ABILITY AWAKENED….

As Ren's eyes fluttered open, he realized he was in a completely different dimension—a dark room with no one else in sight.

Feeling a mixture of curiosity and trepidation, he couldn't help but mutter, "*Sigh* The moment of truth. 'STATUS WINDOW'." He had half-expected his innate ability to be as disappointing as his scummy parents, but to his surprise, a blue holographic display materialized before him.

*****************************

[STATUS WINDOW]

[NAME: REN DAVIS]

[AGE: 18]

[RACE: HUMAN]

[LVL: 1]

[EXP: 0/100]

[STRENGTH: 1]

[SPEED: 1]

[STAMINA: 1]

[MANA: 1]

[INNATE ABILITY: ENDLESS EXTRACTION & FUSION]

[SKILL: NONE]

(Note: Average stats of any being at level 1 is 5)

*****************************

With a deep depressive sigh, Ren admitted, "My stats are quite low, just as I expected. But let's see what this innate ability has in store for me. If it's something useless and weak, I can always return to the ground floor—I'm not eager to meet my doom just yet." He cautiously clicked on the plus option beside his innate ability to unveil its description.

*****************************

[INNATE ABILITY: ENDLESS EXTRACTION & FUSION]

[DETAILS: CAN EXTRACT ANYTHING FROM ANY TARGET AND GAIN STATS, ABILITIES ETC. MOREOVER, CAN COMBINE DIFFERENT TYPES OF ABILITIES AND ITEMS TO CREATE AN EVEN STRONGER ONE.]

*****************************

Ren couldn't believe his eyes as he exclaimed, "What in the world!? Is this for real? It's insanely powerful and broken! I never imagined I'd awaken something like this!—strength or agility type ability sure—but this is beyond my wildest dreams!" He was in a state of shock, questioning if this was all just a dream or reality.

With a wry smile, Ren cautioned himself not to get too carried away, knowing it could lead to his demise. He focused on controlling his emotions.

"Now, what do I need to do to complete this tutorial floor?" Ren questioned in his mind, and suddenly, another message popped up in front of him, capturing his attention.

*****************************

[DO YOU WISH TO CONTINUE THE TUTORIAL]

[YES] / [NO]

*****************************

Without a moment's hesitation, Ren clicked "yes," determined to seize this opportunity to gain the strength he desired.

*****************************

[DING...]

[CONGRATULATIONS ON CHOOSING TO CONTINUE THE TUTORIAL! NOW SELECT ONE OF YOUR DESIRED WEAPON.]

1. Longsword & Shield.

2. Bow and Arrow.

3. Staff.

4. Dagger.

5. Spear.

6. Crossbow.

7. Rapier.

8. Warhammer.

9. Katana.

10. Halberd.

11. Nunchaku.

12. Throwing knives.

13. Two-handed Greatsword.

14. Quarterstaff.

15. Sai.

16. Axe.

17. Flail.

18. Javelin.

19. Kusarigama (Sickle and Chain).

20. Whip.

21. Wand.

[TUTORIAL OBJECTIVE: REACH THE DESTINATION BY GETTING PAST ALL OF THE TRAPS.]

[ALL DAMAGE WILL BE RECOVERED WHEN YOU REACH EITHER THE DESTINATION OR THE STARTING POINT.]

*****************************

Pondering the challenge ahead in the dimly lit environment, Ren's spirits sank. "It's so dark, and I can't see well. How can I avoid traps or any hidden dangers?" he muttered, feeling a bit despondent, knowing his current stats were weaker than most, and his ability offered little help in this situation.

Ren weighed his options, facing the array of 21 weapons before him. Unsure of his proficiency with any, he contemplated, "Longsword & Shield might be the practical choice for anyone, but with my current strength, I doubt I can even wield it. Considering my limited mana and capabilities, the most sensible pick would be a dagger—it's easy to carry." With a firm decision, Ren selected the dagger as his main weapon, aware that close combat might not be an option for him at the moment, but it seemed like the best fit given his circumstances.

Once Ren chose the Dagger, a rusty old blade materialized before him.

"Man, this dagger is as weak as I am. How can I use such a thing? I don't know when it might break. Although the design is cool, it's too rusty," Ren muttered, a hint of disappointment evident in his expression as he examined the weapon.

But then, a brilliant idea struck him. "Wait a minute, since I can extract anything, that means I can even remove the impurities from this weapon, Right?."

*****************************

[DING…]

[USE INNATE ABILITY: ENDLESS EXTRACTION & FUSION]

*****************************

Activating his ability, Ren witnessed a dark blue energy swirling around the dagger, causing it to glow.

*****************************

[DING…]

[SUCCESSFULLY EXTRACTED! YOU HAVE REMOVED RUST AND RESIDUE FROM THE DAGGER. HOWEVER, SINCE THE EXTRACTED IMPURITIES ARE TOO WEAK, NO ADDITIONAL STATS OR ABILITIES ARE GAINED. THE DAGGER HAS REACHED ITS LIMIT AND CANNOT BE FURTHER IMPROVED.]

*****************************

Ren exclaimed with delight, "OHOHO! It actually worked! I half-expected to destroy this weapon." He now beheld a brand-new dagger before him, free from its previous flaws.

"Alright, let my climbing begin," Ren declared, facing the straight passage ahead, feeling as though the darkness was urging him forward.

With caution, Ren took each step, maintaining alertness. Surprisingly, nothing happened for a considerable time, as if the passage held no dangers. However, Ren remained vigilant, knowing the traps could strike without any warning, wiping out everything in their path like a raging storm.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, a swift arrow shot through the darkness, catching Ren off guard, and he couldn't react in time.

Pook!

The arrow pierced through his ankle, causing excruciating pain.

"AARRRRGGHHHH! It hurts! It hurts!" Ren cried out in agony, the arrow causing a pool of blood around him. His chaotic mind still managed to think through the pain, and he realized he needed to return to the starting point.

With determination, Ren attempted to stand, but his unbalanced state caused him to fall again. The arrow had likely grazed the floor as he fell, intensifying his pain. Tears streamed down his face as he got on all fours and used his dagger to drag himself forward, crawling with his hands and one usable leg.

**********(TO BE CONTINUED)**********