Darkness.
Ethan was floating in an endless void, weightless, numb, and completely alone.
The battle with Ulgath had been a massacre. No matter how hard he fought, the warlord had overpowered him in every way. His blood, his bones—everything had been crushed beneath the sheer force of the Tyrant.
And yet…
[Dungeon Cleared: The Tyrant’s Coliseum]
A cold voice echoed in his mind. It didn't feel like victory. It felt like survival.
SYSTEM REWARDS
Completion Time: 1 Hour 37 Minutes
Enemies Defeated: 4
Final Boss: Warlord Ulgath, the Undying Tyrant – Sin
Performance Rating: A-
Calcuting rewards…
[Rewards Granted]
1. Level Up (x23) → [Level 30]
Body Essence: F+++ → E
Mind Essence: F++ → F+++
Vital Force: 1,200 → 2,600
Blood Essence: 750 → 2,100
2. New Ability Gained: [Tyrant’s Blood] (Rare)
The essence of a fallen warlord flows through your veins.
In battle, wounds regenerate faster, and strength surges based on the damage taken.
3. Equipment Obtained: [Warlord’s Executioner] (F++ Greatsword)
A massive bde that adapts to its wielder’s fighting style.
Absorbs sin enemies' essence, temporarily increasing sharpness.
4. System Unlock: [Blood Mark] (Patron Feature)
As Reyna's Chosen, you can now mark a target, allowing you to track them over vast distances.
Bonus Effect: If a marked target is wounded, you gain a small amount of essence regeneration.
Limit: One active Blood Mark at a time.
[Bonus Reward: Random Common Artifact]
[Raven’s Whisper] (Common-Grade Ring)
Enhances perception, allowing you to notice subtle movements and shifts in the environment.
Slightly boosts reaction speed.
Ethan’s mind spun. He could feel the changes in his body. His veins burned with new power. His muscles ached from rapid growth. His mind felt sharper, but at the same time…
The space around him exploded.
Suddenly, he saw everything.
The entire pnet stretched out before him like a living entity. The sky pulsed with strange red hues. The ground shifted beneath a wave of monstrous creatures. Cities burned. People screamed. Blood soaked the earth.
It was too much. Too much.
“Fuck!!” Ethan screamed, clutching his head.
A torrent of information, sensations, voices, colors, smells— everything smmed into his brain at once. He could hear people breathing miles away. He could smell the coppery scent of blood in the air. He could taste the rot of dead flesh in the wind.
His mind felt like it was being ripped apart.
Then, darkness again.
“Hey, Ethan! Wake up!”
A familiar voice. Lisa.
Ethan’s eyes snapped open, his entire body jolting like he had been struck by lightning. His chest heaved, and he gasped for air as the world finally stopped spinning.
Lisa was crouched beside him, her face full of concern. Her red hair was a tangled mess, her sharp green eyes scanning him for injuries. Dirt and dried blood covered her jacket, but she looked fine.
"You alright?" she asked, shaking him again.
Ethan swallowed, his throat dry. "I... think so."
Lisa frowned. "You passed out right after we left the dungeon. You were muttering some weird shit. Then you started bleeding from your nose. I thought you were dying, dude."
Ethan sat up, still feeling off. His head pounded, but his body felt... strong.
Stronger than ever.
He flexed his fingers, feeling the power in his blood hum beneath his skin. The Tyrant’s Blood pulsed through him like a second heartbeat, a constant thrumming energy ready to explode at any moment.
“I think…” he exhaled, rolling his shoulders. “I leveled up. A lot.”
Lisa raised an eyebrow. "How much?"
"Like... 23 levels."
Lisa stared at him. "The fuck?"
Ethan smirked, though he still felt lightheaded. "Yeah. It was a lot."
Lisa crossed her arms, clearly irritated. “Unfair. I only got 15 levels from that shit.”
Ethan shrugged. "To be fair, I was the one getting my ass kicked."
Lisa snorted. “Yeah, I guess. You looked horrible before you passed out.”
Ethan rolled his eyes. "Thanks for the support."
Lisa smirked but then got serious. "We need to move. Something’s wrong with the outside world."
Ethan tensed. "What do you mean?"
Lisa pointed toward the sky.
Ethan followed her gaze—and froze
The sky was wrong.
A deep crimson mist hovered over the horizon, seeping into the clouds. The air felt heavier, denser, like something was pressing down on the entire pnet.
And the monsters…
Ethan could hear them before he even saw them.
Their growls. Their inhuman shrieks. The sound of bones cracking and flesh tearing.
Then, the first shadow moved.
Down the street, a massive creature with twisted limbs and glowing yellow eyes crawled over the remains of an abandoned car. Its elongated jaws snapped at the air, thick bck saliva dripping from its fangs.
It wasn’t like the monsters from before.
It was stronger.
And there were more.
Lisa tightened her grip on her bow. "Second system integration, huh?"
Ethan exhaled slowly, reaching for his greatsword. His new sword.
“Yeah,” he muttered. “And I don’t think we have time to rest.”
Lisa nodded.
