III: The Lost

When Kalron opened his eyes, he was met with a sky of blackness and gray clouds which snowed white.

'Bloody hell. I thought I would be safe from the dull shit land that was the Shattered.'

Kalron stood up and glanced down at his body.

He was engulfed in black smoke and underneath the smoke he still saw his fragile body he had before when he was a Shattered One.

Kalron tapped his temple and inspected his stats.

[Kalron]

[Rank: 0/15]

[Progression: 0%]

[Lineage: Lost One]

[Vitality: 19]

[Strength: 25]

[Agility: 19]

[Judgment: 16]

[Esoteric: 16]

[Mastery Points: 0]

[Blessings: None]

[Curses: None]

[Skills: Assimilation, Identify]

'Identify, huh? I don't think I'll need an explanation on what that does.'

Kalron swiped his hands, dismissing the window. He looked at his surroundings. He was in the middle of a vast snow covered dune.

"Great. Another harsh environment."

Though his dislike for the environment was heavy, he was used to this kind of habitat. In his memories, he has traveled across many rough places like deserts, rainforests, etc.

Kalron took a step forward. He was able to move through the snow easily despite how deep his feet were. He continued to wander around before arriving on top of a large hill.

He looked down and spotted a figure in the distance. It was pure white and camouflage with the snow. If it wasn't for the smoky chain that was around its body and dragging along the floor, he wouldn't have noticed it.

"Guess that is what I need to kill to Rank up."

Kalron slid down the hill towards the figure and as he began to approach it, he used the skill [Identify].

[Identified: The Shackled One]

[Origin: The Lost]

[Notice: This One Wields An Artifact.]

'Artifact? Is it referring to the chain?' Kalron questioned as it stared at the chains on the Shackled One.

'Well it looks like it's my lucky day."

The Shackled One turned its head at Kalron and was met with a tackle to the ground. As it fell, Kalron grabbed onto its chains and wrapped it around the Shackled One's neck.

"Die!" Kalron growled as he pulled on the chains.

The Shackled One didn't seem to move as Kalron continued to suffocate it. Instead it groaned and after a while, it simply faded away.

Kalron was left puzzled as he held the chains in his hand. He didn't think it would be that easy.

[Alert!]

[Ranked up (3)]

[Artifact Obtained: Chains of the Lost (Upgradable)]

Kalron stared at the chains in his hands before wrapping it around his body, securing it tight around his chest.

The chains were thin but they were sturdy. It could even be mistaken as a rope from afar.

"Upgradeable? So it can be made into a weapon."

It was the first thing that came through Kalron's mind. To make anything around him a weapon. Normally one would try to find some kind of food or water source first or find shelter, but Kalron did not think like that. Thanks to his physiology, he had no need for food nor shelter.

Yet.

Just like he did in the previous realm, he wandered around, slaying any Shackled One he could find. Unlike the first Shackled One, the rest wore chains that heavily weighed them down to the point they couldn't move at all.

Unlike the Fractured, Kalron enjoyed his time in the Lost. He was akin to snowy weather considering he was raised in a cold environment in his previous life.

Some time later, Kalron's progression began to slow down. Fortunately, he was already close to maxing his Rank.

[Kalron]

[Rank: 13/15]

[Progression: 39%]

[Lineage: Lost One]

[Vitality: 44]

[Strength: 50]

[Agility: 47]

[Judgment: 29]

[Esoteric: 29]

[Mastery Points: 0]

[Blessings: None]

[Curses: None]

[Skills: Assimilation, Identify]

"Now that I think of it, I probably should've asked the voice what roams in this realm. Since I've only encountered Shackled Ones, this danger in this area is quite scarce."

Kalron fiddled with his chains before looking around. After a while, he spotted something in the distance. From its silhouette, it did not have a humanoid form.

Walking towards it, it slowly became closer and closer, not because he was heading towards its direction but because it was sprinting towards him.

"That's not good." Kalron said as he began to unwrap his chains.

The figure came closer and Kalron noticed its quadrupedal form. It snarled and barked at him in an unnatural deep tone, dragging what seems to be a Shackled One. Its appearance was covered in smoke and possessed glowing white eyes.

"Identify."

[Identified: Wolven One]

[Origin: The Lost]

"Well, isn't that great."

The Wolven One launched itself towards Kalron. Immediately, Kalron stepped to the side and smacked the Wolven One with his chains. It slammed to the ground and Kalron quickly wrapped his chains around it. As he did, he made sure to keep an eye on the Shackled One behind him. Unlike its kin, this one pulled on the chains that were used as a collar for the Wolven One.

Kalron tightened his grip but the Wolven One didn't seem to be affected. Kalron bashed the Wolven One by its head but it didn't budge. All it did was continue to stare deep into his eyes.

Then, it let out a blood curdling howl.

"Gah!"

Kalron stumbled back and covered his ears. The Wolven One continued to howl and when it finally stopped, Kalron noticed a massive horde approaching from the top of a hill.

"You're kidding."

Kalron grabbed his chains and began running the other way. The Wolven One he was fighting started chasing after him.

Running the other way, Kalron noticed another Wolven One on top of another hill. It was much larger than the other Wolven Ones and it stared down at him. Kalron noticed a figure standing on top of the beast. It was a figure clouded in smoke and possessed red eyes along with glowing red cracks.

"Is that what I think it is?"

Kalron used [Identify] on the figure but the figure stared back at him, its eyes glinting.

[Identified: ???, Lost One]

[Origin: Shattered One]

"I knew it, but I can't see its name?"

The Lost One who held chains in its hands tugged on them and the Wolven One sprinted forward. Its footsteps shook the planes of the Lost. It crashed into the wave of Wolven Ones and began devouring them one by one. The Wolven Ones started fleeing but some of them were unfortunately devoured.

Kalron watched as the Wolven Ones fled. The Lost One riding the massive Wolven One looked towards Kalron. The two stared each other down before the Lost One tugged their chain. The Wolven One howled before trotting away.

"Wait! Come back here!"

Kalron ran towards them but they disappeared over a hill. Kalron groaned and kicked the snow.

"Guess socializing isn't part of their plan. Damn. Just when I found another one just like me. Then again…"

Kalron looked at the footsteps left behind by the giant Wolven One.

"Leaving behind tracks is a no-no in my book." Kalron commented, wrapping his chains around him.

"Whoever they are, they must be a higher rank than me if they could tame a Wolven One. Then again that wouldn't make sense since I am already near max Rank. Unless it's not the rank…"

Kalron stared at his chains, remembering the chains around the massive Wolven One's neck.

"So these can be used to subjugate. That's nice to know. Don't you think so too?"

Kalron looked over his shoulders where a Wolven One glared at him. The Shackled One behind it tugged on the chains, holding the Wolven One back though it seems the Wolven One didn't seem to exert any force.

Kalron wrapped his chains around one of his arms and pulled with all his might. The chains tightened around his arm and soon, it shattered.

Kalron picked up one of the shattered pieces from the ground and held it in his other hand.

The Wolven One barked and charged towards Kalron. Kalron threw the shard at the Wolven One, nailing it in the eye. The Wolven One fell to the ground and Kalron quickly pinned it to the ground. He picked up another shard and jammed it into the Wolven One's other eye. The Wolven One whimpered before Kalron shoved another piece into the top of its head.

[Alert!]

[Ranked up (2)]

[Max Rank Reached]

"Well… if only I got to these things first. I'd be done days ago."

Kalron sighed and used [Assimilation] on the Wolven One. His arm reformed in a matter of seconds and when healed, he wrapped his chains around him.

"Now for that gate? Where is it?"

Suddenly, Kalron heard a groan from the rear and chains wrapped around his neck.

"Ack! What the-!?"

The Shackled One behind him groaned as its grip on the chains tightened, slowly suffocating Kalron. Kalron looked around and picked up a shattered piece of the floor, stabbing the Shackled One in the neck. The Shackled One didn't release its grip and only continued to tighten its grip.

"Fucking-! Now you wanna fight, huh!?"

Kalron got on his feet and threw the Shackled One over him. The Shackled One let go of its grip upon landing on its back. Kalron stomped on the Shackled One's head, seemingly knocking it out. Kalron picked up another shard off the ground and plunged it into the Shackled One's head.

The Shackled One groaned before vanishing in thin air. Kalron caught his breath as the floor in front of him caved in, revealing another bottomless hole.

"Bloody hell… that one caught me off guard. It couldn't have done that hours ago?"

Before Kalron descended down the hole, he tapped his temple.

Kalron]

[Rank: 15/15]

[Progression: Ready to Evolve]

[Lineage: Lost One]

[Vitality: 46]

[Strength: 52]

[Agility: 49]

[Judgment: 31]

[Esoteric: 31]

[Mastery Points: 6]

[Blessings: None]

[Curses: None]

[Skills: Assimilation, Identify]

"Hopefully I get some changes. From the name of the next realm, I should finally get a good Lineage. Nothing wrong with the Lost One, but I'm getting sick of walking around in a fragile body."

Without any hesitation, Kalron jumped into the hole. Darkness engulfed him yet again.

…

…

…

[Rank has been converted into Mastery Points]

[Mastery Points have been evenly distributed among stats]

[Select your Branch of Evolution]

[Hollowed One]

[Thirsted One]

[Undying One]

[Withered One]

'So… it seems I can choose. I will need to see each one's benefits and disadvantages.'

[Hollowed One]

[Path Potential: Moderate]

[Path Difficulty: Medium]

[Skill Potential: High]

[Skill Rating: Moderate]

[Skill Obtainability: Great]

[Strongest Stats: Judgment & Esoteric]

[Thirsted One]

[Path Potential: Great]

[Path Difficulty: Hard]

[Skill Potential: Low]

[Skill Rating: Great]

[Skill Obtainability: Moderate]

[Strongest Stats: Agility & Esoteric]

[Undying One]

[Path Potential: Low]

[Path Difficulty: Easy]

[Skill Potential: Great]

[Skill Rating: Moderate]

[Skill Obtainability: High]

[Strongest Stats: Vitality & Strength]

[Withered One]

[Path Potential: High]

[Path Difficulty: For the Worthy]

[Skill Potential: Great]

[Skill Rating: High]

[Skill Obtainability: Low]

[Strongest Stats: Strength & Agility]

[Notice: These chances will only be put into effect on the next evolution.]

'So these are my choices. That last one looks a bit special to me.'

In Kalron's past life, he used to play a lot of MMORPG games and each one he played, he was always the DPS guy. He would always be relied on to deal the most damage to the bosses and highly spoken about through the gaming community and games' threads.

With that knowledge in mind, Kalron knew that even though it wasn't a video game, it was always something he wanted to do.

So it wasn't hard for him to choose his Branch.

[Withered One has been selected]

[Lineage has been evolved]

[Lost One → Withered One]

[Skill Obtained: Slash]

[Curse Received: Test of the Withered]