The Flooded Caves – Sinking into Trouble

The Fight Against the Tideclaw Crabs

Arlan barely had time to take in the cavern before the first monster lunged.

The Tideclaw Crab was massive—easily the size of a grown man, its carapace thick and gleaming under the dim, bioluminescent fungi. Its pincers snapped, nearly as big as Arlan's head.

Bones, still in his small skeletal rat form, clicked his teeth. "Kill."

Shade flickered at Arlan's side. "Drown."

Arlan sighed. "That's really all you two ever say, huh?"

Before they could argue, the Tideclaw struck.

Arlan dodged left, narrowly avoiding a pincer that slammed into the cavern floor, cracking the stone.

"Alright, let's do this!" Arlan raised his wand. "Bones—go big."

Bones transformed instantly, shifting from a tiny skeletal rat into a massive bone-plated panther. With a rattling growl, he lunged at the crab, claws scraping against its thick armor—but barely leaving a scratch.

Shade flickered through the darkness, aiming for a weak point—but the crab's defenses were too strong.

Arlan clicked his tongue. "Damn, thing's got a shell like a castle wall."

The Tideclaw countered—one massive claw lashed out, catching Bones mid-leap.

CRACK.

Bones yelped as he was sent flying into the water.

Shade hissed. "Weak."

Bones, struggling out of the water, snapped his teeth. "Stupid.. wisp."

Arlan ignored them. His Shadow Bolt shot forward, but the moment it hit the Tideclaw's wet carapace, it fizzled, barely leaving a mark.

The crab rushed him.

Arlan barely dodged in time. His heart pounded. He couldn't rely on raw power.

He needed strategy.

[Eclipsing Maw].

Arlan inhaled sharply, then activated it—merging with Shade.

His body flickered, turning partially spectral, his limbs becoming mist-like and swift. His vision sharpened, the cavern growing darker but clearer at the same time.

**The Tideclaw attacked again—**but Arlan phased through it, slipping past its claws like smoke.

"Die.." he muttered, raising his wand.

He struck at the joints of its legs—where the carapace was thinner.

The Withering Wands magic surged.

The Tideclaw let out a shriek as its leg decayed before their eyes, turning black and brittle.

Bones, shaking off the earlier hit, took his chance.

The undead panther leaped, jaws clamping down on the softened joint—and ripped the entire limb off.

The Tideclaw collapsed, screeching.

Arlan finished it with one last Shadow Bolt, straight through its head.

The cavern fell silent.

Deeper Into the Caves – Something is Watching

Arlan exhaled, shaking off the magic. His body snapped back to normal, the merging effect fading.

His magic felt stronger than before—but also hungrier.

Before he could dwell on it, Shade and Bones suddenly stopped moving.

They were staring deeper into the cave.

Arlan followed their gaze.

The water wasn't still.

Ripples.

Something big was moving.

Shade muttered, "Hunger."

Arlan tightened his grip on his wand.

They weren't alone.

The Dungeon's True Threat – The Drowned Horror

The next cavern opened into a massive underground lake.

A half-sunken shipwreck rested in the center, rotting wood creaking as the waves shifted.

But what caught Arlan's attention wasn't the ship.

It was the bodies.

Half-buried in the sand. Lined along the shore.

Covered in barnacles.

Then—they moved.

A grotesque undead monster rose from the water—a twisted fusion of human and crustacean, its arms elongated into razor-sharp claws, its face barely recognizable beneath layers of hardened shell.

The Drowned Horror.

It let out a gurgling shriek—and the corpses rose with it.

Arlan cursed under his breath. "Well… shit."

The Drowned Horror commanded the Tideclaws like minions, sending them swarming at Arlan.

Arlan blasted the first with Shadow Bolt—but it barely staggered.

Shade and Bones fought together, but the numbers were overwhelming.

He needed to end this fast.

He activated [Eclipsing Maw] again—this time, merging with Bones.

His form changed—his hands became clawed, his body leaner and more feral.

The Drowned Horror drew a sickening grin.

And it laughed.

Arlan hesitated.

And almost got impaled.

He barely dodged, retaliating with a Withering-infused strike.

The Drowned Horror screeched as its shell began to rot away.

Shade pounced, his claws tearing through the softened flesh.

Arlan raised his wand—Shadow Bolt, enhanced by Withering.

It struck home.

The Drowned Horror collapsed, its body dissolving into the water.

Checking His Status – A Level Up & A New Skill

Arlan leaned against the cavern wall, panting. His body was still buzzing with power from the fight.

Then—a familiar chime echoed in his mind.

[ System Notification ]Name: ArlanClass: GravebinderLevel: 15 → 16New Skill Available!

Arlan pulled up his status screen.

His gaze landed on the new skill option.

[Black Shroud] – Temporarily surrounds the caster in a cloud of necrotic mist, reducing visibility for enemies and absorbing minor attacks. Also enhances stealth in dark environments.

Arlan exhaled.

This was perfect.

Not just an attack—a way to disappear when things got bad.

He confirmed the skill.

A pulse of magic ran through him. The cavern around him seemed darker for a brief moment, as if the shadows themselves pulled closer.

Bones clicked his teeth. "More power."

Shade whispered. "You grow."

Arlan rolled his shoulders. He was getting stronger.

And he needed every ounce of strength for what was coming.

Returning to the Guild – A New Reputation

Arlan returned to the guild, drenched and exhausted.

The clerk barely looked up. "Back already?"

Arlan dropped the severed Tideclaw claw onto the counter. "Job's done."

The clerk raised an eyebrow. "You handled the whole dungeon solo?"

Arlan shrugged. "Guess so."

Other adventurers started taking notice.

A new name started spreading through the guild:

'Rook the Shadow Caller.'

The first step in Arlan's new life had begun.