Kael wiped the blood from his cheek, stepping over the corpse of the Sabertooth Tiger as he approached the cave entrance. The shadows welcomed him with a familiar stillness, the mana in the air humming stronger with every step.
He lit a faint shadow wisp and guided it forward like a floating ember. The walls shimmered with silver ore, and ancient carvings danced in and out of sight.
And then he saw it.
At the far end of the cave, raised on a black stone pedestal, stood a sword.
Its blade was midnight black, wrapped in glowing etchings that pulsed like a heartbeat. A fine hum of aura rippled from it, sending goosebumps down Kael's arms.
"…This is it," he whispered. "The Vanta Edge."
He remembered it clearly from the story. One of the strongest weapons, lost to time.
He took a step forward.
The ground trembled.
Stone cracked.
From beside the pedestal, the wall shattered a golem, nearly four meters tall, emerged. Its body was sculpted from obsidian and layered with silver veins, eyes glowing with blue light.
> System Alert: Threat Level - A-Rank.
Kael's eyes widened. "A… A-rank?!"
The exit behind him sealed shut.
He swallowed nervously.
"So… no escape, huh?"
The golem roared, shaking the cave, and charged.
Kael moved, but the sheer power of the creature forced him back immediately. He rolled across the ground, narrowly dodging a crushing fist.
He retaliated with a slash nothing. His sword barely nicked the stone.
He activated Swift Steps, danced around it, used Battle Perception, but even with everything… he was losing.
Another blow struck him hard across the chest, sending him skidding across the rocky floor, coughing blood.
The golem began its final move a stomp powerful enough to shatter bone.
Kael's vision blurred.
His hand twitched.
He didn't want to use it.
Not this early. Not when he hadn't recovered from last time.
But…
He couldn't die here.
Gritting his teeth, he forced the words out.
"System…"
The air darkened around him.
"Activate skill: Shadow Lord."
Darkness surged.
The shadows in the cave twisted violently, coiling around Kael like tendrils. His body pulsed with unnatural power, and his red eyes flared like twin stars in the abyss.
The cave itself seemed to shrink away from him.
The golem paused for the first time.
Kael stood, the black aura now alive around him his clothes fluttering from the pressure alone.
"Round two," he said, voice low and echoing unnaturally.