Adam's faint glow cast shifting shadows on the cavern walls as he pushed himself upright, his bony form creaking slightly. The air carried a low, rhythmic hum, a sound that set his senses on edge. He wasn't alone in this cavern, and he could feel it. Yet the stillness around him was eerie, too quiet after the chaos of the Scuttlers.
His eyes—empty sockets as they were—scanned the chamber. The underground pool glimmered faintly, but something else caught his attention. Amid the jagged rocks and bioluminescent moss lay an object, partially buried in a mound of dirt. The dull gleam of metal stood out against the earthy tones.
Curiosity piqued, Adam approached cautiously, his sharpened instincts wary of another ambush. He crouched down, brushing away the dirt and grime to reveal the object—a broken sword. The blade was rusted and dull, its edge jagged and uneven. The hilt, though worn, bore intricate engravings that hinted at its former glory.
"A sword," Adam muttered, holding it up. It was heavier than it looked, the weight oddly reassuring in his skeletal grip. "Well, better than nothing."
---
[Item Acquired: Broken Sword]
Attack: +5
Durability: 10/50
Special: None(sealed)
---
Adam frowned. The weapon's stats were abysmal, but it was better than fighting barehanded. He swung it experimentally, feeling the balance—or lack thereof. The sword was far from ideal, but it would have to do.
The hum in the air grew louder, almost as if reacting to the presence of the blade. Adam turned, his glowing eyes narrowing as he scanned the cavern. The faint sound of movement echoed through the darkness. More enemies were coming, and they weren't small.
The ground beneath him trembled slightly. Adam tightened his grip on the sword, his skeletal fingers wrapping firmly around the hilt.
"Alright," he said, his voice low. "Let's see what you've got."
From the shadows emerged a hulking figure, its massive form towering over Adam. It was a Cave Brute, a creature that resembled a malformed golem. Its rocky body was covered in jagged spikes, and its glowing eyes burned with primal aggression.
---
[Enemy Detected: Cave Brute (Level 10)]
---
Adam swallowed—or would have if he had a throat. The Brute was a step above the Scuttlers he had fought before. But he had grown stronger, and he wasn't about to back down.
The Brute roared, charging toward him with surprising speed. Adam dodged to the side, narrowly avoiding the creature's massive fist as it slammed into the ground, sending shards of rock flying.
"Too slow," Adam taunted, swinging the broken sword at the creature's arm. The blade scraped against the rocky surface, leaving only a shallow mark. Adam grimaced. "This thing's tougher than it looks."
The Brute retaliated with a backhand swing, catching Adam off guard. The blow sent him flying, his skeletal body crashing into the cave wall. He groaned, pushing himself up as cracks ran along his hardened carapace.
"Alright," Adam muttered, activating Abyssal Devour. "Let's even the odds."
The dark energy swirled around his blade, coating it in shadowy tendrils. With a burst of speed, Adam lunged forward, aiming for the Brute's exposed chest. The empowered blade struck with its high speed and power, piercing through the creature's rocky exterior. The Brute howled, staggering backward as black energy seeped into its body, eroding it from within.
Adam pressed the attack, his movements swift and precise. He ducked under a wild swing, slashing at the Brute's legs to destabilize its heavy body. The creature fell to one knee, its strength waning as the Abyssal energy continued to consume it.
"Stay down!" Adam shouted, driving the broken sword into the Brute's head. The creature let out one final roar before collapsing, its body crumbling into a heap of stone and dust.
---
[You have consumed Cave Brute (Level 10).]
Strength +10. Endurance +8. Intelligence +4.
Skill Acquired: Rock Slam (C) [Level 1].
You have gained experience: 4.8 (×500) = 2,400.
You have leveled up x2.
---
Adam staggered back, his skeletal frame glowing brighter as his stats increased. The broken sword in his hand shined with a dark purple glow, as if reacting to his victory.
---
[Broken Sword: Potential Unlocked]
Attack: +10
Durability: 20/50
Special: Abyssal Resonance
---
Adam stared at the blade in surprise. The rust and grime had faded slightly, revealing a sharper edge and more defined engravings on the hilt.
"Looks like you're not so useless after all," he muttered, a disfigured grin forming on his bony face.
But his moment of triumph was short-lived. The ground trembled again, and this time, the hum in the air was deafening. The pool of water began to ripple violently, and a low growl echoed through the cavern.
Adam turned toward the source of the sound, his grip on the sword tightening. From the depths of the pool emerged a massive serpent-like creature, its scales glistening like wet obsidian. Its eyes glowed with an unnatural light, and its fanged maw dripped with venom.
---
[Boss Detected: Abyssal Serpent (Level 15)]
---
"Of course there's a boss," Adam said, sighing. "This place just keeps getting better."
The serpent lunged at him, its massive body coiling and striking with terrifying speed. Adam dodged, rolling across the ground as the creature's fangs slammed into the stone where he had been standing.
He retaliated with Rock Slam, his new skill. A chunk of rock erupted from the ground, slamming into the serpent's side and knocking it off balance. Adam followed up with a slash from his sword, the Abyssal energy cutting deep into the creature's flesh.
The serpent hissed in pain, its tail whipping around and striking Adam with bone-crushing force. He was sent flying again, his body clattering against the cave floor.
"Alright, no more playing around," Adam growled, activating Hardened Carapace and Minor Venom simultaneously. His skeletal form hardened further, and his blade began to drip with a toxic green liquid.
The serpent lunged again, but this time Adam was ready. He sidestepped the attack, driving his venom-coated blade into the creature's eye. The serpent thrashed wildly, its screeches echoing through the cavern.
Adam held on, driving the blade deeper until the serpent's movements began to slow. With one final effort, he activated Abyssal Devour, the dark energy consuming the serpent from within. The creature let out a final, mournful cry before collapsing, its massive body dissolving into shadow.
---
[You have consumed Abyssal Serpent (Level 15).]
Strength +15. Agility +12. Intelligence +8.
Skill Acquired: Abyssal Venom (B) [Level 1].
You have gained experience: 200 (×500) = 100000
You have reached the max level of your species to proceed you must evolve to gain further strength
You have gained the Abyssal Serpent bloodline]
---
Adam dropped to one knee, exhausted but exhilarated. His glowing body now cast a brighter light, and the broken sword in his hand pulsed with newfound power.
"This… this is just the beginning," Adam muttered, staring at the shimmering blade. "I'm going to conquer this world, one battle at a time."
As he said this a panel appeared infront of Adam creating a gentle hum
[Please chose one of the Evolution options to continue your growth]
As the hum in the air faded, Adam felt a sense of calm wash over him. The cave had been brutal, but it had also made him stronger. And as he stood there, sword in hand, he couldn't help but feel that this was only the start of his journey
With this in mind he opened his status screen to inspect it before Evolution
[Name:Adam Tudor
Race:skeleton
Level: max(100)
Evolution(s):none
HP: 1000
MP: 0
Strength: 38
Agility: 25
Intelligence: 22
Endurance: 18
Free status points:200
Skills:Enhanced Senses (D) [Level 3],Rock Slam (C) [Level 1],Abyssal Venom (B) [Level 1].
Special Abilities: 500x Growth(sss-), Abyssal Devour(ex-)
Bloodlines:basic wolf,Cave Scuttler,abysal serpent,
[Inventory] [shop]]
Seeing his curant stats Adam felt at ease as he clicked on the evolution panel seeing a variety of options.
End of Chapter 3.