Len stretched in his chair, glancing at the clock on his monitor — 1:00 a.m.
He'd only been in Saline // Online for an hour, but his head felt heavy. The game's immersion had a strange way of wearing him out faster than expected. "Alright… one hour nap," he muttered, setting an alarm on his phone for 2:10 a.m.
He slid under his blanket, the room dim and quiet except for the hum of his Gaming Helmet. Sleep hit him quicker than he expected.
—-----
Beep—beep—beep.
Len blinked awake, the alarm flashing. "Already?" he groaned, rubbing his eyes. It felt like he'd only closed them for seconds.
With a soft click, he settled it over his head—and the world shifted.
The forest of Willowreach unfolded before him, moonlight filtering through thick leaves. A thunderous crash echoed in the distance. His avatar was already moving—no, fighting.
Len's eyes widened. His AI was locked in combat with a hulking, grey-green monster—an oversized goblin towering nearly twice the height of a man. The creature's chest was plated with crude armor made from scavenged bones, and its beady yellow eyes gleamed with malice. Around it, smaller goblins darted about, hurling crude spears that whistled through the air.
The AI-controlled Len didn't flinch. His sword—Control Sword—moved in calculated arcs, its blade flashing in rhythm.
[Skill Activated: Weightless Blitz]
Len's body blurred, almost vanishing. The next moment, he reappeared behind the giant goblin, blade already cutting deep into its flank. Sparks and blood flew.
[Skill Chain Initiated: 3-Cut Blink → Combo Blitz]
The giant staggered as three precise slashes landed almost simultaneously. The AI pivoted with eerie efficiency, dodging a spear midair before flicking his wrist.
[Skill Activated: Coiled Blink]
The sword coiled with green energy—vines. They slithered up his arm, spreading into luminous tendrils that burst forward.
[Specialized Skill: Ai Techniques 1.0 — Vine Pierce]
The vines shot outward like living spears, impaling one goblin clean through and slamming another against a tree. The ground trembled as roots erupted around Len, forming a thorny perimeter.
[Specialized Skill: Vine Zone — Active]
Len watched in awe. "What the hell…?"
The goblin giant roared and swung a club the size of a log, but the vines intercepted mid-swing. They coiled around the club, halting it midair before snapping taut. The AI took the opening.
[Skill Activated: Vine Boost]
In a burst of motion, Len's avatar shot upward—blade gleaming silver—and drove it down through the monster's skull.
[Critical Hit — 342 Damage Dealt]
[Enemy Defeated: Goblin Giant — +300 EXP]
[Enemy Defeated: Goblin ×2 — +40 EXP]
The vines receded slowly, fading into faint motes of green light as the body of the giant collapsed with a dull thud.
Len blinked, speechless. "You… learned all that while I was gone?" he whispered.
The AI's voice replied calmly inside his head:
"Affirmative. Training protocols continued during user absence. Several combat scenarios executed. Current skill set optimized for efficiency and adaptability."
Len leaned back slightly, still stunned. "...Right. Efficiency." He exhaled a soft laugh. "Remind me never to underestimate you again."
The AI, unfazed, simply replied:
"Acknowledged."
"Alright let's check what it has done to me."
[SALINE // ONLINE – SYSTEM PANEL]
Player: Len
Class: Cultivator
Spirit Roots: Quintuple Spirit Root
Cultivation: R1:T2 — 40%
Level: 5 | Experience: 455 / 16,000
[Stats]
Health: 200 / 200
Mana: 200/ 200
Strength: 37 (+40% base)
Defense: 13 (+40% base)
Agility: 14 (+40% base)
[Equipment]
Sword: Control Sword (Growth Type) — Katana
[Quests]
Village Chief Veil Dungeon Part 3/3
After Len checked his updated status, the AI moved swiftly, heading back to Willowreach Village. Len's avatar followed the winding dirt path with mechanical precision, the forest quiet around him except for the occasional rustle of leaves.
Len's avatar walked through the quiet village streets, the AI guiding every step with calm precision. After completing the previous quests, it moved directly toward the Village Chief Veil's building. The villagers barely glanced at him, too absorbed in their morning routines to notice the unusual visitor.
The doors opened smoothly as the AI reached the entrance. Chief Veil looked up, his expression curious but composed. "Ah… back again. You've completed the tasks I assigned?"
[AI: Confirmation of Quest Chain Completion]
A series of subtle indicators appeared around the avatar—timestamps, records, and a concise report of the completed objectives.
The chief examined them carefully, his brow furrowing slightly at the efficiency displayed.
"Well done," he said after a moment, reaching into a small, intricately carved wooden box on his desk. From within, he pulled out a key, the metal engraved with the sigil of the Veiled Shadow Dungeon. The faint glow of enchantment pulsed along its edges.
"This is the key to the Veiled Shadow Dungeon," Chief Veil said, holding it out. "Only those who prove themselves capable may enter. Guard it carefully."
The AI acknowledged and added the key to Len's inventory. [Item Acquired: Veiled Shadow Dungeon Key — Stored in Inventory]
Len's avatar remained motionless, though he could feel a subtle pulse of anticipation from the AI. The path to the dungeon was now open, and the next stage of his journey lay just beyond the forest's edge.
Chief Veil leaned back slightly, giving a small nod. "Use the key wisely. The dungeon holds challenges that test skill, strength, and strategy. I trust you are ready."
The AI recorded the chief's words, filing them for reference, and then shifted focus. The next step was clear: prepare for the dungeon and proceed when conditions are optimal. Len's avatar turned toward the forest path, key safely stored, and the journey continued.
—-----
As Len's avatar crossed the threshold of the Veiled Shadow Dungeon, the air thick and cold. Darkness pressed against him from all sides, as if the walls themselves were alive, and the faint glow of the entrance torch vanished behind him. The sound of dripping water echoed through the stone corridors, each drop magnified in the cavernous space.
The dungeon smelled damp and earthy, with an undercurrent of decay that made his nose twitch.
Almost immediately, shadows stirred. They slid along the walls like living ink, coalescing into humanoid forms. Their bodies were featureless, black smoke twisting around a core that glimmered faintly with violet light.
One stepped forward, claws scraping the stone floor. Len didn't move a muscle, but the AI within him reacted instantly.
[AI Movement Technique 1.0 activated]
Len's avatar blinked forward, dodging the first strike. The Control Sword shimmered, vines along the hilt writhing like serpents. A slash of elemental fire met the shadow, slicing cleanly through it, and the form dissipated into nothingness. The air shimmered briefly with heat, leaving a faint smoky haze.
Two more shadows emerged from the walls. They teleported unpredictably, appearing behind pillars, then to the ceiling, hurling jagged shadow spears toward him. Len's avatar rotated on his heel, the sword extending in a sweeping arc. The elemental edge flickered blue with ice as the first spear shattered against it. He twisted midair, intercepting the second spear with a flash of lightning energy that cracked across the chamber.
Another shadow, larger than the first, lunged with terrifying speed, aiming for his torso. Len's avatar spun under it, vines lashing out from the hilt, coiling around the attacker and yanking it into the ground. With a controlled flick, the sword's tip struck, elemental fire erupting from the point of impact, reducing the shadow to a vapor that dissipated into the air.
From the far side, a trio of smaller wraiths teleported in quick succession, each throwing shadow balls that exploded on impact. Len's avatar twisted, one strike with [Combo Blitz] disarming the nearest, another with [Coiled Blink] intercepting a second midair. Sparks of elemental energy—fire, ice, and lightning—flared as the sword's edge shifted seamlessly with every attack. Each slash shattered the shadows' forms, leaving only curling mist behind.
A massive shadow emerged from the darkness above—a giant humanoid cloaked in writhing tendrils of black. Its eyes burned with violet light. It swung a shadowy arm downward like a hammer, aimed to crush Len's avatar. The AI anticipated it before the motion even began. [Vine Boost] shot out from the hilt, wrapping around the shadow's limbs, slowing its strike. Len's avatar stepped in, blade arcing in a fluid, downward slash. Sparks flew as the edge met the shadow's core, the elemental energy shifting to lightning to pierce the dense form. The shadow shrieked, collapsing into a cloud of black smoke.
Three more shadows teleported around the chamber, creating a coordinated assault. Spears, shadow balls, and claw strikes came from multiple angles at once. Len's avatar moved with precision impossible for human reflexes. [3-Cut Blink] executed, and he struck each shadow in rapid succession. The sword's elemental energy shifted from ice to fire to lightning in perfect rhythm, each strike amplified by the AI's calculations of weak points and attack speed.
One of the wraiths attempted a teleport behind him, launching a shadow spear from above. Len's avatar spun 180 degrees mid-air, the vine-wrapped hilt lashing out in a whip-like strike. The spear shattered on impact as the shadow dissipated, leaving only a faint trace of smoke.
Another wraith aimed a shadow ball at point-blank range.
[Ai Techniques 1.0: Vine Catastrophe]
activated, and the hilt's vines extended, forming a protective dome that absorbed the impact while simultaneously striking the shadow.
The largest remaining shadow surged forward, faster than any other. Tendrils lashed out from its core, trying to bind the avatar. Len's avatar dodged and countered instantly, the Control Sword glowing with a mixture of elemental fire and lightning. A precise strike at the shadow's chest split it in two, each half evaporating as the AI maintained perfect timing.
[Weightless Blitz] activated, Len's avatar moving almost imperceptibly fast. He streaked through the shadows, cutting and slicing in arcs that seemed to defy physics. Each shadow that tried to surround him vanished before it could land a single attack. The AI analyzed patterns in their teleportation and attack timing, adjusting Len's movements with perfect fluidity.
Finally, only a single wraith remained, hovering above the center of the chamber. It formed a sphere of condensed shadow in its hands. [3-Cut Blink] executed. Len's avatar reappeared behind it, vines lashing forward to pierce its midsection, while the sword's elemental edge struck simultaneously. The shadow exploded in a plume of black mist, leaving the dungeon eerily silent.
Len's avatar lowered the sword, vines curling gently around the hilt. The elemental glow faded to a soft pulse, reflecting the sword's dormant power. Dust settled around the chamber, and a faint metallic scent lingered from the shadows' evaporated forms.
He stepped back, glancing at the path behind him. The AI's calm mechanical voice echoed in his mind:
"[Acknowledged. Threats neutralized. All systems normal.]"
Len exhaled, finally allowing himself to relax. Every strike, every dodge, every elemental shift had been handled by the AI. He hadn't consciously made a single decision during the fight, yet the result was flawless. His heart pounded slightly—not from exertion, but from the sheer spectacle of precision and speed he had just witnessed.
In the aftermath, shadows no longer stirred. The chamber seemed to breathe in silence. The Control Sword rested comfortably in his hands, the vines at the hilt pulsing faintly as if aware of their recent combat. Len's avatar stood alone in the dim light, every movement calibrated, every stance optimal, a perfect fusion of human form and AI guidance.
Len scrolled briefly through the status overlay, noting the health and mana had barely been touched despite the intensity of the battle. The dungeon's oppressive darkness had made the shadows more threatening, but the AI had neutralized them without leaving a scratch. He let out a quiet chuckle.