Ethan treaded carefully through the dense forest, his steps firm as he made his way toward the mountain Calayra had pointed out earlier. The air was thick with a sense of anticipation, and Ethan took the opportunity to test his newfound abilities.
Using his "Skill Creation" ability, he conjured new elemental strikes: Fire's Special Strike, Water's Special Strike, Wind's Special Strike, and Earth's Special Strike. Each skill brought him closer to mastering the elements, and their power radiated through him as he practiced on stray boulders and trees along the path.
After hours of walking, Ethan arrived at the entrance of a dark cave etched into the mountain's side. The stone entrance loomed before him, foreboding yet intriguing.
"Let's see what's in there," Ethan muttered to himself, stepping cautiously forward.
"Chirp!" Calayra landed on his shoulder, clearly excited yet wary.
The air inside the cave was damp, and faint streams of light filtered through cracks in the rocky ceiling. Ethan ventured deeper until he found himself standing before a giant gate, adorned with strange, ancient symbols.
"I can't read any of this," Ethan admitted, scratching his head. "Calayra, any ideas?"
"Chirp..." Calayra shook her head in denial.
Shrugging, Ethan checked his map for guidance before pressing his hands against the massive gate. Thanks to his strengthened stats, the gate groaned and shifted under his push, opening just wide enough for him to slip through.
What lay beyond left Ethan speechless. The room glimmered with unimaginable wealth: piles of gold coins, weapons, books, and a peculiar box that seemed to pulse faintly with energy. Just as Ethan began to marvel at the treasures, the system chimed.
---
[Ding...]
[Abundant fragments of law detected...]
[Activating the law absorption function...]
[0.2%...0.6%...2%...]
---
While the system worked to absorb the fragments of law, Ethan wasted no time. He walked toward the treasure, storing the mountains of gold coins into his inventory.
---
[Gold Coins: 100,000,000,000]
---
Next, he approached the weapons. A quick glance was enough to see their rarity and potential.
---
[Weapons Acquired:]
Common: 596
Rare: 200
Mythical: 146
Legendary: 100
---
He didn't bother reading the full details of each weapon, opting to store them all. Moving on, Ethan came across shelves lined with books, ranging from basic manuals to divine tomes.
---
[Books Acquired:]
Basic Guide: 10,000
Practitioner's Manual: 2,000
Advanced Compendium: 1,500
Master's Handbook: 1,500
Arcane Scroll: 1,000
Legendary: 1,000
Divine: 100
---
Ethan stored every book, knowing their knowledge would be invaluable later.
As he worked, the system's absorption progress continued in the background.
---
[78%...80%...90%...98%...100%]
[Law absorbed successfully]
[New function unlocked: Domain Management]
---
[Domain Management:]
Portable personal domain.
In your domain, you are a god and can do anything.
Managed using Domain Coins.
Domain Shop unlocked.
Time Ratio: 1 day outside = 2 days inside.
---
[100,000 Domain Coins received for first-time law absorption.]
---
Ethan was about to ask the system for more details when the cave began to tremble violently. Rocks fell from the ceiling, and the walls cracked ominously.
"Time to go!" Ethan shouted, grabbing the strange-looking box before teleporting out of the collapsing cave.
---
Outside, Ethan barely had time to catch his breath before spotting a large group of Shadow Wolves blocking his path. Their snarls echoed through the forest, their eyes glowing with predatory malice.
But Ethan was unphased. He gripped his blade tightly and dashed toward them. His movements were swift, and his strikes deadly. Using a combination of his new special strikes and raw power, he tore through the pack with ease.
The wolves that remained hesitated, their confidence shattered. They had once roamed the forest without fear, but now they faced a boy who had slain the Shadow Wyrm itself.
It didn't take long for Ethan to finish them off. He collected their right ears as proof of the hunt and stored their bodies in his inventory, intending to harvest materials later.
---
To avoid further surprises, Ethan teleported to a safe distance from the main town gate. He approached the entrance, flashing his guild ID to the guards before entering the town.
Exhausted yet satisfied, Ethan made his way to the inn. Calayra perched on his shoulder, chirping softly. It had been a long day, but Ethan couldn't help but feel a sense of accomplishment. His power was growing, and he was ready for whatever lay ahead.