Triumph in the Second Level. (48)

The room was enveloped in a soft glow as mystical runes flowed into my consciousness. Within four minutes, I had fully absorbed the knowledge of the skill and compared it to my existing abilities. It became apparent that utilizing my tail would yield the most optimal results with this newfound power.

Shadow Strike granted me the ability to deliver five lightning-fast strikes per second, nearly a quarter of the speed achieved through acceleration.

Over the course of 20 hours, I had absorbed a total of 248 Spirit Stones, until an unexpected alert from the system notified me of approaching visitors outside the cave.

---

[Name: Participant 137.

Race: Humanoid.

Grade: 4 (42/100).

Strength: 800 (+800).

Dexterity: 690 (+800).

Endurance: 830 (+800).

Magic Resistance: 530 (+750).

Luck: 3.

Mana Perception: 623 (+750).

Intelligence: 710 (+750).

Mental Strength: 615 (+750).

Regeneration: 750 (+1200).

Experience Points: 20.

Health - 12 700 ponts.

Skills:

Melee (middle-red), Dragon Scales (Level 1), Iron Stomach (middle-red), Bone arrows (middle-red), Dark Threads of the Abyss (full-yellow), Ignition (Level 4) (1 Level Up), Shadow Strike (intial-red) (2 Level Up).

47/ 200 - to the next level.]

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* Level of proficiency in skills:

Initial-yellow. Initial-green. Initial-red. (Each level jump is equal to 5 spiritual stones)

Middle-yellow. Middle-green. Middle-red (Each level jump is equal to 200 spiritual stones)

Full-yellow. Full-green. Full-red. (Each level jump is equal to 500 spiritual stones)

Skills after Evolution:

1-50 Level (Each level jump is equal to 200 stones).

50-100 Level (Each level jump is equal to 500 stones).

100-500 Level (Each level jump is equal to 1000 stones).

500-1000 Level (Each level jump is equal to 5000 stones).

---

Removing the cocoon of Dark Threads, I found Heyd waiting for me at the entrance, gripping a bow in his right hand.

"Bart came to warn you before the fight, but you didn't respond," he said, stopping to glance at my back before meeting my gaze.

I glanced at my badge as he pointed at his own, tied securely around his wrist. The mention of Lycan seemed to slip into the shadows of silence, and Heyd didn't inquire about his presence.

I made no mention of the Lycan, as if he had never been with me the day before, and Heyd didn't inquire about him either.

We descended to the ground, and I retrieved my badge, noticing black wisps of smoke emanating from it.

"This?" I raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"It's a warning before the battle. I fought yesterday. Changed my bowstring on the same day. The creatures here possess far more skills than any I've encountered before," Heyd explained.

Nodding, perplexed, I silently surveyed our surroundings.

Familiar with the way, we soon exited through the black gate and made our way towards the white strip where towering skyscrapers dominated the landscape.

We entered a completely different building—a grand domed structure adorned with multicolored screens on its surface. Creatures passed through an open doorway situated right at the center of the colossal edifice, bustling with activity.

"Here, you will discover who will be your opponent," Hade informed, gesturing towards the skeletons stationed on catwalks just beneath the screens.

The skeletons conjured black bags out of thin air and released their contents—a thousand scrolls onto a glowing magic circle.

Soon, numerous numbers appeared on the screens, each accompanied by arrows pointing towards one another.

Amidst this display, I caught sight of my own number: 10,297.

10,297 versus 9,860.

The other numbers didn't exhibit such a distinct gap.

"You need to go. Well, good luck," Hade said, his gaze fixed on the screen. "Perhaps they assumed you spent all your Spiritual Stones on... a delicacy and failed to bolster your strength."

So that was their assumption.

"Thank you," I replied with a grin, and began weaving my way through the crowd of expectant creatures, their aura permeating the air with anticipation.

---

Beyond the blinding light was the entrance to the Battlefield, relatively unchanged except for the entrance itself. The same imposing cage surrounded by the raucous cheers and screams of the audience awaited.

"You've been anticipating this moment for so long," the announcer's voice boomed, now rougher and more mature than before. "Invulnerable against the Achias!"

Across from me stood my opponent, a creature with a narrow fox-like muzzle, but its body morphed into a sleek, shiny tail—a bizarre combination of a fox and a snake.

"Sorry," the creature hissed, its voice laced with menace. "But I'll be the last thing you see before you meet your demise."

"LET THE BATTLE BEGIN!" With those words, the timer started counting down:

29:59.

The creature struck the iron surface with its tail, sending chunks of ground the size of my head flying. With the next blow, it launched its first attack.

I swiftly took to the air, summoning the Dark Threads to crush the projectile hurled at me.

The threads began to converge upon the creature, but as it sensed the threat, it swiftly enveloped itself within an impenetrable metal fortress.

No matter how much I pushed against the barrier, the threads couldn't break through. It seemed that the opponent possessed the ability to reinforce their defenses. Well, then...

I reached for the Sickle-Shaped Tail and slammed the weapon into the shrinking hill with a resounding bang. The iron blade sliced through, but the weapon itself cracked under the pressure.

Damn.

Just as I was about to retrieve the Crescent Tail, I noticed that a void had formed within the hill.

He's not there?!

In that split second, I heard the faint rustle of small stones behind me. Instinctively, I swiftly covered my torso with my wings.

A long piece of metal pierced my left wing just inches from my head.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, sustaining 60 points of damage out of 10,700.]

Not good.

As agony coursed through me, I ignited the Dark Threads, causing a painful screech to emanate from behind.

It was close.

Removing the splinter from my wing, I turned to face the creature, its tail now charred at the tip. It glared at me with furious eyes and growled,

"I wanted to kill you swiftly, but now I'll relish torturing you."

Metal spikes sprouted around me, and the ground shifted beneath my feet. With a surge of determination, I propelled myself forward, aiming straight for the enemy. The fortress grew larger before them as I grinned, sending needle-like bones hurtling through the air.

One of them managed to pierce the creature's belly, eliciting a pained whimper. It tightened its grip, enclosing me within an metal cocoon.

The narrow walls began to constrict even further with each attempt I made to free myself. Despite exerting all my strength, I couldn't break the barrier, for every broken piece was swiftly replaced by a new one.

Soon, my arms and legs became immobile. I felt myself being compressed into a suffocating space.

Pushing against the wall in front of me, I pressed myself back against the unyielding force. The Dark Threads proved useless, flexing elastically against the relentless pressure.

With a sickening crunch, my left hand snapped at the wrist.

[Participant 137 is attacked by an enemy, sustaining 195 points of damage.]

Desperation consumed my thoughts as I grasped at any semblance of hope. Drawing upon my last reserves, I took in a final breath of air, nurturing the growth of an exoskeleton to shield me from the impending doom.

With a resounding crash, razor-sharp needles erupted from my back and abdomen, slicing through the encasing metal barrier.

[Dragon Scales skill activated—700 Edurance points absorbed, remainder: 930.]

As the space around me became more conducive to movement, my arm swiftly healed. I pulled it back and delivered a powerful punch to the metal, causing the barrier to become more pliable and responsive.

It took just five strikes to finally break free from the oppressive shackles. My hearing returned in time to catch the words of the announcer:

"Behold, the Newbie. He has broken free from the impenetrable cocoon, devoid of the horrifying sounds of shattering bones and the purple gore of torn flesh. What awaits us next? Do not despair, the spectacle is yet to come!"

Stepping onto the ravaged battlefield, I fixed my gaze upon the creature, its head shaking in disbelief.

"You! You... Don't tell me you're not from the First Level?" The red eyes dimmed with each step I took.

"No," I replied with a confident stride, fully unleashing my agility. "I'm merely passing through there." Taking another step, I found myself face to face with the bewildered adversary. "Since you were so keen on discussing torture, how about you become my test subject?"

With a swift swing of my tail to the left, I unleashed a powerful Shadow Strike.

Swift and sweeping movements left shallow gashes on the enemy's natural armor, followed by deep abrasions on its bones. As the creature attempted to retaliate by hurling another metal projectile, I summoned the Dark Threads and executed a perfectly timed Ignition.

The flaming silhouette on the Battlefield both terrified and enthralled the audience.

Accompanied by agonizing moans and screams, blue sparks illuminated the air.

I paid little heed to the spectacle, focusing instead on maximizing my endurance.

After five intense minutes, the creature hung before me, its tortured form resembling a living grill. Despite the exposed ribs and heaving chest, the dark purple heart continued to beat defiantly.

The final touch came in the form of the blade on Sickle-Shaped Tail, which plunged directly into its lungs.

Hanging a meter above the ground, the defeated opponent spat out purple blood and whispered weakly:

"Impossible."

With its last breath, the creature perished, vanishing into the portal, destined to become sustenance for predatory plants. Gazing intently at the eerie depths below, I realized that they were not as terrifying as they appeared. At least in the Survival Crossroads, they were a hundred times more repugnant...

"And let's give a round of applause for Achias's first battle on the Second Level!" declared the announcer, his voice resounding through the arena.