The university library buzzed with the quiet determination of survivors, their voices a soft hum against the backdrop of creaking shelves and flickering lights. Angelus sat hunched over a table littered with maps and scavenged gear, his mind still buzzing from the destruction of the final rift anchor in the subway tunnels. The rift remained open, its purple glow a persistent threat, but a new notification in his vision sparked a flicker of excitement:
[Congratulations! You have reached Level 10. New features unlocked: System Shop, Crafting System, Trading System.]
“Whoa,” Angelus breathed, the words glowing before him. Marcus, lounging nearby with a makeshift spear fashioned from a pipe and duct tape, raised an eyebrow.
“What’s got you all starry-eyed?” Marcus asked, leaning closer.
Angelus grinned. “Level 10 perks. Check this out—System Shop, Crafting, Trading. We’ve got options now.”
He focused, and a sleek interface shimmered into view. The System Shop displayed a catalog of items—health potions, mana crystals, even temporary summon boosts—all available for gold or rift shards earned from fallen enemies. The Crafting System listed recipes, allowing him to transform monster drops like Rift Bat Fangs or Behemoth Hide into gear. The Trading System offered a barter network with other survivors or Awakened.
Marcus whistled. “So, what, you’re a one-man RPG economy now?”
“Pretty much,” Angelus said, diving into the shop. He spotted a Mana Potion (Restores 25 mana) for 50 rift shards and bought it, his shard count dropping from 120 to 70. Next, he browsed the Crafting System, selecting the Behemoth Hide from their last big fight. A recipe caught his eye: Behemoth Gauntlets, boosting summon attack power by 15%. He crafted it with the hide and 20 rift shards, the gauntlets materializing in a flash of light.
[Crafting Successful: Behemoth Gauntlets – Summon attack +15%.]
He equipped them on Mr. Smashypants, the troll grunting in his sleep as the rugged, dark gauntlets fitted over his massive hands. Sticky, perched on a shelf, chittered approvingly, clutching a stolen spoon.
For trading, Angelus approached a survivor named Mia, who’d set up a small exchange post near the library’s entrance. “Got any health potions?” he asked, offering three Rift Hound Claws.
Mia nodded. “One Minor Health Potion—heals 20 HP. Deal?”
They swapped, and Angelus pocketed the vial, feeling a surge of readiness. “Time to prep for the big guy,” he said.
The group assembled in the library’s main hall, their gear gleaming with upgrades. Tara, her bat now edged with Rift Bat Fangs for extra bite, gave Angelus a nod. Marcus twirled his reinforced pipe, grinning. Sticky scampered about, while Mr. Smashypants loomed protectively, and Sparky’s glowing eyes tracked every movement.
Angelus faced them, his voice firm. “The anchors are down. The Rift Lord’s all that’s left. We’ve got new tools and stronger skills. Let’s use them and end this.”
Tara smirked. “Got it, boss.”
Lily, watching from the sidelines, ran up and hugged Angelus. “Come back safe, okay?”
He ruffled her hair. “Promise, Lil.”
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With their resolve set, they marched out, the survivors’ cheers echoing behind them.
The city streets lay hushed, the rift’s oppressive energy dimming the usual chaos. They encountered a pair of [Rift Skitterers: 30/30 HP], dispatched with swift strikes—Mr. Smashypants’s gauntleted fist crushing one, Tara’s bat felling the other. Their confidence grew as they approached the rift’s heart, a ruined plaza where reality seemed to fray.
The air thickened, and the rift pulsed. From its depths emerged the [Rift Lord: 500/500 HP], a colossus of shadow and flame, its roar splitting the silence. Tendrils of darkness lashed the ground, and its fiery gaze locked onto them.
“Here we go,” Angelus said, gripping his pipe. “Legion Command: Engage!”
The battle ignited in chaos. Sticky leapt onto the Rift Lord’s arm, claws raking—[Rift Lord: 490/500 HP]—while Mr. Smashypants charged, his enhanced fists slamming into its chest—[Rift Lord: 470/500 HP]. Sparky nipped at its legs, electricity crackling—[Rift Lord: 460/500 HP]. Tara and Marcus flanked, their weapons striking true.
The Rift Lord countered, summoning [Rift Shades: 40/40 HP x3], shadowy minions that swarmed them. “Clear the adds!” Angelus shouted, swinging at a shade—[Rift Shade: 20/40 HP]—as his summons focused the boss. Sticky’s claws shredded a shade, and Tara’s bat finished another, their teamwork seamless.
But the Rift Lord’s power surged. It unleashed a Dark Pulse, a wave of energy that swept the plaza. Angelus ducked behind rubble—[Angelus: 85/100 HP]—but Marcus took a hit—[Marcus: 55/70 HP]. “Heads up!” Tara called, dodging a tendril swipe.
Angelus popped his Mana Potion, restoring [Mana: 25/50], and triggered Summoner’s Fury. His summons glowed, their attacks intensifying—Mr. Smashypants landed a crushing blow—[Rift Lord: 400/500 HP]—and Sparky’s bite drew a howl—[Rift Lord: 380/500 HP].
The Rift Lord shifted tactics, slamming the ground with a Shadow Quake, knocking Sticky back—[Sticky: 25/50 HP]. Angelus tossed him the Minor Health Potion—[Sticky: 45/50 HP]—and shouted, “Keep pushing!”
With its health at [Rift Lord: 300/500 HP], the Rift Lord roared, unleashing a Vortex of Shadows, pulling them toward its blazing core. Angelus braced, shouting, “All in—now!” He activated Legion’s Wrath, draining his mana to [Mana: 0/50], and his summons surged. Mr. Smashypants hammered its chest—[Rift Lord: 200/500 HP]—while Sticky and Sparky struck its legs—[Rift Lord: 150/500 HP]. Marcus and Tara dove in, their blows landing in unison.
The Rift Lord faltered, its form flickering. With a final, desperate cry, it collapsed, dissolving into light—[Rift Lord: 0/500 HP]. The rift shuddered, its edges collapsing inward, the purple glow fading to clear sky.
[You have defeated the Rift Lord. Experience gained: 2000.]
[Quest Complete: Close the Rift. Reward: 5000 XP, Title: Rift Slayer.]
Amid the dissipating energy, loot scattered across the plaza. Angelus sifted through it, pausing at a glowing parchment: Rare Class Scroll – Grants a unique class. His heart skipped. “Marcus, get over here.”
Marcus jogged up, panting. “What’s up?”
Angelus handed him the scroll. “You’ve earned this. Take it.”
Marcus hesitated, then unrolled it. Light engulfed him, and a notification flashed: [Marcus has awakened as a Rift Warrior.]
“Whoa,” Marcus said, flexing as a faint aura shimmered around him. “Rift Strike, Warrior’s Resolve—I’m in the game now!”
Angelus laughed. “About time.”
The loot pile also yielded:
* Rift Flame Shard x1: Enhances weapon damage by 10%.
* Shadow Boots: Boosts speed by 15%.
* Greater Health Potion x2: Heals 50 HP.
Angelus kept the shard, gave Tara the boots, and split the potions with Marcus.
Back at the library, survivors greeted them with cheers. Lily tackled Angelus in a hug. “You did it!”
“We all did,” he said, lifting her up.
That night, laughter filled the halls. Marcus tested his new skills, his pipe glowing with Rift Strike. Sticky tried stealing a potion, earning a playful swat. As the celebration faded, Angelus stood by a window, the city quiet under a starlit sky. The rift was gone, but new challenges loomed.
Marcus joined him. “Next move, Legion Master?”
Angelus smiled. “We keep going. Together.”
And so, with Marcus now a Rift Warrior, the Legion of Power faced the future, stronger than ever.