Chapter 5: Arise

Vincent reviewed the memories with a smile of amusement as he stepped in front of the door and opened it.

A black fog gushed out of the room, obscuring his vision. The fog swirled around him, forming a whirlpool before lunging into his body and being absorbed.

As the last of the fog was absorbed into his being, a blue system interface materialized before his eyes.

[SYSTEM INITIALIZING...]

[Welcome, Vincent Nightshade.]

Vincent stared at the holographic panel in front of him, his eyes wide but composed. He reached out to touch it, but his hand passed right through, as if it didn't exist. Shifting his focus, he began reading the words displayed before him. 'This seems familiar... I'm sure I've seen something like this before. It kind of looks like...' As the thought lingered in his mind, a voice suddenly echoed in his head.

[System Alert]

Welcome, [Vincent]!

I am the System, an interface designed to assist you in your journey toward becoming stronger, faster, and more powerful than you've ever imagined. Allow me to explain the features and benefits I will provide:

1. Leveling Up:

- Experience Points (XP): Defeating enemies, completing quests, and overcoming challenges will earn you XP. As you accumulate XP, you will level up, increasing your overall power and unlocking new abilities.

- Stat Points: With each level gained, you will receive stat points. These can be distributed among your core attributes—Strength, Agility, Stamina, Intelligence, and Sense—allowing you to customize your growth.

2. Quests and Missions:

- Main Quests: These missions will guide you along your primary path, presenting challenges that must be overcome to unlock your true potential. Completing them will yield significant rewards.

- Daily Quests: Regular tasks designed to keep you sharp and focused. Failure to complete these may result in penalties, while success will grant useful bonuses.

3. Skills and Abilities:

- Active Skills: As you progress, you will acquire powerful techniques and abilities that can be used in combat or other situations. Use them wisely to dominate your enemies.

- Passive Skills: These provide continuous benefits, enhancing your capabilities in subtle but crucial ways. Over time, they will become key to your survival and success.

4. Inventory:

- I have granted you access to an Inventory, a dimensional storage space where you can store items, equipment, and other resources. This space is limitless, ensuring you are always prepared for whatever lies ahead.

5. Titles and Achievements:

- Your accomplishments will be recognized through Titles. Each title will grant you unique bonuses and enhancements, reflecting your growing legend.

6. Shop and Currency:

- Earn System Currency by completing quests and use it in the Shop to purchase items, weapons, and other resources that will aid you on your journey.

7. Status Window:

- At any time, you can access your Status Window to view your current stats, skills, quests, inventory, and titles. This will be your command center, providing you with all the information you need to make informed decisions.

Vincent listened to the System's robotic voice echo in his head, and he couldn't help but draw a connection to the one he'd encountered in the famous novel he'd read in his past life, Solo Leveling. As he tried to recall the details of that system and compare it to his own, the cold, mechanical voice interrupted his thoughts once again.

[System Alert]

Warning: Foreign Power Detected.

Analyzing…

Analysis Complete.

Identified: NightShade Bloodline Power

Type: Shadow Manipulation

Description: The inherited power of the NightShade family, allowing the wielder to summon shadows and resurrect the dead as loyal shadow minions.

Integrating with System…

[Integration Complete]

New Ability Unlocked: Shadow Monarch's Legacy

Shadow Monarch's Legacy, has been integrated into the System and will now evolve with your progress. The power of your bloodline has been refined and augmented by the System, granting you access to a formidable array of shadow-based abilities. As you grow stronger, so too will your command over the shadows.

Abilities Unlocked:

- Shadow Summoning (Level 1): Summon shadows to aid you in battle. The strength and number of shadows will increase as your level increases.

- Shadow Resurrection (Level 1): Reanimate the dead as loyal shadows. Initially limited in scope, this ability will allow you to command fallen enemies as your own.

Note: As you continue to progress and grow stronger, the System will reward your achievements by granting you access to special shadows from other dimensions. These unique entities will serve as powerful allies, each with their own extraordinary abilities. Examples include:

- Igris: A knight clad in black armor, known for his unwavering loyalty and exceptional swordsmanship. His skills in close combat are unparalleled among the shadows.

- Tusk: A high orc shaman with mastery over powerful magic. Tusk can cast devastating spells and provide support to your other shadows.

- Beru: A former Ant King, now a loyal shadow with incredible speed, strength, and regenerative abilities. Beru excels in both offense and defense, making him a formidable force on the battlefield.

In addition to many other shadows.

[End of Integration]

Vincent smiled as he listened to the System's words and examined the information before him—it really was the system from Solo Leveling.

Thinking about how powerful the protagonist of Solo Leveling became, Vincent couldn't help but wonder if he could achieve the same strength by fully utilizing the System's potential.

What Vincent didn't realize was that the System he had unlocked was so powerful that even almighty beings, like the one he met after death, were astonished by the foreign power attached to his soul—which was none other than the System itself.

Feeling a surge of excitement, Vincent quickly asked, "Hey System, what kind of shadow can I summon now? A giant orc, a deadly dragon, or maybe a humongous anaconda?" As he imagined the mighty creatures he might soon command, the System's reply echoed in his head:

[Due to the host's low level, the only creature you can currently summon is a Level 1 Shadow Knight.]

Vincent's excitement deflated slightly at the response, but he quickly realized his mistake—thinking he could summon powerful shadows right from the start was foolish. Regaining his enthusiasm, he said, "Okay then, let's see what a Level 1 Shadow Knight looks like."

As he spoke, the System's voice responded: [The command to summon the shadows is: Arise].

'Figured.'

Vincent took a deep breath and, with a deep voice, he commanded, "Arise."

Immediately, his shadow began to stretch and shift, dark energy gathering in front of him.

The shadow started to take the shape of a humanoid figure. Within moments, the dark energy solidified into a soldier—a knight clad in shadowy armor—who emerged and knelt before Vincent, ready to serve.