The cold wind of the Black Forest whistled through the trees, but it wasn't as cold as the gaze of the girl standing before Dayal. Her name was Lin Xiao, the genius disciple of the sect. At Level 15, she could kill Dayal with a single finger, yet she hadn't moved her sword.
"A Level 15 genius talking to a 'trash' like me?" Dayal said, wiping the blood from his lip. "The world must be ending."
Lin Xiao walked around him, her white robe untouched by the purple mist. "Trash? I just saw you suck the life out of a Shadow Wolf. That isn't trash, Dayal. That is a forbidden technique. If the Sect Leader finds out, they won't just kill you—they will extract your soul and burn it for a thousand years."
Dayal's grip on his fists tightened.
[Ding! Warning! Target's killing intent is low, but curiosity is 90%.]
[New Choice:]
Attack: 1% Success.
Negotiate: 60% Success.
Run: 5% Success.
"What do you want?" Dayal asked, choosing to negotiate.
Lin Xiao stopped in front of him. "The Sect is rotten, Dayal. They give all the resources to the rich sons of Elders, while people like me have to fight for every drop of energy. I don't care if your power is forbidden. I want the 'Spirit Vein Map' hidden in the depths of this forest. Help me get it, and I will hide your secret."
Dayal narrowed his eyes. "Why me? You are stronger."
"Because the Map is protected by a 'Blood Seal'. Only someone who can 'Devour' energy can break it without alerting the Elders," she explained.
Dayal looked at the system screen.
[New Quest: The Forbidden Partnership]
Objective: Reach the Spirit Vein Cave with Lin Xiao.
Reward: 1500 XP, 1 Mid-Grade Spirit Stone, and 'System Evolution' Progress (5%).
Penalty: Death by Lin Xiao's sword.
"Fine," Dayal said. "But if you try to betray me, I will devour your sword before you can blink."
Lin Xiao laughed. It was a beautiful but dangerous sound. "I like your spirit. Let's move."
As they walked deeper into the forest, the trees began to moan. The ground turned from black to a deep crimson. Suddenly, the System started vibrating violently in Dayal's mind.
[Ding! Warning! Detection of 'Devourer Fragment' nearby!]
[The System is excited! Host, if you find this fragment, the System will evolve to Version 2.0!]
Dayal's heart skipped a beat. So his system wasn't complete? There were fragments of it scattered in the world?
Suddenly, the ground shook. From the red soil, dozens of Bone Soldiers emerged. They were skeletons dressed in rusted armor, holding broken spears.
"The Guardians of the Vein," Lin Xiao hissed, drawing her sword. The air around her turned cold as she unleashed her Level 15 Qi. "Dayal, don't just stand there! Show me what that 'Devouring' power can really do!"
Dayal stepped forward. He didn't use a sword. He opened his arms wide.
"You want to see?" Dayal shouted. "Watch carefully!"
He activated 'Shadow Step' and blurred into the middle of the bone army. Every time his hand touched a skeleton, black smoke erupted.
[Ding! Devouring Ancient Bone Essence...]
[Gained 50 XP... 50 XP... 100 XP!]
The skeletons didn't just break; they turned into dust as Dayal sucked the ancient magic out of their bones. He felt like he was drinking an ocean of energy. His Level 8 aura began to explode.
"More! I need more!" Dayal roared.
Lin Xiao watched in shock. She had seen many geniuses, but she had never seen someone grow stronger during a battle. Dayal was like a black hole, eating everything in his path.
By the time the last skeleton fell, Dayal was glowing with a dark, purple light.
[Ding! Level Up! You are now Level 9!]
[Ding! Level Up! You are now Level 10!]
[Congratulations! You have reached the 'Foundation Realm'!]
Dayal stood in the middle of the dust, his eyes burning with power. He looked at Lin Xiao. For the first time, she stepped back. She realized she wasn't looking at a disciple anymore. She was looking at a monster that could one day devour the world.
"The cave is just ahead," Dayal said, his voice deeper and more powerful. "Let's go and get what's ours."