The Void(II)

The void-like creatures lunged toward him—spider-like voids and goblin-like voids—three of them in total. Slowly, they formed a circle formation, moving in a non-human speed, their dark, shadowy bodies shifting unnaturally in the dim atmosphere. Vanitas' eyes darted around, calculating their movements. He barely had a moment to react before they attacked in perfect synchronization.

Slash!

Vanitas managed to dodge, but not without consequence. A sharp sting ran across his cheek, and he could feel warm blood trickling down. He wiped it with the back of his hand and smirked.

"Heh, freaks... that all you got!?" he muttered, clenching his teeth.

Without hesitation, Vanitas rushed toward the spider-like void creature. Its eight legs moved erratically, shadowy tendrils coiling and dancing around its form like living smoke. The creature let out a screech, raising its sharp legs to block his path, but Vanitas had already set his sights on its head. He lunged forward, dagger gleaming under the void's eerie glow.

Just as his blade was about to make contact, the creature unleashed a sticky, dark web from its mouth. The black threads latched onto Vanitas' face, blinding him completely. A surge of panic hit him, but he quickly focused, clawing at the web until it came loose.

Rip!

The moment he freed himself, he saw it—the deadly legs of the spider void slashing toward him, aiming to slice his head clean off.

"Shit!"

Vanitas ducked low and dashed forward, sliding under the creature and slashing upwards with precision. His blade cut deep, tearing through the void's head.

Swoosh!

The creature let out a final screech before disintegrating into ashes of void.

[14/20 Void Creatures Remaining.]

Vanitas exhaled, grinning. "Six more to go... but that knight void hasn't made a move yet," he thought, his eyes narrowing at the figure standing motionless in the distance. "I'll deal with him after I finish these weaklings."

He didn't waste time. With a powerful leap, he soared above a humanoid void figure, bringing his dagger down onto its head in a swift, decisive strike. The void goblin beside it lunged toward him in retaliation, but Vanitas had already memorized its attack pattern.

Clang!

He parried the attack effortlessly, countering with a smirk.

"Shadow's King Aura, activate!" he commanded.

A surge of dark energy exploded from his body, thick tendrils of shadow swirling around him like a cloak of terror. The remaining void creatures instinctively stepped back, their forms trembling in fear. Vanitas' eyes glowed with a sinister light as he raised his dagger.

"Come out… whatever your name is!"

A shadowy figure emerged from the void-like ground beneath him, materializing into the monstrous form of a creature he had previously captured in the Shadow Archive. It let out a guttural growl, eager to serve.

"Don't disappoint me," Vanitas ordered, pointing his dagger at the void goblins. "Kill the remaining freaks—except for that one," he gestured toward the knight-like void.

"Yes, my King!"

The summoned creature dashed forward with a ferocity that surpassed the void creatures. Within moments, it slaughtered them one by one, leaving only the knight void standing.

[19/20 Void Creatures Remaining.]

Vanitas watched, impressed. "Impressive... I'll take it from here," he said, gripping his dagger tightly.

The summoned creature dissolved back into the system, stored once more within the Shadow Archive.

'I only have five minutes left to clear this wave... damn it,' he thought. Suddenly, a cold chill ran down his spine.

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, the knight-like void disappeared from sight.

"Fuck... where did it go!?"

Before he could react, a terrifying presence loomed above him. The knight void raised its enormous void sword and brought it crashing down. Vanitas narrowly dodged, but the edge of the blade sliced through his shirt, leaving it in tatters and revealing his toned body.

"Shit... that was a gift from my mother, you bastard!" he yelled in frustration.

Without wasting time, he grabbed a small vial from his inventory—a strength potion, a reward from his previous trial quest. He popped off the cork and downed it in one go.

[+20 Strength for the remaining 2 minutes.]

Vanitas felt a surge of raw power coursing through his veins. "This should do for now!"

Suddenly, the system interface appeared before him.

[Trial Quest Initiated.]

[Clear the First Wave of the Void Realm.]

[Kill the Knight Void Boss for Reward.]

-No time limit.

"Tch, another one? So trial quests can trigger anytime, huh?" he muttered, eyes gleaming with determination. "Fine, come at me, knight freak!"

Vanitas dashed forward, blade flashing as the knight void swung its massive sword again. This time, he was faster, dodging the strike with fluid agility and closing the gap.

Slice! Swish! Woshh!

His blade struck true, cutting deep into the knight's chest. A glowing mark appeared, slowly draining the creature's magical power. Seizing the opportunity, Vanitas activated his skill once more.

"Shadow's King Aura!"

The oppressive energy enveloped the knight, forcing it to its knees as its strength drained away.

"Become my servant!" Vanitas commanded, his aura pressing down on the creature like a tidal wave.

The knight let out an agonized screech before its voice echoed in his mind.

"Y… yes, my k… king," it muttered, submitting completely.

[Skill: Shadow's King Aura Deactivated.]

"Very good," Vanitas whispered, tapping the knight's head with his dagger. "You are now my second servant. Don't fail me!"

"Yes... my king," the knight replied with a trembling voice before being absorbed into the Shadow Archive.

[Trial Quest Completed.]

[Calculating Rewards Based on Performance.]

"No extra rewards, huh? Makes sense—I didn't kill it," Vanitas shrugged.

[Calculating Rewards Completed!]

[You have gained 20,000 EXP.]

[Level up to 8. +15 Attributes.]

[You have gained 'Void Ring' (Artifact).]

[You have gained 1,000 System Coins.]

[Congratulations on clearing the first wave in 24 minutes.]

"Nice. An artifact... I'll check it later," he muttered, scrolling through the notifications.

[System: Naming the servants can evolve them into a higher rank.]

[Following Servants to Name:]

-Void Knight (C Rank)

-Former Servant of the Abyssal Monster (D Rank)

"Fine, I'll name the Void Knight... 'Vode.' And the other one... 'Shado.' Pretty cool names, right?"

[Naming Completed.]

'Thank you, my King,' Shado's voice echoed in his mind.

'I will cherish this name, my King,' Vode added.

"So... you guys can communicate with me even when inside the archive? Interesting."

[Shado's Rank Evolving into D+ Rank.]

[Vode's Rank Evolving into C+ Rank.]

"I'll summon you guys when I need you," he smirked, storing his dagger back into his inventory.

A soft light surrounded him, and a swirling hollow portal materialized in front of him.

[Title Received: Blessed Realm Beast.]

(Description: Increases damage against beast-type monsters when inside a dungeon or inside a realm.)

Vanitas equipped the title without hesitation. "This is just the beginning," he muttered, clenching his fists.

As he stepped into the portal, he felt the familiar sensation—like thousands of hands pulling him through darkness. "Weird as always," he muttered.

He emerged into the real world. The night was cool, leaves rustling in the wind, the moon shining brightly amidst the clouds. Stars twinkled like jewels in the sky.

"Finally out... damn, I'm exhausted," he muttered, staring at the starry sky, exhaustion weighing heavy on his shoulders. 'I guess no new skill for today.'

End of Chapter.