Lucien walked into the lengthy corridor. His joints creaked softly with each step. The chilly stone beneath his feet had become familiar now. He held the rusted sword firmly.
"I must kill three more rats…" he mumbled.
[◆ Quest: Hunt Cave Rats - 0/3]
The air was humid. The walls were moss-covered. Unusual whispers sounded in the distance—but he paid no attention.
He took a turn and heard it.
Squeak… scratch…
Lucien crouched down, hiding behind a shattered pillar. A rat was gnawing on something—bones.
Its eyes glowed red.
He crept forward slowly… then ran.
"RAAH!"
Clang!
His sword struck the rat's side.
[Hit!]
[Enemy HP: 9/15]
The rat shrieked and leapt at him. Bit into his arm bone, wriggling its head.
[You received 5 damage]
[HP: 39/50]
Lucien snarled. "Not again—!"
He struck his sword into its head.
CRACK!
[Critical Hit!]
[Enemy Defeated]
[+3 EXP]
[+10 Soul Energy Absorbed]
[Progress: 1/3]
The rat's body writhed, then went limp. Lucien exhaled—but once more, no air escaped.
"One down…"
He didn't have to wait long. More scratching sounded close by. He tracked the sound.
Two rats showed themselves this time. They were chewing on the corpse of another dead rat. Blood covered the ground.
Lucien squinted. "Two at once…"
He charged.
CLANG!
His sword struck the first rat in the back.
[Hit!]
[Enemy HP: 7/15]
The second rat nipped at his side.
[You took 6 damage]
[HP: 33/50]
Lucien turned, kicked it aside, and stabbed the first rat again. It toppled over, dead.
[Enemy Defeated]
[+3 EXP]
[+10 Soul Energy]
[Progress: 2/3]
The final rat hissed, moving in a circle around him.
Lucien did not back down. He waited.
Then it charged.
He sidestepped and stabbed straight through its mouth.
[Critical Hit!]
[Enemy Defeated]
[+3 EXP]
[+10 Soul Energy]
[Progress: 3/3]
The hallway was quiet once more.
Lucien went to one knee, drained. Not due to fatigue—he couldn't feel that anymore—but because he was still getting used to this corpse body.
A blinding light flashed before him.
[◆ Quest Complete: Hunt Cave Rats - 3/3]
[◆ You have unlocked your first skill!]
[◆ New Skill: Bone Spike Lv.1]
"Create a sharp bone from your arm and launch it at enemies."
Cooldown: 10 seconds | Damage: Medium | Range: Short
Lucien gazed at the system screen.
"I can… grow bones as weapons?"
He gazed at his arm. Focusing, he sensed an odd tingling. His forearm cracked—and out of it, a hard bone propelled itself forward and buried itself in the wall.
THUNK!
He grinned for the first time in a while. "Now we're getting somewhere."
Just then, the wall he shot cracked more than it ought to have.
A fragment of the stone slipped down.
Behind it… was something odd.
A secret door.
".What?"
He walked up and put his hand on it.
The wall trembled. Dust dropped from above. The stone door creaked open, and a narrow stairway descended into the darkness.
Cold air blew out from within. It was old. ancient.
A new screen materialized.
[◆ Secret Path Uncovered]
[Recommended Level: 5+]
[Warning: Enter at your own risk]
Lucien hesitated.
He was only Level 1.
But something within him drew him forward.
"Darren betrayed me. Stole everything. I can't get stronger by playing it safe."
He entered the dark corridor.
Bones cracked.
Flames ignited along the walls one at a time, revealing symbols, runes, and carvings of hooded figures.
"This place… It feels like it's calling to me."
He had no idea what was at the end of the stairs.
But he was prepared.