First Steps

No time to think, no time to flee; the torch in my hand, burning a lilac-colored flame, whipped over the head of the Galgor, aiming at my neck, cracking the torch in two at the sheer force of the blow. At the same time, Laevatein pierced towards the undead below, forcing it to halt at the sight of my oncoming blade, while the unlucky Galgor above was swatted away like a fly before its claw could graze my neck.

Sweat dotted my brow as Azazel's blade hung like the reaper's scythe around my neck. One wrong move, one wrong decision, and it would be over. I'd be dead.

My shoulders tensed, and my legs grew bent as I took to the air leaping two meters in a single bound over the Galgor, who'd stop at the sight of my blade. I landed beside the staggered Galgor, whose charred face cared a hollow expression of nothingness. My sword plunged through its skull with ease, but before the notification of my kill showed, I twisted my waist and swung the dead Galgor to block the incoming strike.

Organs danced as a searing heat pressed against my left arm. I hissed as a cruel sting bolted through my mind, and with a single glance, a well of blood spewed from my shoulder down to my elbow.

Pain swallowed my mind as a numbing sensation began to spread: A poison! Their claws were poisons. Shit.

I groaned. But I was quick to put the pain behind me as the numbness splintered through me, spreading from my arm up my shoulders and near the nape of the neck, ebbing towards my heart.

"Lily put ten points into Constitution, "I shouted in response, lunging through the slop of organs beneath my feet, swiping my sword, which suddenly morphed back into a dagger and accelerated towards the monster cutting through the left eye before it could see what happened.

Too close for its claws to meet me in time, the Galgor's claw still rushed forth, wishing for my neck, but with a reverse grip of my dagger, my hand flashed. Cutting twice or thrice in a single second was possible for a human. Whatever I am now made my speed with a dagger inhuman.

The Galgor went limped with Laevatein embedded into its temple; I pulled out, staggering to the wall as I slid downwards in utter exhaustion. My fingers were turning numb, and my legs were failing.

"You've done it," Lily said, 'Hurry up and chant Heavens End, dummy!" She said as my lids weighed like mountains. My heartbeat began to wane, slowing, but…

I bit down on my tongue, tasting a slew of copper, giving myself a jolt of alertness as I began my chant.

The Ether around me trembled, tingling like mini shards of light coiled and slithered over my wounds and flesh. A warmth I longed for deepened over me, consuming me in a vortex of utter oblivion. Darkness swirled, and Light crackled, breaking and bending as lightning rained over the pale skies falling like ash to the earth. Chaos pooled over the night, challenging Order, leaving only… the Abyss.

My eyes opened.

[Ding]

[Cultivation Acchivied: Mystic Page]

[System Updating: 1% 2%... 40%... 80%...100%]

[New Features Unlocked]

[System Shop Open]

[Madness LV 3→ 5]

What in gods name is Madness? I feel the same. Maybe it's subtle. Let's just hope I don't end up eating people. That'll be weirdly interesting.

[Ding]

[Full Stats Shown]

Izalith Snow [Seal→ Black Abyss]

Cultivation Realm: Page-I

Bloodline: Almighty Abyss [F] [(Black Abyss)]

Abyssal Qi[F]: 340/340

Ether: 284/900

Str [F]: 18

Dex [F]: 40

Con [F]: 28

Int [F]: 34

Free Points: 35

Utterly amazed at the number of free points and at some of the question marks that had faded. A fluttery sensation swelled in my heart as I jumped up, amazed, only to jitter in joy at the wound on my arm that was missing.

Running my fingers through the torn thread on my shoulder, I smiled at the missing injury and numbness that had seemed to vanish. Touching the surface of my skin, I grew giddy: Squish, Squish hehe.

"I'm back to one hundred percent," I sang, spinning around, only taking notice of the pale young man whose cries had long since stopped. He was still, covered in blood that had begun to darken, his lips were purple, but the crazed trembling of his iris told me he was alive.

I approached. "Hi." I awkwardly said, unsure what to do. Meeting new people is always the most challenging thing.

He looked at me but didn't say a thing, but then my senses broke away from me. And a coldness I was all too familiar with hissed in my ear. The icy blade of the unknown pierced my skin with the hum of the end calling.

"I… I don't…want to di…" he stilled.

"Pointless," I spat, closing his eyes and offering a small prayer. "You didn't deserve to die here, but I'm afraid I cannot bring you with me." I still had a job to do.

"Hey, Lily, what stats should I increase?"

"I'll say get balance. Your low stats bottlenecks you. If your strength isn't high enough, how do you think you will get enough 'power' to move fast? And in turn, how do you think your body will support all this power or change? Balance is key if you wish to show your true power. At least till you can break such limitation."

Break through the limitation, huh? I giggled and began my upgrade.

[Ding]

Izalith Snow

Str: 18 →40

Dex: 40

Con: 28 →40

Int: 34 →35

All shall fear Iza Roar!!!! Roar!!!! Just wait till I take my final form as a Panda! The world shall know the Panda!

In the best of moods, I patted the stranger's body down, finding nothing: Not even any magical items or a few coins. Cursing that old man that was sure to have stolen everything off his person, I shook my head and continued along my way. I'd pretty much figured out everything and didn't need to investigate more, but there was something regarding the catacombs mentioned by the system that made me think there was something more to this quest.

Pursing my lips at the lack of light due to my broken torch, I was slow to proceed ahead and a little grateful the only thing I felt was rats. I soon came upon a small gate, 'The Subterranean City of the Dead,' I made out after a long while, sending a chill down my spine as the whistles of the foul winds echoed through the Abyss ahead.

My heart began to hammer as I backed up as a growl of something rattled every fiber of my being, paralyzing me where I stood. Terror pierced my soul like a dagger, but…but I found the strength not to retreat but push ahead.

I could just about hear Father's swift reminder of knowing when to retreat or Uncle Zariel's cold reprimand, but I wanted to see what lay ahead. I wanted to see it with my own eyes. To see what aberration had caused such fear to course through my veins.

I took a step forward.