Darkness.
Alex felt like he was floating in an abyss, his body weightless, yet burdened by a deep, lingering exhaustion. The last thing he remembered was landing the final strike, hearing the warrior's acknowledgment, and then... nothing.
A sharp inhale. His eyes snapped open.
Pain. Everywhere.
"Urgh..." Alex groaned, his entire body aching as if he had been run over by a stampede of berserk warbeasts.
His blurry vision adjusted, revealing the cavernous expanse of the trial chamber. The glowing runes on the walls flickered gently, casting an eerie yet peaceful glow over the massive platform.
"Ah, you finally wake," the ancient warrior's voice echoed, filled with mild amusement.
Alex turned his head, gritting his teeth as pain flared through his neck. The warrior stood nearby, arms crossed, watching him with a mixture of respect and curiosity.
"Did I... win?" Alex croaked, his throat dry.
The warrior chuckled. "If you did not, you would not be breathing."
Alex let out a weak laugh, only to wince as his ribs protested. He forced himself to sit up, biting back a groan. He had been through a lot, but this... this was a different level of exhaustion. His mind still struggled to process everything.
Then, a familiar chime echoed in his ears.
[System Notification: Status Window Updated]
Alex's eyes widened. With trembling hands, he opened his status window.
---
[Status Window]
Name: Alex Dragonheart
Rank: Intermediate (Peak) (Previously: Intermediate (Low))
Bloodline: [Unawakened]
Physique: [Unawakened]
Class: None
Talent: [Dual-Soul Resonance] (Enhanced learning speed, intuition, and adaptability)
[Attributes]
Strength: D- → D
Agility: D → D+
Endurance: D- → D
Mana: E+ → D-
Mana Capacity: D → D+
Will: A- (No Change)
Charm: B+ (No Change)
Intelligence: [LOCKED] → C (Newly Unlocked!)
Luck: ???
[New Skills Acquired]
1. [Mind's Eye (D) – Growth Type] (Active) (Trial of Control & Intelligence Reward) – Increases perception and prediction ability in battle.
Duration: 15 seconds
Cooldown: 2 minutes
2. [Force Control (D) – Growth Type] (Passive) (Trial of Control & Intelligence Reward) – Enhances control over strength, improving combat efficiency.
[Existing Skills]
[Shadow Step (D) – Growth Type] (Active) – Short-range teleportation technique. (5m range, 15s cooldown)
[Titan's Resilience (E) – Growth Type] (Passive) – Enhances durability and physical resistance.
[Heavy Strike (E) – Growth Type] (Active) – Enhances strength for a single attack. (30s duration, 15s cooldown)
[Basic Swordsmanship (F)] (Passive) – Fundamental sword techniques.
[Basic Mana Control (F)] (Passive) – Beginner-level mana control.
[Dodge (F)] (Active) – Enhances reflexes for quick evasion. (3s cooldown)
[Phantom Shift (D) – Growth Type] (Active) (Trial of Agility Reward) – Grants afterimage movement and slight presence distortion. (10m duration, 30m cooldown)
[Unyielding Will (D) – Growth Type] (Passive) (Trial of Will Reward) – Increases resistance to mental attacks, illusions, and pain.
[Masteries]
Swordsmanship Mastery → Intermediate (3%) (Previously Novice)
Mana Control Mastery → Intermediate (2%) (Previously Novice)
Dagger Mastery → Intermediate (1%) (Previously Novice)
---
Alex stared at the window, his mind struggling to comprehend everything.
"I... unlocked Intelligence?"
His heartbeat quickened. Intelligence was one of the hardest stats to unlock in the game. Most payers grind threw many dungeons before unlocking it .
But compared to Ethan Williams, the game's protagonist, he was still far behind even with thsese upgrades.
And the zenith academy is anything but easy he will have to still push himself after leaving
The dungeon and broke through to the advance ranks to get a spot in the the top 10
And it is still not guaranteed.
Because prodigies all around the world take the exam one more talented thn the other he will have to try his hardest.
Determination filling his gaze as he thought about his sister he will have to get a spot in the academy to turn things around.
Because academy cadets can get the licence to clear the abyss gates and earn money.
As only guilds their members and only lincensed people are allowed to enter a abyss gate and other known dungeons.
Alex was lucky that no one knew about these ruins he has just cleared.
" guess having the game knowledge has its own perks."
He clenched his fists. It was a massive gain, but compared to Ethan, he was still leagues behind. That guy had legendary skills, a divine-tier bloodline, and absurd talent stacked in his favor. Meanwhile, Alex was clawing for every scrap of power he could get.
"Hmm, you seem deep in thought," the warrior mused, raising an eyebrow. "Perhaps realizing your shortcomings?"
Alex sighed. "Something like that."
The warrior smirked. "Good. Only fools believe they are without flaws."
Alex ran a hand through his messy hair. "So, what now?"
The warrior nodded approvingly. "You have completed all trials. Rest for a few hours. Your body needs recovery before receiving your final rewards and leaving these ruins."
Alex exhaled, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle in. He glanced at his battered hands, flexing his fingers. Every fiber of his being ached, but he had survived.
And now, he was stronger.
His lips curled into a smirk. "If I don't get something amazing after all this, I swear I'm going to riot."
The warrior chuckled. "You amuse me, boy. Now, rest."
With that, Alex let himself collapse back onto the ground, allowing exhaustion to claim him once more.