Lysander stepped out of the damp cave, squinting as the jagged rays of sunlight pierced through the dense jungle canopy. The air smelled of wet earth and rotting vegetation.
He took a deep breath, feeling the fresh oxygen fuel his evolved blood. But before he could take another step, a low, guttural growl vibrated from the bushes to his left.
Snap.
A massive shadow lunged from the undergrowth, saliva flying from its jaws.
[Enemy Detected.]
Time seemed to slow down. Lysander didn't flinch. He didn't even blink. His new eyes tracked the creature's movement with terrifying precision.
[SYSTEM ANALYSIS]
[Monster: Iron-Bristle Wolf]
[Rank: F]
[Description: A mutated wolf with fur as hard as wire and claws capable of tearing through light armor]
Lysander's Feeling:In the past, his heart would have stopped. He would have been paralyzed by fear, waiting for death.
But now? He felt... bored.
The wolf looked slow. Painfully slow. It was like watching a frame-by-frame video.
"Is this how the strong see the world?" he thought, a cold smirk curling his lips.
He didn't panic. He simply pivoted on his heel, his movement fluid and effortless. With a casual flick of his wrist, he swung Erebos.
SHING.
There was no sound of impact. No resistance.
The massive black blade passed through the wolf's skull, neck, and torso as if it were cutting through smoke.
Lysander stood still, the sword fully extended. Behind him, the wolf landed.
For a split second, the beast stood there, unaware it was dead. Then, a thin red line appeared down the center of its body.
SPLAT.
The wolf split into two perfect halves, collapsing onto the jungle floor in a pool of blood.
[Passive Effect: Soul Drinker Activated.]
[Target Eliminated.]
[+1 Soul Harvested (1/50)]
Lysander looked at the corpse, then at his blade. Not a drop of blood stained the black metal; it had absorbed everything.
He felt a tiny rush of warmth enters his chest—the life force of the wolf fueling him.
"Too easy," Lysander whispered, his eyes gleaming with a predatory light
Lysander receives for killing monsters, based on their Rank.
[SYSTEM GUIDE: REWARD SCALING]
[Standard Rule: Killing normal monsters grants Experience (XP) to Level Up and System Points (SP) for the Shop]
[Enemy Rank | Experience (XP) | System Points]
[F-Rank (Weak) | 10 - 20 XP | 1 - 2 SP]
[E-Rank (Common) | 50 - 80 XP | 5 - 10 SP]
[D-Rank (Warrior) | 200 - 400 XP | 50 SP]
[C-Rank (Elite) | 1,000 XP | 200 SP]
[B-Rank (Commander) | 5,000 XP | 1,000 SP]
[A-Rank (Disaster) | 25,000 XP | 5,000 SP]
[S-Rank (Legend) | 100,000 XP | 50,000 SP]
[Summary of Current Kill] (Iron-Bristle Wolf - F Rank)
[XP Gained: +10]
[System Points: +1]
[Soul Harvested: 1/50]
Lysander stepped over the corpse of the first wolf, wiping a speck of dust from his shoulder.
"Weak," he muttered. "Is this all this jungle has to offer"
As if answering his challenge, the bushes around him stopped rustling. The jungle went dead silent.
Then, the shadows moved.
One pair of yellow eyes appeared in the darkness. Then another. Then five. Then ten. Within seconds, the dense foliage was lit up by twenty pairs of hungry, glowing eyes.
Growl...
A low, vibrating growl echoed from all directions, surrounding him completely.
Ding!
[SYSTEM ALERT]
[Enemy Type: Iron-Bristle Wolf](Pack)
[Behavior Analysis: Pack Hunters. They do not fight alone. When one attacks, they all attack]
[Count: 20 Entities]
Lysander didn't flinch. He didn't step back. Instead, he gripped the hilt of Erebos tighter, a cruel smile stretching across his face.
"Twenty?" he whispered, his eyes flashing with excitement. "That's not a threat. That's a buffet."
The Alpha wolf howled, and the circle collapsed.
[THE SLAUGHTER]
Three wolves lunged from his back. Two from the front.
Lysander didn't turn around. He simply spun.
SWISH.
The black blade moved faster than sound. The three wolves behind him didn't even touch the ground; they were bisected in mid-air, their bodies falling apart like sliced fruit.
[Soul Drinker Activated.]
[Health Restored.]
Energy rushed into Lysander's veins. He felt lighter, faster.
"More!" he laughed.
He charged into the pack. It wasn't a fight; it was an execution.
The wolves bit at his arms, but his skin was tough. The few scratches they managed to inflict vanished instantly as Erebos drank their lives to heal him.
Slash. Two heads rolled
Thrust. A wolf was impaled and thrown into a tree.
Spin A black arc of death wiped out four at once.
The massive greatsword, which should have been impossible to swing rapidly, danced in his hands like a feather. To the wolves, it was an unstoppable wall of death.
Within thirty seconds, the growls stopped.
The jungle was silent again, save for the heavy drops of blood falling from the black blade.
Twenty corpses lay scattered around him.
[SYSTEM LOG]
The notifications didn't come one by one. They came in a torrent, the sound merging into a single, continuous chime.
Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding!
[Combat Conclusion: Total Victory]
[Enemies Defeated: 20 x Iron-Bristle Wolves] (F-Rank)
[Experience Gained: 200 XP]
[System Points (SP) Acquired: 20 SP]
[WEAPON GROWTH UPDATE]
[Souls Harvested: +20]
[Current Progress: [21 / 50] Souls]
Lysander exhaled, standing amidst the carnage. He wasn't tired. In fact, thanks to the sword's ability, he felt more energetic than when he started.
He flicked the blade, clearing the debris
"I need to find something stronger."
Lysander was about to march deeper into the dangerous zone when a harsh, red warning flashed directly in front of his eyes, blocking his view.
BEEP! BEEP!
[SYSTEM WARNING: DANGER]
[Stop, Master. Do not be arrogant]
[Your stats are high, but your battle]
[experience is zero. You have NO Active Skills and your body lacks Magical Resistance]
[An E-Rank monster often possesses magic or poison. If you fight them now, you will die before you can swing your sword]
[Recommendation: Grind F-Rank monsters until you unlock a Skill or reach Level 10]
Lysander stopped in his tracks. The excitement in his eyes faded, replaced by a look of annoyance. He clicked his tongue, sheathing the sword on his back.
"Tch. Fine," he muttered, rolling his eyes.
"So I am still a novice. I have the strength of a god but the technique of a child. Is that it"
He sighed, shaking his head.
"Very well. I will play by your rules. I will hunt the weak until I am ready."
He turned away from the deep jungle and moved toward a muddy swamp area nearby.
[NEW ENCOUNTER]
As he stepped into the mud, the ground beneath him vibrated.
THUMP. THUMP.
Something heavy was moving. Lysander hid behind a thick tree and peeked out.
In the middle of the mud pit stood a massive, ugly creature. It looked like a wild pig, but it was the size of a small car. Its skin wasn't fur; it looked like gray rock.
[SYSTEM ANALYSIS]
[Monster: Stone-Skin Boar]
[Rank: F (High-Tier)]
[Description: A wild beast with skin as hard as rock. Normal weapons break upon hitting it. It relies on a crushing charge attack]
Lysander stepped out from behind the tree. The Boar saw him immediately. It scraped its hoof on the ground, snorting angry steam from its nose.
SNORT!
It didn't growl; it squealed—a high-pitched, ear-splitting sound—and charged straight at him like a runaway truck.
Lysander didn't run. He watched the massive beast thundering toward him.
"Skin as hard as rock?" Lysander whispered, drawing Erebos. "Let's test that theory."
The Boar was inches away. Lysander didn't dodge to the side. instead, he slid low, dropping to his knees in the mud.
As the beast passed over him, he thrust the black blade upward.
KRR-SHLIK.
It sounded like cutting through wet clay.
The sword sliced through the "rock" skin, through the ribs, and out the spine. Lysander stood up as the two halves of the massive boar slid apart behind him.
[Target Eliminated: Stone-Skin Boar]
[XP Gained: 30]
[Souls Harvested: 22 / 50]
Lysander flicked the mud off his blade.
"Not hard enough," he said calmly.
The high-pitched squeal of the dying boar echoed through the swamp like a siren.
Before Lysander could even sheathe his blade, the ground began to tremble violently.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
From the muddy mist, they emerged. Not one or two, but a massive herd. Over thirty Stone-Skin Boars charged out, their eyes burning with red rage, tusks aimed straight at him.
Lysander didn't step back. He looked at the counter on his screen
[Souls Harvested: 22 / 50]
He looked at the herd and smiled—a cold, terrifying smile.
"Perfect math," he whispered. "Just enough to finish the quest"
He gripped Erebos with both hands.
"Come"
[THE MASSACRE]
The herd crashed into him like a wave, but Lysander was the rock that broke the wave.
SLASH!
His greatsword was a blur of black shadow.
One swing decapitated three boars
A backhanded slash shattered the skulls of two more.
The Stone-Skin, which was supposed to be impenetrable, offered no more resistance than paper against the SSS-Rank blade.
[Soul Drinker Active]
[Stamina Restored]
[Health Restored]
With every kill, the red rune on the sword glowed brighter. Lysander wasn't getting tired; he was getting faster. The swamp turned red.
One by one, the squeals were silenced.
[48 / 50]...
[49 / 50]...
The final boar tried to turn and run. Lysander threw the massive greatsword like a spear.
THOOM!
The blade pinned the beast to a tree, ending the slaughter.
[MISSION COMPLETE]
The silence returned to the swamp, heavy and thick. Lysander walked over and pulled his sword from the tree.
Ding!
A blinding crimson light erupted from the sword, followed by a system sound that was louder and deeper than before.
[SYSTEM ALERT: GROWTH CONDITION MET]
[Target: Harvest 50 Souls]
[Status: COMPLETED (50/50)
[Evolution Initiated...]
The black metal of Erebos began to shift like liquid. The jagged crossguard twisted, forming a sharper, more demonic shape.
The red line in the center of the blade opened up, revealing a glowing red eye.
[Weapon Upgrade Successful!]
[Erebos: The Edge of Ruin -> STAGE 2]
[Attack Power: Increased] (150 -> 250)
[New Ability Unlocked][Blood Wave]
[Description: You can now swing the sword to release a ranged wave of red energy that cuts through enemies up to 10 meters away]