The rain had subsided, leaving the streets of Sector 7 drenched and desolate. Xuian Nethersoul walked through the alleys, his clothes soaked, his mind racing. The system screen still hovered in front of him, displaying his stats and abilities like a silent specter.
[System Display]
Name: Xuian Nethersoul Grade: SSS Ability: Devourer of Domains Special Talent: Infinite Evolution Current Abyssal Coins: 0 Domain: Abyssal Graveyard (Rank 1) Summon Limit: 5/5
Xuian stopped in his tracks and examined the floating screen. The words "Abyssal Graveyard" glowed faintly, pulsing with an energy that tugged at his soul.
"What is this... Domain?" he murmured.
The moment he asked, a new prompt appeared.
[Would you like to enter your Domain? Yes/No.]
Xuian hesitated. The idea of stepping into an unknown space was unnerving, but the surge of power he had felt earlier was addictive. Curiosity won out.
"Yes," he said firmly.
Inside the Abyssal Graveyard
The world around him shifted. The damp alley disappeared, replaced by a chilling, desolate landscape. The air was cold, and a faint mist clung to the ground. Cracked tombstones jutted out of the dirt, their inscriptions long eroded. The sky was an endless void of swirling darkness, and faint whispers echoed in the distance.
Xuian took a cautious step forward, his boots crunching against the dry soil.
"So this is my Domain," he muttered, his voice echoing unnaturally in the empty space.
[Domain: Abyssal Graveyard (Rank 1)]
[Special Feature Unlocked: Grave Summoning.]
"Grave Summoning?" Xuian frowned. "What does that mean?"
As if answering his question, a new prompt appeared.
[Grave Summoning allows the Sovereign to summon entities from the Abyssal Graveyard. Summons will consume Abyssal Coins based on their strength and rank.]
Xuian's gaze swept over the graveyard. The skeletal hands clawing at the dirt and the eerie aura made it clear that this place wasn't meant for the living.
"Summoning costs coins, huh? Too bad I'm broke," he said, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Guess I need to start earning."
The First Trial
The sound of rattling chains broke the silence. Xuian turned sharply, his body tense. From the mist, a figure emerged—a towering humanoid wreathed in shadow, its glowing red eyes locked on Xuian.
[Domain Guardian: Warden of the Abyss detected.]
[First Trial Activated: Prove your worth as the Domain's Sovereign.]
Xuian cursed under his breath. "A trial? Of course, there's a trial."
The Warden didn't wait for him to prepare. It charged, its massive sword swinging in a deadly arc.
Xuian barely dodged, rolling to the side as the blade slammed into the ground, sending dirt and debris flying.
"You're not giving me much time to adjust," Xuian growled, his mind racing. He raised his hand, summoning the specters he had used earlier.
The five ghostly figures materialized, their forms flickering as they hissed and circled the Warden.
"Go," Xuian commanded, pointing at the towering figure.
The specters attacked with unrelenting ferocity, their claws slashing at the Warden's dark armor. But the Warden was no pushover. It swung its massive sword, dispersing two of the specters with a single blow.
Xuian clicked his tongue. "They're not enough."
System Adaptation
[Warning: Enemy is stronger than your current summons.]
[Suggestion: Use Devourer of Domains ability to weaken the enemy.]
"Devourer of Domains..." Xuian muttered. He didn't fully understand the ability, but now wasn't the time for hesitation.
He focused on the Warden, his hands instinctively moving as dark energy coalesced around him.
[Activating: Devourer of Domains.]
A pulse of power erupted from Xuian, spreading across the graveyard. The mist thickened, and the Warden staggered, its movements slowing.
Xuian's lips curled into a smirk. "So that's how it works. I can siphon the Domain's power to weaken my enemies."
He didn't waste the opportunity. Raising his hand, he summoned three more specters to replace the fallen ones.
"Pin it down!" he ordered.
The specters swarmed the Warden, clawing at its joints and immobilizing it. Xuian dashed forward, grabbing a rusted sword from the ground—a weapon that seemed to have appeared as part of the trial.
With a swift, calculated strike, Xuian drove the blade into the Warden's chest.
The creature let out an unearthly roar before collapsing, its body disintegrating into black mist.
Victory
[Trial Complete: You have proven your worth as the Domain's Sovereign.]
[Domain Guardian: Warden of the Abyss has been subjugated.]
Xuian stepped back, breathing heavily. The system notifications continued.
[Reward: Abyssal Coins +500.]
[Special Reward: Warden of the Abyss added to Summonable Entities.]
A grin spread across Xuian's face. "So I can summon that thing now? Not bad."
He glanced around the graveyard, the whispers and shadows no longer as oppressive. This place was his now—a source of power that could grow alongside him.
"First step complete," he said, his voice steady. "Now it's time to conquer the rest of the world."
Back in the Real World
The graveyard faded, and Xuian found himself back in the alley. The rain had stopped, and the streets were eerily quiet.
He opened his status screen, taking in the changes.
[Updated System Display]
Current Abyssal Coins: 500 Domain: Abyssal Graveyard (Rank 1) Special Feature: Grave Summoning Summonable Entity: Warden of the Abyss
Xuian smirked, closing the screen.
"With power like this, survival won't be enough," he said, his tone cold and determined. "I'll rise above everyone—awakened or not. This world, its dimensions, and its coins will belong to me."
He turned, disappearing into the shadows of Sector 7, his journey just beginning.
End of Chapter 2