Raden's footsteps echoed faintly among the towering stones, each one shaped like a giant fang. He had been exploring the inner region of the Stone Gate for over three hours, and every second was spent honing his instincts and sharpening his new senses as a Voidblade. Even though sunlight couldn't pierce through the stone crevices, his eyes had grown used to the darkness. His breath was steady, his body light, but his mind stayed sharp.
> [EXP +130]
[EXP +110]
[Level Up – Level 25]
Something felt off.
The monsters no longer came at him one by one. From behind a massive boulder, three red-eyed goblins launched a coordinated ambush. One wielded a rusty dagger, the second carried a short spear, and the third... held a magical tool of some sort.
"They're attacking in formation?" Raden muttered, stepping back cautiously.
He activated Shadow Step, blinking behind a rock just as the goblin mage unleashed a dark incantation. A burst of black fire exploded where he had just stood.
"They're evolving... way too fast." Raden gripped his Ebon Dagger tightly.
He struck first, unleashing Void Slash on the goblin mage. A single clean slice ended it. But before he could follow up, the goblin's spear jabbed into his arm.
> [HP -60]
Grinding his teeth, Raden parried the next strike, spun around, and countered. The remaining two fell.
> [EXP +140]
[Item Obtained: Low Energy Stone, Goblin Bone Fragment]
He dropped to the ground, catching his breath.
"I used to take down five monsters without a scratch... Now three nearly wiped me out."
Three more hours passed. Raden began to fight more cautiously. He noticed the deeper he went into the gate, the more intelligent the monsters became. They began to show tactics—ambushing from above, using rocks as weapons, even laying snares made from vine traps.
Voidblade wasn't just about raw power. It was about mastering shadows and movement. And now, he was being forced to truly master it.
> [Level Up – Level 26]
[Level Up – Level 27]
[EXP +170]
Shadow Step had a short cooldown but couldn't be spammed without consequence. Void Slash drained energy—and he was starting to feel it.
"If I keep using skills carelessly, I'll die from exhaustion before anything else."
He revised his approach—more sneaking, more waiting for the perfect moment. Not every monster needed to be killed head-on. Some he took down with traps or thrown weapons.
Day 8. Raden arrived at a deep stone basin. In the center, a small, black lake glimmered under faint cave light. But then... something stirred beneath the water.
It wasn't a goblin.
A massive creature slowly emerged—part lizard, part gorilla, three meters tall with steel-like skin and massive fangs.
> [Rare Monster: Stone Vargr – Level 45]
Raden gulped. "You've got to be kidding me."
He turned to run—but the creature was too fast. Its arm nearly grabbed him.
He sidestepped with Shadow Step, then slashed at its ribs with Void Slash. No blood.
> [Damage -12]
"Seriously? That's it?!"
The monster swung its arm, slamming into the ground and sending shockwaves. Raden was thrown back.
> [HP -80]
He crashed against a rock. Pain exploded through his back. But he stood up.
He laid traps using sharp stones and shadows. When the monster charged again, Raden flanked it from behind and slashed its leg tendon. This time—it worked. The beast fell.
> [Void Slash – Critical Hit!]
[EXP +400]
[Item Obtained: Medium Energy Stone, Vargr Fang, Hardened Scale]
[Level Up – Level 28]
He didn't move.
He simply lay there, staring at the stars peeking through the gaps above the stone.
"This place just keeps getting more brutal... But so do I."
Day 9. The battles continued. Sometimes it was mutant goblin squads with magical weapons. Other times, it was spider-like monsters crawling along the ceilings.
His potions ran low. He began conserving energy. Void Slash was saved for emergencies. Shadow Step became his main lifeline.
And it paid off.
> [Level Up – Level 30]
[Level Up – Level 31]
[Level Up – Level 32]
Each level gave only +2 stat points. No new skills. But at Level 35...
> [New Skill Acquired: Blade Mirage – Creates illusionary slashes to confuse enemies. Duration: 3 seconds.]
He put it to the test.
Facing two winged monsters, he activated Blade Mirage, spawning four fake attacks. The monsters panicked. As they flinched, two real Void Slashes ended them.
> [EXP +220]
[EXP +200]
Day 11. His body grew weary, but his EXP continued climbing.
> [Level 36]
[Level 37]
[Level 38]
At Level 40, he was ambushed by a humanoid creature—gray-skinned, fanged, exuding a terrifying aura. Half-human, half-beast.
"This... this one's conscious. It's not just a mutant."
The fight was savage. Raden was cornered. But Blade Mirage, paired with traps, gave him the upper hand.
> [EXP +380]
[Rare Item Obtained: Unstable Black Crystal]
Day 13.
> [Level 41–46 reached through continuous combat.]
Raden barely slept. He kept hunting. His goal: reach Level 50.
Day 14. Deep within a cave, he encountered the area boss:
> [Boss Monster: Dual-Horned Stone Troll – Level 55]
He nearly died. But he devised a plan.
Use shadows for illusions. Aim Void Slash at its eyes. Save the final strike for the moment it hurled a massive boulder.
After a long, brutal battle, the monster fell.
> [EXP +600]
[Level Up – Level 47]
[Level Up – Level 48]
[Level Up – Level 49]
[Level Up – Level 50]
> [Stat Points +2 per level. Total Available: 8]
> [Status Update:]
Name: Raden Dharma
Level: 50
Class: Voidblade
EXP: 70 / 1600
Stat Points: 8
Attributes: STR 32 / AGI 38 / VIT 22 / INT 16 / LUK 3
Skills: Shadow Step, Void Slash, Blade Mirage
Raden leaned against the cave wall. His shoulder bled. His hands trembled. But his eyes... were gleaming.
"Level 50. That's enough for now."
He let out a quiet, hoarse laugh.
"If this class truly belongs to me… then I'll keep moving forward. No matter how hard the path gets."
From deep within the shadows of the cave, a pair of red eyes silently watched him.