“So, this is it?” Kaine asked the wolf as he followed it up to one cave entrance, hidden away in a dark corner of the highest path within the Delve.
“One of them, there lay some more, but this should be the safest.” The wolf answered, beginning to turn away, “Good luck, Dark One.” It said as it left.
“Yeah, I won’t be needing that.” Kaine mused, gripping his two short-swords he then stepped into the cave.
Darkness engulfing him as he did, still he saw clearly through it for several meters ahead. Finding a long tunnel of natural stone before him.
“Tell me, demon, is your mistress always watching?” Kaine asked.
“Yes, mistress never takes her eyes off you, master.” Nova replied, “Why do you ask?”
“Because, I wanna make something very clear.” Kaine began to explain, as he also began walking down the tunnel. “That it’ll know, when I need help.”
“Oh? Will I now?” A familiar voice then mused out from Nova’s mouth.
“You’ll know, when I can’t go on anymore.” Kaine said.
“And what if you cannot?” The greater demon chuckled as it asked, as Kaine found the end of the tunnel.
Walking through a destroyed set of stone doors, he found himself standing within a large hall of stone bricks with large black pillars rising all ahead of him, barely able to see the end of it…He saw another set of the same stone doors standing closed there.
Kaine stepped in further, “If I cannot…” He repeated, grimacing all the while.
As all around him parts of the floor shifted, opening up and releasing out skeletal undead. All the same, wearing no armour other than the long black swords they wielded, Kaine counted dozens rising out of the floor around him.
{Minion} {Revenants of Darkness} Skeletal Undead [Level 11]
Their levels varied from 9 to 10 and 11, but all had the same exact equipment, with the make-up of their bodies being the only visible differentiation otherwise.
As some skeletons stood whole, while others were damaged here and there, some even missing important limbs that slowed them down or forced them to wield their weapon single handed.
“Hah…If I cannot, I’ll tell you when I cannot.” Kaine answered, unsheathing both of his weapons then. “So stay the fuck out of this.” He warned it.
“Oh? Oh oh ohoho?” The demon mused with another chuckle, “Very well, I’ll simply watch.” It then said, as Nova soared off his shoulders and disappeared into the darkness of the hall’s ceiling.
“Maybe if you shut your trap too, that’d be helpful.” Kaine then added, as he glanced at the slow moving horde of enemies moving to surround him.
“Keke, now that is unnegotiable.” The demon replied, “Let us see then, when you cannot go on anymore.”
“Yeah, let’s see.” Kaine said with finality, as he then suddenly chanted, “The very sound of me chills you to the bone!” He exclaimed, feeling his mana bursting outwards with his voice.
Nothing, not a visible change in the skeletons’ movements could be seen in reaction to his spell, telling Kaine exactly what he’d already figured.
As he bit his lip in annoyance, he knew, his magic would be ineffective here.
Then suddenly several of the skeletons hissed, rushing up to him in rabid anger, the undead minions began their attack.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y88LVU7MAe4
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Blocking and deflecting the first lunges of their black weapons, Kaine followed up with his own counter attack. Kicking aside one, he turned to the other two, immediately turning his weapon and disarming another before befalling the third with a double swipe.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
You killed {Minion} {Revenants of Darkness} Skeletal Undead [Level 11]
Martial Experience gained 345/600
Side stepping then the fourth and rolling out of the way of the fifth, Kaine rose to meet two more, deflecting their weapons with his own before suddenly pushing in. Slashing aside his weapons, Kaine entered a frenzy, slicing and dicing as he moved through the skeletons ahead of him.
With each step his weapons hit, with each move he made something broke.
Hit after hit, Kaine controlled his speed, holding it back as to have openings where to evade when he needed to. As he moved, as he danced amongst the undead, not one skeleton stood a chance before his speed, rhythm and mastery of this world’s movement.
Not a single skeleton, but far more than one lay around him now.
Pushing him to his limits, as the monsters surrounded him, groups of them enclosing on him all at once. Kaine barely had the space of time to breath, as each consecutive clash was almost immediately followed up by another.
As with each kill he gained another skeletal body rushed in to take its place.
Sweat flew off of Kaine’s body as he moved, back and forth without pause, his entire body was in constant motion as he attacked, defended, evaded and repositioned with purpose.
Until, suddenly he paused.
Finding himself standing alone, with several dozen broken skeletal bodies laying motionless all around him.
Kaine then took a deep worn out breath.
As Nova hissed in amusement from the ceiling, “Well done master, not a single survivor, not a single hit taken.” The serpent mused. “Or, well…”
“Not quite.” The demon then said in Nova’s place, as a streak of blood flowed down his left arm.
Shaking off the minor injury, Kaine sheathed his weapons.
Level up!
Martial Level 7 reached!
+1 to all Martial stats.
3 Neutral Martial Points available for distribution!
Total level 10 milestone reached!
Guild creation is now available through the {Guild} menu!
First {Racial} passive upgrade now available through the {Skills Scroll} window!
As the winged serpent flowed down and back onto his shoulders and neck, licking off some of the blood, “You are strong, I never undermined that, Dark Child. But, deep below this, lies something stronger. Do not hide it from me, you cannot hide it from me.”
“Hah…You noticed?” Kaine chuckled with melancholy, opening his skills menu to check out this new ‘upgrade’.
{Skills Scroll}
{Racial} Upgrade available!
Please choose a specialization!
{Darkness} {Shadow} {Demonic} {Undeath}
Note; Specialization will be locked until the next milestone, where you will receive both an upgrade and the ability to change paths.
“Why hold it back?” The demon asked, rising to block his view from the window, it stared straight into his eyes. “So much potential, held captive behind a breaking point. You deny your kind, you deny me, you even deny your…self. Tell me Dark Child, if you truly desire power, tell me why? Why is it that you desire power for?”
As suddenly Kaine gripped the demonic serpent and pulled it off from around his neck, throwing it to the side, Nova opened her wings up and glided down to safety.
“Do you ever, after you get going, shut the fuck up?” Kaine spat back, turning away from the familiar, he continued on towards the closed set of stone doors.
“Where is master going?” Nova then asked, returning to herself.
“To find more shit to kill.” Kaine answered simply, as he focused on each of his choices, activating the [Inspect] skill and gaining himself further information on each.
{Darkness}
Lord of the Dark, you see all, and they see naught. Mastery over the control of negative energies. The capability of wide range magical prowess alongside vile and disruptive curses. Behold the primal strength of Darkness.
{Shadow}
Adopted to the path of shadow, you are as silent as death and unseen as beneath a veil of darkness. Nothing escapes your grasp, nothing hides from your sight. Become the Shadow as your enemies can only guess at your position, as each attack sent your way is a mere possibility of landing.
{Demonic}
Destructive forces course through your veins as you make your very body your weapon. Unstoppable before the physical, no wall or shield shall withstand your monstrous blows. With the ability to imbue the Demonic into materials and objects, its power upon you is also two-fold the effect.
{Undeath}
???
The last choice is a huge no no, but as for the other three…Well, for now I guess I just have to pick…that.