Ethan's consciousness stirred. The overwhelming cold was gone, replaced by a strange warmth coursing through his body. He opened his eyes slowly, the chamber around him bathed in the eerie glow of the Abyssal Core.
A voice broke the silence, but it wasn't the deep, ancient tone he'd heard before. This one was lighter, tinged with dry amusement.
["Ah, finally awake. For a second, I thought you'd given up and died. That would've been boring."]
Ethan blinked, trying to push himself upright. "Who… what are you?"
["I'm Genesis, your new best friend, and, frankly, your only chance of getting out of this hellhole alive. Think of me as the voice in your head that'll guide you, mock you, and occasionally save your sorry existence."]
Ethan groaned, his body still aching from the ordeal. "Why me?"
["Oh, the million-gold question! Let's just say you've got... potential. The kind of potential this dungeon loves to chew up and spit out. But you've got something special, and I'm here to make sure you don't squander it. For now, the full truth is... above your pay grade. You're not strong enough to handle it."]
Ethan scowled. "Convenient."
["Isn't it? Now, enough chit-chat. Let's get to the good stuff. Open your status page. Say 'Status.'"]
Ethan hesitated but complied. "Status."
The air in front of him shimmered, and a translucent screen materialized.
Abyssal Core Interface: User Status
Name: Ethan Gray
Title: The Forgotten
Rank: F
Attributes:
Strength: 17 (+5)
Agility: 22 (+8)
Intelligence: 22 (+12)
Stamina: 15 (+5)
Perception: 20 (+7)
Skills:
Abyssal Stab (Active): Enhanced thrust attack that ignores basic armor.
Cooldown: None.
Shadow Dodge (Passive): Increased evasion rate and temporary invincibility for 0.5 seconds during dodges.
Predator's Instinct (Passive): Detects weak points in enemies within a limited range.
System-Linked Abilities:
Abyssal Surge (Active): Temporarily boosts Strength and Agility by 20% for 10 seconds.
Cooldown: 5 minutes.*
Void Mark (Active): Mark an enemy, reducing their defense and tracking them within dungeon environments.
Cooldown: 10 minutes.*
Weapon: Gun-Blade: Shadowfang (Growth-Type)
Type: Hybrid Weapon (Sword/Gun)Growth Mechanism: Absorbs energy from defeated enemies to unlock new abilities and enhance stats.
Effects:
Blade Mode: High-precision slashes with increased damage to marked or weakened enemies.
Gun Mode: Fires condensed energy blasts drawn directly from the Abyssal Core, requiring no ammo cartridges.
Abyssal Strike (Active): A devastating combined ranged-slash attack, dealing heavy damage in a wide arc.
Cooldown: 3 minutes.*
Growth Potential: Unlocks new weapon abilities and form enhancements as the user's rank increases.
Inventory:
Porter's Pack: Basic dungeon supplies (potions, rations, etc.).
Ethan's eyes scanned the screen, lingering on the weapon section. "Shadowfang?"
["Ah, yes, my pièce de résistance. The Gun-Blade: Shadowfang. It's a growth-type weapon, meaning it'll evolve with you as you gain strength. No pesky ammo cartridges needed—it feeds off your enemies. Nifty, right?"]
Ethan frowned. "A hybrid weapon?"
["Exactly. Blade for up-close carnage, gun for stylish ranged devastation. And when you're feeling particularly flashy, there's the Abyssal Strike. Trust me, you'll love it."]
Ethan closed the screen and pushed himself to his feet. "Alright, Genesis. What's next?"
["Next? You start running. That beast is still out there, and trust me, you're not ready for round two."]
Ethan felt a surge of determination. "Then let's get to work."