Chapter 5: The Source of Darkness

Lin Mu lay on the cold ground, still panting from the effort of defeating the Shadow Revenant. The glowing trees above him cast a faint light, and the oppressive air that had filled the forest seemed to ease, if only slightly. His mind was still racing, replaying the fight in vivid detail. He had survived, but just barely.

But now, the system had given him a new mission.

New Mission: Investigate the Source of the Darkness.

The darkness that had clung to the Revenant wasn't natural. It was deeper, more sinister, as though it came from a force greater than the creature itself. Something was spreading this darkness throughout the world, and if Lin Mu wanted to survive, he needed to figure out what it was.

He pushed himself up, wincing as the soreness in his muscles flared. His Bone Armor had held up during the fight, but his body still felt battered from the Revenant's claws. Thankfully, his Minor Regeneration had healed the worst of his injuries, but his endurance was wearing thin. He glanced at the system screen, assessing his options.

Host: Lin Mu

Level: 4

Strength: 7, Agility: 10, Endurance: 7, Intelligence: 5

Evolution Points: 15

Skills: Minor Regeneration, Bone Armor (Active)

Fifteen Evolution Points. More than enough to strengthen himself further. He opened the evolution menu, scanning the available options.

Available Evolutions:

• Advanced Endurance Enhancement – Cost: 5 EP

• Basic Intelligence Enhancement – Cost: 3 EP

• Enhanced Healing (Passive) – Cost: 7 EP

• Shadow Resistance – Cost: 10 EP

Lin Mu's eyes locked on the Shadow Resistance option. That was new. He hadn't seen it before, but it made sense. The system was offering it in response to the Shadow Revenant and the dark power that had been consuming the forest. If he was going to confront the source of the darkness, he would need this. He selected it without hesitation.

Shadow Resistance acquired. Your resistance to shadow-based attacks and debuffs has increased by 50%.

With five points left, Lin Mu debated his next move. He could enhance his endurance to make himself tougher in future battles, or he could opt for the Enhanced Healing upgrade to improve his regeneration. After the fight with the Revenant, it was clear that healing was a critical factor in his survival. He selected Enhanced Healing.

Enhanced Healing acquired. Your natural regeneration rate has increased. Minor injuries will heal in seconds, while major wounds will heal within minutes.

Lin Mu took a deep breath, feeling the effects of the new evolution almost immediately. His muscles stopped aching, and the bruises that had covered his arms began to fade. He clenched his fists, feeling stronger, more ready. Whatever darkness lay ahead, he would face it with his new abilities.

He stood up, scanning the forest around him. The path forward was unclear, but the system's mission was straightforward: find the source of the darkness. The oppressive presence hadn't completely disappeared after the Revenant's defeat—it still lingered, a malevolent force hanging in the air like a dark cloud.

Lin Mu tightened his grip on the remains of his makeshift weapon and began moving deeper into the forest. Every step took him further into the unknown, the eerie silence of the woods pressing in on him from all sides. He could feel the darkness growing thicker, more palpable, the deeper he went.

Suddenly, the ground beneath him trembled.

Lin Mu froze, his heart skipping a beat as the trees around him shuddered. Something was coming—something big. He instinctively activated Bone Armor, feeling the protective layer of bone wrap around his body once again. He crouched low, his eyes scanning the forest, searching for the source of the tremor.

A low, rumbling growl echoed through the trees, and Lin Mu's blood ran cold.

From the shadows emerged a massive figure, even larger than the Alpha Bonehound. Its body was hunched, covered in dark, jagged scales that gleamed in the faint light. Its eyes glowed with the same malevolent red as the Revenant's, but there was something different about this creature—something far more dangerous.

System Notification:

Name: Abyssal Beast

Threat Level: Very High

Abilities: Shadow Aura, Devouring Strength, Enhanced Regeneration

Weakness: Holy Light-based attacks.

Lin Mu's heart pounded in his chest. The Abyssal Beast stood between him and the source of the darkness, and it was far more powerful than anything he had faced before. Its mere presence seemed to drain the light from the trees around it, casting the area into near-total darkness.

The creature's glowing red eyes locked onto Lin Mu, and it let out a deafening roar. The ground shook beneath its feet as it charged, moving with terrifying speed for something so large.

Lin Mu barely had time to react. He dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the beast's massive claws as they raked the ground where he had been standing. He rolled to his feet, his mind racing. The Abyssal Beast was stronger and faster than anything he had fought before. He couldn't take it on directly—not without a better strategy.

The system had mentioned the beast's weakness: Holy Light-based attacks. But Lin Mu had no such abilities. He cursed under his breath, scrambling to think of a way to exploit the creature's vulnerability. His gaze flicked to the glowing trees—the only source of light in this darkened forest.

Could they be used as a weapon?

The Abyssal Beast roared again, charging at him with a renewed fury. Lin Mu sprinted toward the nearest tree, his mind working frantically. He couldn't fight the beast head-on, but if he could lure it toward the glowing trees, maybe he could weaken it enough to stand a chance.

As he reached the tree, he turned, gripping the broken branch tightly in his hands. The Abyssal Beast was closing in fast, its eyes burning with rage. Lin Mu's pulse quickened. He needed to time this perfectly.

The beast lunged, its massive claws outstretched. Lin Mu waited until the last possible moment before diving out of the way, positioning himself behind the glowing tree. The beast's claws missed him by inches, striking the tree instead.

The effect was immediate. The glowing leaves flared with light as the Abyssal Beast's claws made contact, and the creature let out an ear-splitting roar of pain. Its shadowy form flickered, the darkness that surrounded it momentarily dissipating.

Lin Mu's eyes widened. It had worked.

The light from the trees weakened the beast. He didn't have a Holy Light-based attack, but the trees could serve as a substitute. He needed to keep using them—force the beast to strike at the light until it was weakened enough for him to finish it off.

The Abyssal Beast snarled, shaking off the effects of the light as it turned to face him again. Its glowing red eyes burned with hatred, but Lin Mu could see the flicker of fear in its movements. It knew the light was its weakness, and it was wary now.

Lin Mu took a deep breath, his mind focused on the task ahead. He had to stay calm, stay focused. The beast was powerful, but it wasn't invincible.

With a burst of speed, Lin Mu darted toward the next glowing tree, his heart pounding in his chest. The Abyssal Beast roared, giving chase, but this time, Lin Mu was ready. He led the creature in a wide arc, staying just out of its reach as he guided it toward another tree.

The beast lunged again, and Lin Mu dodged to the side, positioning himself behind the tree as the creature's claws struck the glowing leaves. Once again, the light flared, and the beast howled in agony as its shadowy form flickered and weakened.

Lin Mu pressed the attack. He swung his branch at the creature's exposed side, aiming for the dark, pulsing veins that crisscrossed its body. The branch connected with a sickening thud, and the Abyssal Beast let out another roar of pain.

It was working.

The light was weakening the beast, and each strike from Lin Mu was taking its toll. But the creature wasn't finished yet. With a furious snarl, it whipped around, catching Lin Mu off guard with a powerful swipe of its claws. The blow sent him flying, his body crashing into the ground with a bone-rattling impact.

Pain flared through Lin Mu's body, but his Enhanced Healing kicked in immediately, dulling the worst of the damage. He struggled to his feet, his vision swimming. The Abyssal Beast was already recovering, its form solidifying once again as it turned toward him, its red eyes burning with fury.

Lin Mu gritted his teeth, ignoring the pain. He couldn't let up now. He had the advantage, and he needed to finish this before the beast could recover fully.

With a final burst of speed, Lin Mu darted toward the last glowing tree, positioning himself directly in front of it. The Abyssal Beast roared and charged, its claws outstretched. This time, Lin Mu didn't dodge. He stood his ground, waiting until the beast was almost upon him.

At the last moment, he leaped to the side, and the Abyssal Beast's claws slammed into the tree.

The light flared brighter than ever before,