Chosa lay on his bed, the room dark except for the faint city glow leaking through the blinds. His muscles ached from the battle, and every blink felt heavier than the last.
Ding!
The familiar chime echoed in his mind as the interface suddenly appeared before him, its holographic light flickering to life above his face.
REWARDS GRANTED.
"Huh?" Chosa blinked, sitting up slowly. "Why's it coming now?"
"An error occurred," Luna responded flatly, her voice cutting through the silence. "The system had trouble classifying you—whether you were a player… or a Maker."
Chosa furrowed his brow. "A Maker? Me?"
"It was confused by your interaction with the hidden floor. Because of that, the system rebranded its reward structure. You are now qualified for two separate reward paths—standard Raider rewards for floor completion, and Maker-grade rewards for defeating core bosses every five floors."
He sat there, rubbing the back of his neck. "So... two reward tracks?"
"Correct."
Chosa let out a breath. "Alright, fine. So what do I get?"
Luna projected the reward screen before him, displaying three glowing panels. Each pulsed with faint energy, almost like they were alive.
"You may choose one of the following," Luna explained:
Option 1:Goblinforged Armor – Light armor made from enhanced goblin hide. Buffs include minor agility boost, resistance to blunt damage, and an enchantment from a goblin shaman that slightly improves stamina regeneration.
Option 2:Venomfang Dagger – A dagger crafted by a goblin blacksmith. A crude but efficient blade imbued with the skill: Poison Edge. When activated, the blade is coated with an almost invisible toxin that weakens and slowly kills the target over time.
Option 3:Skill Points – Points that can be distributed across four categories: Strength, Vitality, Perception, and Magic.
Chosa leaned back against the wall, thinking. "Since that one-hit weapon broke… I probably need something new." His eyes lingered on the dagger. It wasn't the flashiest choice, but it was practical. Especially if he was going to be moving solo for a while.
"I'll take the dagger," he finally said.
Ding... Confirmed.
The interface whirred to life with mechanical sounds and pulses of digital energy. Right before Chosa's eyes, a weapon began to materialize—pixel by pixel, metal and shadow twisting together until the finished dagger hovered in mid-air.
His amber eyes widened slightly. "Woah... it really just... made it."
The dagger floated for a moment longer, then dropped gently onto the bed beside him. Chosa picked it up, turning it over in his hands. The grip was rough leather, the blade uneven and jagged, yet somehow... it felt balanced.
"A bit crude," he muttered, "but it should do the job."
"The skill embedded in the dagger is called Poison Edge," Luna explained. "You may activate it via the interface or a voice command. The blade will become coated in a thin, almost invisible poison. While it won't kill instantly, any creature cut by the blade will begin to weaken over time."
Chosa stared at the weapon, nodding slowly. "Toxic, slow, and steady." He smirked. "That's perfect for higher floors… hit, run, bleed 'em out."
He tightened his grip around the hilt, the blade catching a glint of city light through the window. With this, he didn't just have a replacement weapon—he had a tactical advantage. And with each floor, he'd only get stronger.
The climb was just beginning.