Kael drew a deep breath as he proceeded deeper into the Rift. The landscape had an eerie quietness, yet every step that he took was as if laden with some form of strange weight. The air crackled raw energy, and his senses became heightened. He had been informed by a system that the Rift was dangerous; however, the sheer intensity of the pressure that hung above him was much more than what he had thought. It was as if every part of the Rift was completely alive, just watching and waiting for him to do something.
It had all been so calm, and without warning, the silence snapped. Low growling accompanied the rumble as the ground beneath his feet seemed to quiver. Kael's gaze snapped to the horizon, and there, stepping out from the base of the jagged rocks, were creatures. Nightmarish beings, twisted abominations of muscle and sinew, snarled, baring rows of jagged teeth. Their eyes glowed with an unnatural hunger.
There were five of them, and they were coming in hot.
Kael's heart was pounding as the adrenaline kicked in. He held onto the legendary blade tighter, feeling its power react to his nerves. Then he heard the system's voice in his head.
"Engage them, Kael. Use your blade. Every kill will score you triple experience points. But watch out—these creatures aren't just regular beasts. They're the guardians of this Rift."
The creatures were fast—too fast. They circled him, their movements fluid and unpredictable, their eyes fixed on him with malicious intent. Kael didn't hesitate. He swung the blade with a burst of speed, the blade glowing in intense crimson light as it cleaved through the hide of the first creature. There was a bone-crushing impact. The blade sliced through flesh like a very hot knife through butter. The creature body fell in two clean halves, its lifeless form crumpling to the ground.
The experience was instantaneous, flooding Kael's senses. The system's voice rang out in his mind.
"Triple experience points gained. Level increased."
But there wasn't a moment to just enjoy it. The other creatures came at him, claws ready and mouths wide open. Kael reacted on instinct, his body trained from all that intense practice he'd done. He dodged the first attack, barely missing those razor-sharp claws, and then with a quick counter, he jabbed the blade into the side of another beast. Blood shot out, and the creature howled in pain before just collapsing.
Again, the familiar rush of experience surged through him, but he was far from finished. The creatures were relentless. They didn't give him any room to breathe. Their movements were savage and unpredictable, their strength overwhelming. But Kael had something they didn't—a weapon of unparalleled power.
And each time he struck, Kael was growing stronger, his muscles afire, stamina draining, yet the excitement of battle drove him on. Again and again he struck, slicing through the beasts with deadly precision. One after another, the beasts fell, their bodies scattering across the dark landscape of the Rift.
Kael plunged headfirst into the battle, totally focused on just staying alive. Every hit and every block just made him feel more in tune with his sword. His senses were sharp, and he moved quicker and smoother than ever. Sure, those creatures were tough, but they didn't stand a chance against the power he felt surging inside him.
Man, it felt like forever, but finally, the last creature dropped, landing with a nasty thud. Kael was just standing there in the middle of all that chaos, out of breath and totally drenched in blood and sweat. The air was just heavy with that awful smell of death. But hold up, it wasn't done yet.
Then he heard the system's voice in his head.
"Triple experience points gained. Level increased."
Kael's chest pounded with every beat as he checked his status. His fingers shaked as he flipped through the screen. His level—something that used to feel super far away—had just shot up.
Level: Infinity
Kael just froze. Infinity? What the heck was that? He blinked a bunch of times, totally thinking his eyes were messing with him. No way his level could just shoot up to infinity after killing a few beasts. He hadn't gotten sweaty yet, and suddenly this?
"System?" Kael called out, his voice hoarse with confusion. "Is this a joke? I killed maybe ten creatures. My level's infinity? What the hell is going on?"
The system responded, its tone calm, but laced with a sense of gravitas.
No joke, Kael. Now, your level is shown by universal signs. You are Erythral's heir and have unmatched power. Erythral once scared gods, and he divided the system's levels in a special manner. Levels 1 to 100 are expressed in numbers. But after that, the system changes. You have broken the boundaries of the ordinary structure of this world. Now, your level is infinite.
Kael's mind was racing with this information; he had never heard of anything like this; Erythral, who had been described as a being of immense power, had created this system? And now, as his heir, Kael had inherited a power far beyond anything he could have imagined.
This continued the system, its voice steady but proud.
Hey Kael, the infinity level is just the beginning. There are way more levels beyond this. You haven't even reached your full potential yet. But for now, infinity's enough. You'll unlock more levels as you get stronger. And with that power boost, the rewards are gonna get even better.
Kael couldn't believe it. Infinity? Is this for real? Can he really be this strong? He glanced over at his stats, wondering if this new level had changed things.
Strength: Infinity
Agility: Infinity
Endurance: Infinity
Intelligence: Infinity
Luck: Infinity
Kael let out a sharp breath. No way, this wasn't possible. How could his stats be infinity? It totally didn't make sense. He'd only battled a few creatures, and now everything was through the roof. The system had promised him triple experience points, but this? This was way more than he ever thought could happen.
"What the hell is happening?" Kael mumbled to himself. "This can't be real."
Then the system's voice chimed in, all calm and in charge.
Dude, it's legit, Kael. You're the heir of Erythral and you tapped into the real power of the system. Your stats are off the charts compared to any normal person. You're totally free from the limits of your world now.
Kael's eyes widened as the implications of the system's words hit him. He was no longer bound by the limits of his world? Did that mean he was stronger than anyone else? Could he take on the gods themselves?
He didn't have time to contemplate further, though. The system spoke again.
"Now, put the beasts you've defeated into your inventory. They are valuable materials.
Kael nodded, his hands moving instinctively. The bodies of the defeated creatures shimmered with an ethereal glow as he activated his inventory. One by one, the creatures vanished into the void, stored safely within his personal space.
"Done," Kael said, his voice barely a whisper.
"Good," the system replied. "Now, you are ready to continue your journey. But remember, this is only the beginning. Your power will continue to grow, and with it, your responsibilities. You must never forget your purpose, Kael."
Kael stood there for a moment, the weight of the system's words sinking in. Infinity. Legendary power. Erythral's heir. His life had changed in ways he could never have anticipated.
And now, he would find out just how far that could carry him.