Serve the King.
[Leveled Up +5 Attributes]
[Leveled Up +5 Attributes]
[Leveled Up +5 Attributes]
[Leveled Up +5 Attributes]
[Leveled Up +5 Attributes]
Notification:
[Congratulations! You have reached level 5.]
[System Evolution Activated...]
Daily Task Restructured.
New Difficulty Tier: Intermediate.
New Task Type: Trial Quest Unlocked.
Hidden Functions: ???
Hint System Activated.
'Wh-What the heck, there are way too many notifications!' His eyes widened. 'Trial Quest!? Hidden Functions??'
Vanitas scrolled through the system menu quickly, realizing the once simple daily task had transformed into something far more intense.
[Daily Task - Intermediate Tier]
Objective: Survive against five enhanced shadow beasts for 10 minutes.
Bonus: Defeat them without taking damage for extra rewards.
Failure Consequence: Temporary Strength Reduction (-5 for 24 hours).
Vanitas clenched his fist, his heartbeat quickening. 'So failure actually has consequences now... No more easy push-ups and throwing punches.'
[Shadow Mimicry Activated...]
Skill Available for Copy:
[Quick Step] (Passive): Allows you to move/dash unpredictably.
[Mirage Mist]: Can disappear mid-fight if you activate this skill.
[King's Aura]: When activated, enemies feel fear and slowly absorb their energy, transferring it to you.
'Right, I almost forgot.' He scratched his neck. 'All of this is quite useful, though. It's hard to choose. Ah, why can't I copy two or more?' He sighed. 'Okay, I've decided. I'll choose King's Aura. It seems interesting.'
He clicked the skill, and a notification appeared.
[Successfully Copied Skill 2/3]
[Skill Evolving.]
[King's Aura > Shadow's King Aura]
The monster's body absorbed from the system, dissolving into a wisp of shadow, disappearing into the world.
"Vanitas?" Alexis called out, noticing the distant look in his eyes.
He quickly shook his head and turned to Alexis, who was shaking slightly.
"Uh, Vanitas? Where did the body of that monster go?" Kai asked, confused, his brows furrowed as he glanced around.
'Ah, how can I explain this?' Vanitas thought, scratching his head. "Ah, that? It dissolved into fragments and then disappeared. Pretty normal, right?"
"Is it over, Vanitas?" Alexis asked, gripping her wand with anxiety, her fingers trembling slightly.
"No, it's not over yet. There are still five of its minions that will appear in this chamber. You two must stay here. I'll handle them. After this, please... don't ask too many questions, alright?"
Vanitas turned his gaze toward the throne, where five shadows now stood eerily still, waiting by it.
His focus was interrupted by another notification.
[Hint:] "Not all enemies should be slain. Some serve a greater purpose..."
'What does that even mean?' he wondered, unease creeping into his mind. Was the system guiding him toward something greater, or was it just pushing him harder?
He tightened his grip on his daggers.
'Doesn't matter. I'll deal with it later.'
Suddenly, a chilling roar echoed throughout the chamber. Five shadows slowly emerged, their crimson eyes burning with malice as they locked on him.
[Trial Quest Initiated]
Survive against five enhanced shadow beasts: 9 minutes remaining.
Bonus: Defeat them without taking damage for extra rewards.
"You two, stay here, okay?"
Vanitas dashed forward toward the five shadow beasts. 'I should defeat them without taking damage to get the bonus rewards.'
"Heh," Vanitas smirked. He stopped mid-charge, a mischievous glint in his eyes. 'Let's see if this new skill really works.'
"Vanitas! Why did you stop?" Alexis and Kai called out, their voices filled with concern and confusion.
Without answering, Vanitas stood still as the five shadows lunged toward him in unison.
[Shadow's King Aura Activated]
The shadows froze, trembling in fear, their energy slowly draining as Vanitas stood there, grinning and laughing as the shadows writhed under the effects of his aura.
[Time Remaining: 7 min]
Vanitas dashed toward one of the shadows and landed a decisive blow. "How pathetic!" he taunted as the beast crumpled into shadowy fragments.
One by one, he dashed forward and struck them, each shadow beast dissipating into nothingness. The chamber seemed to echo with their final screams.
[Can't copy skill on cooldown: 23h]
'Eh? This is new. I guess I'll need to find another skill to use today.' He whispered to himself, slowly walking toward one of the remaining enemies. Its glowing red eyes stared unblinking at him, its body human-like yet terrifyingly monstrous, with spikes jutting out from both hands.
To his surprise, it spoke.
"Please, spare me, King."
Vanitas stopped in his tracks. He raised an eyebrow. "Why did you call me king? Your king is already dead!" He raised his dagger, prepared to strike.
"Wait, it's because of your aura... that powerful aura. I want to be your servant, if you will have me," the creature spoke coldly, but there was a strange pleading tone beneath its words.
Notification:
Would you like to accept this offer?
[Yes] [No]
Vanitas stared at the options, considering them for a moment. Then, a smirk crossed his face as he clicked [Yes].
"Okay then. I'll accept you as my servant. Don't disappoint me."
"Promise... My King."
The shadow evaporated into fragments, its form scattering like mist.
[Hidden Functions: Activated]
[Shadow Archive Unlocked]
Desc: Monsters who become allies can be stored here and can be released to fight alongside you when needed.
'Well, this is interesting. I can now store allies and release them when I need help.' He thought, the possibility of using his new powers setting in.
Another notification popped up.
[Notification:]
[Trial Quest Completed: Rewards 10 Attributes and 1x Strength Potion]
[Bonus Rewards: Void Key]
'Void Key?' Vanitas raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He quickly navigated through the system menu and found the new item listed under his inventory.
[Void Key: Grants access to the Void Realm. Survive against endless waves of creatures within the given time based on your level. Rewards depend on performance.]
Vanitas' eyes narrowed, a dangerous glint flashing in his gaze. "Endless waves? This... could be a way to get stronger faster," he muttered, a smirk forming on his lips.
He clenched his fist, feeling the surge of strength from his newly acquired attributes. "I'll check it out later," he thought, focusing back on Alexis and Kai.
"Vanitas? Are you okay?" Alexis asked, still concerned, though a hint of relief appeared in her voice.
"Yeah, just... thinking," he replied, closing the system interface with a flick of his hand.
'First the Trial Quest, and now this Void Realm... This system is definitely pushing me harder.'
With determination in his eyes, Vanitas stepped forward, ready for whatever came next. "It's over." His mind was already racing, planning when to use the Void Key.
A moment later, a blue swirling portal appeared in front of him. It was the exit; the dungeon was finally over.
"Finally, it's over!" Alexis shouted, her voice cracking as tears of relief streamed down her cheeks.
"Va- Vanitas, just what are you..." Kai spoke, gripping his weapon tightly, still trying to comprehend everything that had just happened.
"Glad it's over now."
Both of them walked out of the dungeon without any wounds. Vanitas had successfully completed his mission, but now... what was next?
As they walked out, they were greeted by the sight of many hunters waiting outside. Some were reporters, taking pictures of the survivors—those who had lived through the UD. It had been a whole week in the outside world.
'This is annoying... I just want to rest,' Vanitas thought, irritation creeping up as they made their way past the crowd.
---
End of Chapter.