The silence of the Abyss was broken only by the heavy breathing of Kael. Before him, the remains of the Shadow Crawler were dissolving into black smoke. His hand was bruised, the skin torn from the impact, but as he watched, the wounds didn't just heal—the skin became slightly darker, tougher.
[Ding!]
[Trait Activated: 'Pain to Power']
[Physical Defense increased by 0.5%]
"So this is it," Kael whispered, a dark smile playing on his lips. "I don't need mana. Every time they hurt me, I just get stronger."
But the system wasn't done with him. The blood-red screen flickered again, casting an eerie glow on the canyon walls.
[Tutorial Quest: Survival of the Fittest]
[Objective: Reach the 'Altar of the Lost' at the heart of the Abyss.]
[Time Limit: 24 Hours.]
[Penalty for Failure: Death.]
[Current Progress: 0/5000 Meters.]
Kael looked into the deep mist. He could hear hundreds of screeches. The Abyss wasn't just a prison; it was a meat grinder. To the Gods, he was trash being thrown away. To the monsters, he was a snack.
He picked up a sharp piece of obsidian rock, fashioned it into a crude dagger, and started walking.
He didn't walk for long before the ground beneath him vibrated. From the shadows, three 'Void Hounds' emerged. Their bodies were made of translucent muscle and teeth, their eyes glowing with hunger. They were Level 5 monsters—creatures that even a trained Mage would struggle with.
Kael was only Level 1.
The first hound lunged. Kael dodged, but the second hound caught his shoulder, its teeth sinking deep into his flesh. Kael roared, not in pain, but in fury. He grabbed the hound's head with his bare hands and slammed it into the ground with a sickening thud.
[System Warning: Health at 40%!]
[Adrenaline Surge Activated: Strength +10 for 60 seconds.]
With the sudden burst of power, Kael went berserk. He didn't use fancy techniques. He used his teeth, his nails, and his obsidian stone. He fought like a beast to kill the beasts.
By the time the three hounds lay dead, Kael was covered in his own blood. But the notifications were raining down.
[Level Up!]
[Level Up!]
[Current Level: 3]
[Stat Points gained: 10]
He poured all his points into Strength and Vitality. He could feel his heart beating like a war drum. He wasn't just surviving; he was evolving.