OBSIDIAN

Under a sky of crimson hues, a figure shrouded in darkness cast a menacing shadow, dominating the macabre expanse. The heavens themselves appeared to bleed, but it was not blood that rained down; rather, it was malevolent substances born of the ether, crafted into grotesque, obsidian-like forms.

These sinister creations, as sharp as they were brittle, fell upon the hapless populace, piercing their flesh and shattering upon impact, as though crumbling into mere fragments. With a mere gesture, a myriad of these eerie entities materialized into menacing, cryptic forms, descending upon the inhabitants like scythes of despair, leaving behind a trail of destruction and death. 

Obsidian-hued materials, resembling the darkness of the void, scattered across the planet's surface, their sharp, spiked forms visible even from afar. The sinister glass-like elements amassed, encircling the planet until it was ensconced within a colossal, cuboid structure.

Amid the desolation, only the shadowy figure remained, standing solitary in the barren landscape as the obsidian fragmented, raining down upon the desolate sphere, disintegrating into countless pieces. 

A humanoid entity materialized before the figure, with hair and eyes aglow in an azure hue.

The entity's lips parted slightly, as if poised to utter words. But then, only blinding light followed, accompanied by a spectrum of colorful lights.

Lashes, like ribbons of crimson hue resting upon skin as pure as freshly fallen snow, fluttered as he struggled to awaken. Gradually, a pair of dark red eyes emerged from beneath the veil of slumber.

"He's awake," a monotonous voice, laden with exhaustion, resonated in the air.

"Finally... I was afraid my bones would break before this place falls apart," a hoarse voice chimed in.

Xin awakened as the chamber began to crumble, the stone walls cracking and rocks falling. His two teammates appeared to have been sent crashing into the walls.

"Mayhap you have partaken in a most entertaining farce, for I find your current state rather comical." Xin quipped as he fought to get to his feet.

"Ha! Well, this comical display only unfolded because your ass couldn't rouse even when this place is literally crumbling," Zhen teased, mimicking Xin's manner of speaking. His voice quivered as he attempted to rise, the crumbling walls scattering rocks around him. 

As humorous as Zhen intended it to be, the reality of their situation stemmed from their attempts to awaken Xin. They knew the drawbacks of touching him while unconscious, yet each attempt sent them flying as the room collapsed around them.

"Quit messing around, we have to find a way to get out of here before it's too late," Huomei urged. However, before they could react, the entire chamber crumbled, and the ceiling caved, almost burying them beneath debris. But, to their astonishment, they found themselves abruptly transported somewhere as they land on dry barren land.

[Clear all the monsters in this floor]

[Second Floor of Umbraeth's Tower]

[Shiverlings: 0/400]

[Phantoms: 0/250]

[Wraiths: 0/130]

[Whispering Shades: 0/350]

"We got transported to the second floor just like that? I heard from other hunters that you usually need to accept a message to go up, but in our case, we got yeeted out," Zhen exclaimed, looking around the cold, cave-like surroundings.

Huomei observed the environment and commented, "It seems like we're in some kind of cave. Why is the second floor so unnaturally cold?" Then, she focused on the matter at hand, "But before we delve into that, we should discuss what happened in the chamber. Both Zhen and I accessed some ancient knowledge upon... reading, or whatever you call it."

Zhen nodded and added, "True, but look at these monsters' numbers; it's a bit overkill, don't you think?" As he observed the screen, the words, "You have leveled up!" blinked, and a sly grin tugged at the corners of his mouth. 

Prior to entering the tower, the trio stood at level 100, the standard starting point for hunters. After conquering the first floor, they underwent a substantial level surge, an unexpected boon of their limited party size. This meant that their experience points had been distributed more extensively compared to the typical party.

He leaned back and continued, "But first, we should upgrade ourselves and make good use of those essences we collected earlier before charging ahead. You know me, I'm usually a daredevil and all, but one should know when to tread cautiously. We don't always get the luxury of spawning in a safe place. Remember our grand entrance to the first floor? Right into the loving arms of that monster swarm. Ah, good times."

"Wha-- good times? We literally just lived through it today. Anyway, we should consult Xin on what to do; maybe he has a more sensible opinion," Huomei remarked. Both turned their heads toward Xin, only to find him lost in thought.

Xin seemed entranced by his own thoughts, his gaze fixed on nothingness. Flashes of images featuring the red sky and people succumbing to blades resembling dark tinted glass played in his mind. This was followed by an image of a figure with azure hair, their mouth forming a slight gap, as if attempting to articulate something.

Xin mirrored the subtle movement of the mysterious figure's mouth, to find himself exhaling the sibilant sound of a syllable, "Se--" in a hushed tone.

"Xin, are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost" Huomei said, concern etched across her face.

Palpable was the emotional maelstrom unleashed by that single cadence. It ignited a spectrum of feelings, from smoldering rage to the chill of fear, each emotion etched upon the canvas of his being.

The weight of what was about to be uttered bore down on his heart, making each breath a struggle. For the first time, fear gripped his heart.

"Don't tell me you have asthma or something?" Zhen quipped, casting a glance at Xin, who was visibly struggling to breathe. Concerned, they rushed to Xin's side, Huomei placing a comforting hand on him and advising him to calm down. Meanwhile, Zhen attempted to adjust Xin's clothing, specifically the lapel of his Xiaofu. 

In a swift motion, Xin slapped Zhen's hand away with lightning speed. "Don't touch me"

"Chill, dude. I was just gearing up for some first aid. Wait... you recovered already?" Zhen remarked.

"He has?" Huomei remarked, clearing her throat. She promptly withdrew her hands, placing them at her sides. "Good," she said, her expression reverting to its usual stoic demeanor.

Xin, acting as if nothing had happened, seamlessly returned to the topic of the two. While it might not have appeared so, he was intricately attuned to their conversation—a habit he had ingrained in himself during his time as a general. In those days, listening to his soldiers had become second nature, a practice vital for strategic decisions and understanding the needs of his troops.

"As we delve into the aftermath of our encounter in the chamber, we must recognize the pervasive presence of these creatures in our surroundings. Despite appearances of safety, prudence remains our ally," Xin spoke as he materialized a formless blade.

His strike cleaved through the air toward the unsuspecting duo, Zhen and Mei. Startled, their eyes widened as the blade's trajectory remained elusive, narrowly skimming past them. Finally, it found its mark, embedding itself in what appeared to be a mere shadow lurking just behind them.

In an instant, the shadow dissolved into nothingness, the blade's ethereal dance leaving only a fading whisper in its wake.

[Whispering Shades: 1/350]

[Whispering Shades: Shadowy assassins lurking in Umbraeth's Tower. Masters of stealth, they strike from the darkness, sapping strength and causing disorientation.]

"I didn't know it was there all this time," Zhen confessed, his surprise evident in his voice.

Huomei stood in silence, a tacit acknowledgment of the realization to how close she had come to death if not for Xin's swift intervention. Xin, ever perceptive, noticed a flicker of flames escaping from her clenched fists.

"We shouldn't get ahead of ourselves. I believe we should take our time once we clear this floor," Xin suggested with a calm demeanor. "As you said earlier, hunters are given a choice to proceed to the next floor or not. If we refrain from making an immediate decision after clearing this floor, we'll have sufficient time to address what happened in the chamber."

"We ought to give those essences a spin before confronting the monsters. It's a perfect opportunity to refine our new skills,"

"Status Window," Zhen called out, while the other two silently invoked the status window in their minds.

Xin accessed his inventory, scanning through the items until he located the essence.

[Dark essence: Upon consumption, bestows a new skill to the hunter. Caution: successful effects are contingent on the hunter meeting the elemental requirement.]

Xin seized the essence from the inventory's portal. It resembled a small, black-tinted orb with a glass-like material that felt soft to the touch.

"Why does this thing resemble a cultivation pill? Guess I should prepare for that classic 'bitter but full of power' vibe. Palate, brace yourself for impact!" Xin muttered in his mind, tossing the essence into his mouth, commenting, "Tastes like sour candy."

A translucent screen materialized in mid-air, presenting itself as a notification. "New skill acquired: Transmutation."

[Transmutation: Alter the molecular structure of weapons at will. By inducing controlled phase transitions, transforms the composition, shape, and properties of weapons to suit any combat scenario.] [Mana Cost: 45]

The others followed suit, each acquiring their unique skills in turn.

Huomei: [Pyrogenesis: harnesses stellar nucleosynthesis, manipulating gravitational and electromagnetic forces to induce a controlled energy collapse.] [Mana Cost: 55]

Zhen: [Enchant: Utilize wind currents to enhance bullet velocity and impact. By manipulating air resistance, optimizes the trajectory, ensuring bullets maintain stability and penetrate targets with augmented force.] [Mana Cost: 30]