Receiving the first 3x Rewards

But suddenly, the beast let out an unbearable cry. Its head tilted toward the sky as cracks began to spread across its massive form, light radiating from its neck. The monster dissolved into luminous particles and disappeared in a flash.

Slowly, a tiny, dark core sank to the ground , then vanished into thin air as a recognizable system screen emerged.

[Congratulations, you have defeated the boss.]

[Quest Completed.]

[Rewards Earned]

「Base Reward」

1. Store Points - 1000

2. EXP - 50

3. New Item - Harrowing Core Fragment

「3x Multiplier」

1. Store Points - 3000

2. EXP - 150 「LV 5 --> LV 8」

3. Harrowing Core Fragment transformed into Empowered Harrowing Core (A rare upgrade material with hidden abilities)

'Ah, it really is over… but at what cost...'

The corner of Arvian's mouth dripped blood as he coughed violently. He was so exhausted that his vision became blurry.

COUGH! COUGH!

For a moment, Arvian lay on the ground, experiencing an odd mixture of pain and relief. He no longer felt the fear that had seized him during the battle, but the burning pain in his body persisted.

This was the chaos he had always imagined, the first time he had come into contact with monsters. It was something he had now survived.

He felt a momentary sense of satisfaction at the thought, but it was soon eclipsed by the image of his arm, which was crushed, twisted, and covered in blood.

'Damn... it's completely wrecked but if I remember correctly, in the novel, Nyxian Power regenerates lost body parts and heals wounds.... it yet.' he thought, wincing as he tried to move it.

He gritted his teeth, pushing the thought of pain aside.

"I need to hurry. And look for the tunnel to awaken the Nyxian power. I can't waste time here."

With that, Arvian forced himself to his feet, leaning against a nearby tree for support.

In an instant, everything around him began to dissolve—the mountain, the crimson sky, the towering tree. All of it faded away like a mirage.

With a blink of his eyes, Arvian was back in the blue dungeon, leaning against a huge, bright crystal that pulsed softly with light. The dungeon's recognizable hum reappeared, but this time something was different.

A brief tunnel had emerged in front of him, its entrance dimly lit by the same unsettling blue light that glowed from the crystal.

"I... don't remember this tunnel being here when I first teleported," he muttered, his voice echoing faintly in the quiet chamber.

Confusion and uneasiness blended together as he furrowed his brows. "Is it because I defeated the monsters?"

As Arvian became increasingly confused, he realized that his memory was failing him and that crucial details from the novel were disappearing.

"Why am I forgetting things? Is this... intentional?" he whispered to himself, shaking his head. A thought crossed his mind—maybe the system could help him recover what he had lost.

Ignoring his doubts, he steadied himself and rose slowly, balancing his wounded body all the while. Carefully, he moved through the short tunnel, the faint glow from the walls casting shadows that danced around him.

At the end of the tunnel, he entered a tiny room that was unlike anything he had ever seen. The walls were made of smooth obsidian with a faint purple glow, giving the space an otherworldly aura.

A flawless rectangular obsidian pedestal with a mirror-like sheen stood in the middle of the space. A colorless crystal that was suspended in midair and emitting a gentle, pulsing light was floating just above it.

He recalled what Dareth had said. "Listen, after defeating the monsters, you need to go ahead through the tunnel and touch the crystal, which will be floating in the air."

With uneven breath, Arvian moved cautiously toward the floating crystal and held out his right hand.

As soon as his fingers touched the crystal, it exploded with a massive surge of dark crimson energy, like flames but without heat.

He was consumed by the energy that clung to his hand and started to spiral up his arm.

"What... the he—"

The energy swept through his body, interrupting his words. He felt as though he was being choked, and his chest constricted as he found it difficult to breathe.

The luminous chamber faded into a swirling abyss of black and red, and his vision became blurry. The darkness engulfed everything around him as his legs failed him.

Silence.

***

After waiting patiently close to the chamber's edge, Dareth saw the rectangular energy where Arvian had been standing for the trial abruptly change.

The once serene glow turned into an intense, ominous crimson hue.

As dark energy started to gather, twist, and form the distinct shape of wings, his eyes narrowed in alarm.

"What the hell..." Dareth's normally composed manner broke as he muttered, his voice hardly audible.

The energy emanating from Arvian became increasingly chaotic. His eyes, which were now burning with the same red light, appeared to be alive, as though energy itself were oozing from them in the form of smoke.

Behind him, the crystalized wings spread out, huge and threatening, throbbing with unadulterated strength.

"Impossible... Is this... Nyxian awakening?" Unable to look away, Dareth whispered.

The energy faded as abruptly as it had appeared. The wings vanished into thin air, and Arvian's bright eyes grew dimmer. His body fell to the ground, breathing lightly but not moving.

With his fists clenched and his piercing eyes focused on Arvian, Dareth approached warily. "Who in the world are you?"

Still in shock over what he had just seen, Dareth wasted no time.

He moved quickly but tensely as he lifted Arvian's unconscious body onto his shoulder. The weight wasn't a problem—it was the uncertainty that made his chest feel heavy.

His thoughts were racing as he made his way through the narrow cave path. "This... this isn't normal. That energy, those wings... The one Ancestor? Hell No, this goes beyond anything I've experienced or seen. Who the hell is this kid?"

He looked at Arvian, who appeared oblivious to the mayhem he had just caused, with a calm yet pale face.

His grip on Arvian tightened as he exited the cave into the open night, the air cool but failing to calm his storming thoughts.

"I need answers. And if what I think is true... this kid is either going to save us or destroy everything...is this kid have something relation to him. "