Kael staggered to his feet, blood dripping from countless wounds, his body battered and sore. The Riftblade flickered weakly in his hand, its violet energy flickering in a final pulse before dimming. His chest heaved with each ragged breath, but despite the pain, an undeniable fire burned inside him.
The dungeon was silent now, the oppressive tension that had weighed on him during the fight fading into nothingness. Before he could gather his thoughts, a sharp tone rang out, echoing through the dungeon.
Ding!
[Status Update Available.]
Kael blinked, a flash of confusion crossing his face as the metallic voice echoed in his mind, like a machine coming to life.
The screen flickered in front of him—his first real glimpse of the power the system had granted him. A glowing interface appeared, hovering in the air, presenting the results of his battle. He could hardly believe it.
[System: Status Report]
Name: Kael Drayven
Class: Gatekeeper
Level: 20
XP: 0/100
HP: 350/350
MP: 500/500
Strength: 120
Dexterity: 110
Constitution: 115
Intelligence: 90
Wisdom: 85
Charisma: 45
Skills:
Riftblade Mastery (Level 5)
Increases damage dealt with the Riftblade. Reduces cooldown time between strikes. Increased precision and critical hit rate.Shadow Fusion (Level 3)
Blend with shadows for stealth, becoming invisible for 15 seconds. Increased duration with each level.Echo Step (Level 3)
Allows the user to move between dimensions for 5 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds. Grants a burst of speed upon reentry.Battle Instinct (Level 3)
Enhances reflexes and battle awareness, improving reaction speed, evasion, and counterattack damage.
Inventory:
Riftblade Core
A powerful core used to forge weapons. Can be infused into the Riftblade to increase its capabilities.Healing Elixir x5
Restores 50% of health instantly. Can be used during combat.Essence of Echo Beast
A rare item obtained from the defeated Echo Beast. Can be used to upgrade abilities or create new skills.Dimensional Fragment
A fragment from a rift between dimensions. Used to craft higher-tier dimensional abilities or materials.
[System: Level-Up Progression Complete.]
Kael stood there, blinking at the overwhelming status screen. Level 20. He had leveled up 20 times since the moment the system had activated within him.
His Strength was now off the charts, allowing him to crush stone with a single punch. Dexterity had increased, making him faster and more precise than ever before. His Constitution had made him almost unbreakable. Even his Intelligence and Wisdom had grown—he could now think faster, process information more clearly, and adapt to his surroundings with a level of insight that seemed almost unnatural.
What shocked him most was his HP and MP. His health and mana were now monumental compared to where they had started. His reserves of energy were vast, almost infinite compared to the human limits he had once known.
But it was his Skills that really made his heart race. The Riftblade Mastery skill had leveled up, making the blade feel like a part of him. Every slash was more precise, every strike harder. Shadow Fusion had grown more potent, allowing him to stay hidden for longer periods and move undetected. Echo Step had become a more tactical tool, enabling him to slip between dimensions for longer periods—and the burst of speed when he re-entered the normal world made him a blur in combat. And finally, Battle Instinct, a skill that had saved his life countless times, had evolved to the point where Kael could now almost predict his enemy's next move.
"I've changed," Kael muttered, staring at the screen. His thoughts were interrupted by a loud voice, a faint, ethereal sound that seemed to vibrate the air around him.
Ding!
[First Trial Completed: Reward +20% Health, +20% Mana.]
Kael felt an immediate surge of power. His HP and MP grew even stronger, and the fatigue he had been feeling evaporated. He flexed his hands, feeling the immense strength in his fingers, and a grin spread across his face. His body no longer felt weak—he had become something more than human.
"Now this… this is power," Kael whispered. He clenched his fists, his heart pounding with a fire he hadn't known existed.
Yet even as he marveled at his newfound strength, a shadow seemed to flicker in his peripheral vision. He snapped his head toward it, but when he looked, the dungeon was as it always had been—silent and dark. His gaze lingered on the air around him, suddenly aware of a presence, as if something beyond his perception was watching him closely.
Far above, in a realm that was not bound by time or space, the gods observed Kael's rise. Their figures were like fleeting apparitions, their forms and faces concealed by swirling cosmic energy. They looked down upon him—this mortal who had just crossed into their domain.
Realm of Gods
High above the mortal plane, the gods held council, their voices rippling across dimensions like thunder.
"He has reached Level 20 faster than any mortal we've seen before," one of them spoke, his voice like a deep rumble. His golden armor gleamed in the otherworldly light. "This Gatekeeper shows promise."
A tall, robed figure beside him nodded slowly, the stars in their eyes shifting like galaxies. "Yes, but his power still pales in comparison to us. Let him continue. It will be interesting to see how far his strength can grow."
Another figure, with dark, flowing hair and piercing red eyes, narrowed her gaze. "He has been marked. But we must not forget the trials to come. No one is beyond the gods' reach."
The golden-armored god raised a hand, quieting them. "We will watch. The balance must be maintained. Let him prove himself worthy, or fall to the trials. Either way, his fate is intertwined with our plans."
The gods fell silent, their attention fixed on the mortal they had now begun to observe. Kael was unaware of their watchful eyes.
But soon, he would be.
End of Chapter 3.