Max ran forward, his gaze locked on the golden spot glowing in the center of the Cyclocord's chest. Just as he was about to strike, the Scorpio head of the creature snapped at him, intercepting his sword mid-air and sending both Max and the blade flying in opposite directions.
He crashed against a stone pillar, and pain lanced through his chest as he coughed up blood. His HP plummeted to 1000. Gritting his teeth, he struggled to rise, only to see a strange green-glowing bullet of stone hurtling toward him. He instinctively dodged to the side, but his shoulder collided with an invisible wall. The Cyclocord had conjured an earthen wall to box him in.
This thing is smart, Max thought, feeling trapped. He dodged again, but the stone bullet grazed his thigh, leaving a deep, burning wound. His HP dropped to 900, but worse, a status alert flashed in his vision:
You have been poisoned! HP will decrease by 5 per second.
The poison will lose effect if the caster is killed.
Max's heart sank. He had just over three minutes to kill this monstrosity before the poison drained him completely. He reached instinctively for his sword, only to realize it wasn't there. With no other option, he braced himself, charging toward the Cyclocord with all his might.
The creature unleashed a barrage of stone bullets. Max quickly manipulated his bone armor, concentrating it into heavy gauntlets around his arms to absorb the impact. The makeshift gauntlets successfully blocked the bullets, and he closed the distance. As he neared the beast, he ducked low, swinging his right gauntlet up in a powerful punch that struck the Scorpio head's jaw.
Using the momentum, he transformed his left gauntlet into a spiked weapon, punching it directly into the eye of the cyclopean head. The creature roared, stumbling as it lost balance. It staggered backward, momentarily blind, its body wavering from the pain. Max seized the opportunity, knowing his only chance was to throw it into chaos.
But then the Scorpio head lashed out, slicing through the Cyclops head in a vicious, enraged attack. To Max's horror, the golden glow marking the Cyclocord's weak spot vanished as layers of rock coated the creature's body. The Scorpio head had taken full control.
As if to mock him, a new golden glow appeared in the spot where the Cyclops head had once been. Max gritted his teeth and leapt, aiming to strike the new weak point, but mid-air, he felt a bone-chilling grip latch onto his ankle. The Scorpio tail had wrapped around him, pulling him down with merciless force.
He struggled, watching helplessly as his HP dropped with each poisoned second. He tried to activate Bone Manipulation to shatter his own armor and break free, but the Cyclocord tightened its grip, smashing him to the ground with bone-crushing strength. His armor shattered, and his HP dropped again—450, then 200.
The countdown to death ticked in his mind. Desperation fueled him as he fought to regain control. He scanned the cavern in a frantic search, his eyes catching a faint glint across the room—his sword, lying on the rocky floor. Summoning every ounce of his remaining mana, he activated Bone Manipulation with an intensity he had never dared before.
He focused, compressing and compressing the blade until it was razor-sharp and compact, knowing that a single strike was his only chance. His vision blurred from the poison and exhaustion, but he held firm, manipulating the sword through the air as it sped toward the Cyclocord's weak spot.
In a heartbeat, the sword pierced the golden mark with a resounding crack, burying itself deep within the creature. A shriek echoed through the cavern as the Cyclocord's body convulsed violently before collapsing on top of him. His HP dropped again, now hovering at a fragile 10HP.
Panting and shaking, Max used a mana potion, feeling a surge of energy flow through him. He managed to crawl out from under the monster's massive body, his breath ragged. With his last reserves, he activated his Abyssal Breathing Technique, letting his body absorb the energy, restoring his wounds and increasing his HP. As his HP crept up to 100, he finally relaxed, allowing the tension to drain from his body.
Soul Usurped: Stats increased by +10 in all attributes.
You have Leveled Up!
You have Leveled Up!
Bone Manipulation has leveled up!
The power surged through him, the pain receding as his body adjusted to the new strength. His entire being vibrated, and rather than the usual discomfort, this time, he felt renewed. Another message blinked before him:
Achievement Unlocked: Abyssal Body 2/100
Teacher's Pov:
Back in the observation hall, Principal Simon Mordy and the other teachers watched the screens, each showing a student's progress. As expected, Sophia Silver had accumulated 6,320 points in Nightmare difficulty, taking out creatures methodically and skillfully. Mr. Caldwell and Ms. Hartford were receiving praise for their students' successes.
Arlen was holding steady in Difficult, with 3,041 points.
But the scoreboard suddenly updated again, hearing cheers from all students. showing a significant change in score, witch max remaining at the top.
Points Standings :
1) Max Miller: 29,100 points
2) Sophia Silver: 6,320 points
3) Arlen Grace: 3,041 points
The teachers exchanged astonished glances, murmuring among themselves. Not only was Max leading by an immense margin, but he was doing so in Hell difficulty—a setting traditionally tackled by groups, not individuals. The fact that he had even survived this long was unbelievable.
"Isn't Hell difficulty the only category where teams are allowed?" one teacher asked, sounding incredulous.
"Yes," Principal Mordy replied. "Hell is designed for teamwork, not solo play. Typically, no one would choose it unless they had complete trust in their team members. But Max... he's going alone."
The teachers continued to watch, mesmerized as Max methodically carved through monsters and re-equipped himself without resting. Some students had already activated their safety tents, resting between floors and spending precious points to recover. But Max showed no signs of stopping, his stamina seeming endless.
"How does he keep going?" another teacher murmured. "We know he wasn't exactly the most athletic back in gym class."
Max's Pov:
With his armor and weapon newly crafted, Max checked his status again, marveling at the stats Soul Usurpation had granted him.
Abyssal Dominion
Name: Max Miller
Race: Human
Class: Shadowrune
Trait: Soul Usurpation (F) – Grants the ability to absorb the essence of defeated foes, increasing stats with a 10% chance to acquire the foe's skills.
Level: 15
HP: 3400
Defense: 200
Strength: 54
Agility: 62
Stamina: 56
Mana: 43
Vitality: 34
Sense: 40
Skills:
Bone Manipulation (Level 4): Enhanced control over bone structures, allowing for complex manipulations and creations.
Bone Creation (Level 3): Ability to craft high-durability items and armor with specialized functions.
Bone Equip (Level 1): Integrates bone armor within the body, reducing defense by half when stored.
Soul Flame (Level 1): Burns a target's soul, dealing 5 HP of direct damage per second, bypassing armor defenses.
Wind Barrier (Level 1): Creates a shield of swirling wind that deflects physical projectiles and reduces incoming damage by reflecting some force back at attackers.
Max was there sitting, thinking of needing a passive ability as he can't use Breathing technique in battle, when he slapped his own face for being so dumb.
He said out loud "I command my body to always breathe using the abyssal breathing technique, without causing me any discomfort"
Max then relaxed and saw a message pop up
Achievement Unlocked: True utilization - You have progressed in your understanding of Abyss.
Effect: You will now gain 1 Stamina and 1 Mana every 6 hours automatically.