Xavier exhaled slowly, his breath steadying as he wiped the sweat from his brow. His boots crunched over shattered debris as he surveyed the lifeless bodies of monsters he had just slain. Their corpses twitched slightly before disintegrating into black mist, fading from existence. The stench of blood and decay lingered in the air, yet Xavier felt no revulsion—only satisfaction.
He had grown stronger.
[System Notification]
[You have leveled up!]
[Current Level: 18]
[You have leveled up!]
[Current Level: 19]
Xavier smirked, rolling his shoulders as he absorbed the changes in his body. He felt lighter, faster, more in sync with himself. The lingering fatigue from previous battles was all but gone. A part of him reveled in the progress, the tangible growth that came with every fight.
However, his moment of satisfaction was interrupted by another system notification.
[You have acquired an item: Phantom Requiem Bow]
Xavier's eyes widened. A weapon? He hurriedly pulled up the item's display, curiosity surging through him.
[Item: Phantom Requiem Bow]
[Weapon Type: Bow & Arrow]
[Rank: C]
[Effect: Critical Shot – Arrows deal enhanced critical damage when striking vital points.]
The bow materialized in his hands, and his breath hitched. The weapon was sleek and elegant, its body forged from dark polished wood, infused with silver etchings that pulsed faintly with energy. The bowstring was taut, humming with power. The accompanying quiver contained arrows tipped with gleaming obsidian heads, promising swift and lethal strikes.
Xavier ran his fingers over the bow's surface, marveling at its craftsmanship. "This... This is the first time I've held something like this. Feels unreal."
Then, he noticed something else.
[Skill: Bowman (Lv.1)]
He had learned the skill along the way, though he barely recalled when. A grin tugged at his lips. It seemed the system had been preparing him for this moment.
His thoughts then flickered to another skill—the one he had yet to test.
[Ruler's Supremacy]
His excitement dampened slightly. It was a skill he had acquired from the rune stone, but he had yet to try it out. Perhaps now was the time.
As if the world agreed, a rustling sound snapped him back to reality. Xavier instinctively stepped aside, his reflexes sharpening as something lunged at him from behind. A blur of movement rushed past, skidding across the broken ground before whipping around to face him.
Xavier's eyes narrowed. The creature before him was grotesque—its body hunched and covered in sinewy, grayish flesh. Its eyes were milky and lifeless, its mouth filled with jagged teeth that gnashed in mindless hunger. Elongated arms ended in clawed fingers, twitching in anticipation.
It charged again.
Xavier dodged effortlessly, his body moving without thought. Each swipe of its claws met only empty air as he sidestepped, ducked, and pivoted. The monster's attacks were relentless but wild, lacking precision.
With a smirk, Xavier waited for an opening. The creature lunged, and in a single fluid motion, he caught its arm, twisted, and slammed it over his shoulder. The impact sent cracks spiderwebbing across the ground as debris shot into the air. The creature let out a distorted shriek, its body writhing under Xavier's grip.
He exhaled, pinning it beneath his foot.
Then, the system chimed.
[Would you like to use 'Ruler's Supremacy'?]
Xavier hesitated, staring at the monster beneath him. The way it thrashed, its grotesque features twisting in rage and desperation—it was like an animal caught in a trap.
He sighed. "Yeah, let's do it."
[To activate 'Ruler's Supremacy,' a command phrase must be set.]
Xavier frowned. "A command phrase?"
[Please input a command phrase.]
Silence stretched between him and the system prompt. He tapped his chin, considering. What phrase could define absolute control? What word could embody dominance over another being?
His gaze fell back to the monster. Its milky white eyes flared with primal instinct, its body still resisting despite the inevitable defeat it faced.
His expression darkened.
Xavier opened his mouth, and a single word left his lips:
"Obey."
[Command phrase set: 'Obey']
[Activating 'Ruler's Supremacy']