"Ahhhhhh!"
A scream ripped through the stillness as Dera jolted upright on the bed, his chest heaving. His trembling hands clawed at his body, searching frantically for the stab wounds, the searing pain he should be feeling. But there was nothing—no blood, no agony. Just an eerie calmness that made his heart race even faster.
The panic deepened as he realized his surroundings. Darkness. Immeasurable and suffocating. He blinked hard, but there was no light to pierce the void.
"Where... am I?" he whispered, his voice trembling as it vanished into the emptiness.
"Good, you're awake," a voice echoed, low and steady, bouncing off the walls of the unseen room.
Dera froze, his ears straining to locate the speaker. "Who's there?"
"Although we've tested this before," the voice continued, ignoring his question. "Now that you're conscious, we need to confirm it again," the voice continued.
"C-confirm what?" Dera stammered, his voice barely audible.
A moment of silence stretched, so heavy it felt like the air itself held its breath.
"To confirm if you're a Venom or not," the voice said, calm and cold.
Before Dera could process the words, the darkness surrounding him shifted. With a sudden, deafening swish, curtains he hadn't realized were there tore apart, flooding the room with blinding sunlight.
"Agh!" He winced, shielding his eyes as the brightness seared into them.
"Hmm. You're not disintegrating," the voice remarked, tinged with relief. "Good. The same result as before. You're not a Venom."
It took several moments for his vision to adjust, and when he finally lowered his hands, the room came into focus. Two young men, perhaps in their early thirties, stood tall and imposing. Their traditional black robes were immaculate, adorned with subtle golden embroidery, their dark jackets sleek and functional. Katanas hung at their sides, polished and deadly.
Dera blinked in confusion, his dry throat making it difficult to speak.
"Who are you?" he managed, his voice hoarse.
The taller of the two stepped forward. "My name is Kanayo," he said, his voice steady and commanding. He gestured to his partner. "This is Ekene. We're representatives of the Venom Hunter Association— From the Surveillance Team. Now, can you tell us what happened to you?"
"I... don't understand," he muttered, shaking his head.
Kanayo's sharp gaze never wavered as he explained.
"We've already interviewed the four survivors from the Double Cave Incident. Each of them said the same thing: they only remember stabbing you, sacrificing you to survive. But beyond that, they recall nothing—. When we arrived at the reported location, there was no double venom cave. Just you, lying unconscious outside. No stab wounds. No signs of injury. Kanayo's voice dropped. "You've been under observation here for three days."
Dera's heart sank as he pieced it together. 'They forgot everything... but I remember. I remember every moment...the trials, the pain, the venom's icy grip, the coffin. And if I say I remember everything, it'll be too weird and a hassle.'
He forced a weak smile, masking the storm inside. "I... don't remember much," he said softly. "It's all a blur. I think I passed out after... after they stabbed me."
Kanayo studied him for a long moment, his eyes narrowing. Then he nodded. "Fair enough. Rest for now. If you remember anything, please contact us immediately."
Without another word, the two men turned and left the room, their footsteps fading into silence.
Dera exhaled shakily, collapsing back onto the bed. "So... they don't remember," he muttered. "Why am I the only one who does?"
Before he could dwell further, a metallic CLING! shattered the silence.
Dera's eyes widened in shock as a glowing screen materialized before him, floating in midair like some surreal apparition. Lines of text scrolled across its surface, pulsing faintly as if alive:
[Congratulations. You Have Passed the Final Trial: Sacrifice of the Weak.]
[You Have Now Become the Incarnation of the Shadow Venom.]
"What..the..fuck.?" Dera's voice faltered, his eyes wide with disbelief.
The screen shifted, new text forming:
[You Have Several Unread Messages. Tap to open...]
"This... isn't this just like the trials?" he whispered, his voice trembling. "No way."
He glanced around the room, half-expecting to find himself back in that cursed cave with shadows creeping in.
"Am I... still in the trials? Is this... the fourth trial?" His words hung in the air, uncertainty laced in every syllable.
His hand trembled as he reached out toward the screen, hesitating. Then, with a gulp, he tapped it.
[You Have Achieved a Title: Savior of the Weak. Whenever You Save Someone Weaker Than You From Certain Death, Five Points Will Be Awarded.]
[Due to Passing the Trial, You Have Earned 40 Points. Distribute Them to Your Stats as You See Fit.]
Dera blinked, his fear ebbing slightly. "Phew... so it's not another stupid trial." he muttered, letting out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
CLING!
Another notification popped up.
[Would You Like to See Your Full Status Window?]
"Huh? Status window? Uh… yeah, sure," he muttered, unsure of what to expect.
The screen morphed, displaying rows of information:
[Name: Chidera]
[Race: Shadow Venom Incarnate]
[Venom Rank: Finnless]
[Shadow Talent: Predator]
[Title: Savior of the Weak]
[Status]
Strength: 5
Agility: 5
Stamina: 5
Perception: 10
Aura: 10/10
[Aura Class: Enhancer/Transmuter]
[Available Points: 40]
"What the… Finnless Venom?" Dera muttered, his gaze flickering to the sunlight streaming through the window. "But I'm not disintegrating…" He clenched his fists. "Tsk... this stuff must be really crazy"
His eyes narrowed at the screen. "Shadow Talent: Predator? What does that even mean?"
[Answer: Predator Is a Unique Skill That Allows You to Absorb Venom Cores and Inherit Their Abilities.]
The words appeared as if in response to his thoughts. Dera's jaw dropped. "It..... answered me?!"
The implications hit him like a thunderbolt. "Wait… if I prey on the Venom that took my brother, I can gain its skill? Its vines?" A determined smile spread across his face. "This might actually be useful."
"Hmmm..And my Aura type is.... Enhancer and Transmuter?..." he said, raising an eyebrow. Not like he actually understands what it meant though.
His focus shifted back to the stats. "Alright,let's distribute these points." he murmured, tapping the screen..
"Hmmm, let's see… Strength and Agility are what I need most now, so I'll add 10 to Strength and 10 to Agility."
[Strength: 15]
[Agility: 15]
A shiver ran through his body. His muscles twitched, his limbs tingling with newfound power. He clenched his fists, feeling the strength surging through him.
"Whoa... this is real. I can feel it already." His determination hardened. 'Wait for me, Chika. I'm coming to get you.'
With his remaining points, he allocated the rest evenly, bolstering his Stamina with 5 points, Perception with 5 points and Aura with 10 points.
[Stamina: 10]
[Perception: 10]
[Aura: 20/20]
Dera smirked, his confidence growing. But as he leaned back to relax...
CLING!
A new notification flashed:
[You Have Received Two Commandments.]
"What now?" Dera muttered, his brow furrowing.
[Failure to Complete These Commandments Will Result in Penalties.]
His blood ran cold. "Shit... you bastard!" he yelled, glaring at the screen as if it could hear his rage.