time to stay still here.
Somewhere in the city, a Lesser Thrall was lurking in the shadows.
"But how do I find it?" Lux thought, frowning.
Supernatural creatures existed. He knew that. He had seen them with his own eyes the night his family was slaughtered. But before that? He had never encountered one, never even suspected that they were also presence inside the city.
And that was because the various religious orders like The Solara's Knights, hunted them relentlessly.
They were the guardians of humanity who work from the shadows to cleanse the world of these monsters.
"I never thought they could exist inside the city... not until yesterday night."
That realization unsettled him. It meant that either the religious orders had failed, or something far worse was happening beneath the surface.
But right now, he had no answers. He just need to hunt. However, he had no idea where to start.
His brows furrowed as he scanned the streets from a windowpane beside him. The city was alive with its usual noise. Nothing seemed out of place.
"Damn it... I should have learned about this before."
He had studied discipline and the laws of the city. But tracking supernatural entities was something he had never been taught.
But then, a cold voice echoed in his mind.
["Do not be discouraged, Host. Lesser Thralls are not difficult to find if you know what to look for."]
Lux stiffened. The Abyss System had spoken again.
["Not like thee efully transformed vampires, Thralls are unstable. Their bodies are caught between humanity and monsters, leaving them vulnerable to certain weaknesses."]
Lux's mind sharpened, absorbing the information.
["Their hunger is uncontrollable. They must feed regularly on blood or human flesh, or they will begin to deteriorate. They usually came to seek out isolated victims like beggars, drunks, or lone travelers in the night. If you wish to find one, go where the desperate and forgotten gather. Coincidentally, you are in that kind of place now."]
Lux's eyes narrowed.
"This place... the slums. That creature must be around here."
It made sense. The city's underbelly was where people vanished without a trace. The knights and constables didn't patrol there as much and no one questioned when another vagrant went missing.
["I will give you more information, their transformation is incomplete. Not like a pure blooded vampires, they cannot fully suppress their urges. Their bodies often twitching, their breathing is irregular, and their eyes can glow faintly. If you observe closely, you will see the signs."]
The System actually giving him the knowledge to track them on his own. This is a good help.
"This is better," he thought.
He turned, his gaze shifting toward the dim streets.
There was another problem.
"How do I kill it?"
He had no weapons. If he ran into the Thrall empty-handed, he'd be fighting a monster with nothing but his fists. He don't particularly like the idea.
["Lesser Thralls are fragile compared to full-blooded vampires. Their bones and muscles have begun transforming but they are incomplete. Their bodies are still human enough to be killed. However, normal wounds will not stop them."]
Lux's jaw tightened. That was expected.
["A Lesser Thrall will regenerate from most injuries unless its brain or heart is destroyed. Crushing the skull or piercing the heart is the most efficient method."]
Destroy the brain or pierce the heart. That meant he needed either blunt force or something sharp enough to stab deep.
Lux glanced around the abandoned building. There had to be something he could use. His eyes scanned the area, searching for makeshift weapons.
["Improvised weapons are acceptable. A sharpened pipe, a broken piece of wood, or even a loose brick can serve as a tool for execution."]
Lux smirked. That confirmed it. He didn't need a fancy weapon. He just needed something to get the job done.
His gaze landed on a pile of discarded junk near a rotting wooden crate. He moved quickly, digging through it until his fingers wrapped around something solid. It was a rusted iron pipe, about half a meter long. If he struck with enough force he could crack a skull open.
Near the pipe, a rusted big knife stuck out from a pile of rubble. Lux yanked it free, examining the sharp tip. It could stab them if he put enough strength behind it.
"Good enough."
["That's crude, but should be effective with you stats right now. You must be precise. A Lesser Thrall is faster and stronger than an average human, but it lacks intelligence. Do not hesitate. A single mistake will cost your life."]
Lux tightened his grip. He already knew that. If he hesitated, he would die.
His fingers curled around the pipe, and the rusted knife. With this, he will begin his first hunt.
---