2 months had passed since Asaru was dragged into this strange place where all sorts of nightmarish and man-eating monsters killed everything in sight.
He had encountered countless hundreds of them within this place that seemed to stretch out endlessly.
And even now, he was still battling against a wave of monsters. But compared to his first battle, he had improved a lot since then.
"Now die!" Asaru shouted as he killed the last of the kobolds──monsters whose scales was the color of dried blood and eyes which gleamed with desperate cunning.
[You have killed a Kobold. You have received 150 Achievement Points.]
[All stats have permanently increased.]
"And with that,"
[You have completed Scenario Sub-Quest: Conquer the Dungeon. You have received 3000 Achievement Points.]
"I've cleared all the stages of the Tutorial Dungeon," Asaru said, his expression that of a hardened veteran warrior who had lived countless life-or-death battles.
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[Name: Asaru Takayoshi]
[Age: 16]
[HP: 9600/9600]
[AP: 25000]
[Stats]
[STR: 275]
[AGI: 240]
[STA: 205]
[PER: 250]
[INT: 290]
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"To think that this is what they call a tutorial. I can't even remember all the times I was about to die," Asaru thought as he remembered all his hardships throughout the Tutorial.
Hunting monsters to accumulate Achievement Points which helped him sustain himself and his needs.
Increasing his stats and perfecting his battle sense to acquire the strength needed to survive in this harsh environment that was the dungeon.
There was never a moment of respite for him as every day was simply another struggle to survive.
He had since lost any part of his past self in order to survive.
He had fought against all sorts of abominations that pushed him and his sanity to the limit.
Beasts whose eyes glowed like burning coals in the darkness with fangs jagged like daggers and their massive forms eclipsing what little light remained.
Living shadows descending from grotesque canopies, their wings a blur of dark malice each carrying venomous barb humming with dark energy
Tides of fury erupting from the darkness with muscles corded and slick with gore, embodiment of primal violence.
Even creatures in human skin who fight, talk and act like humans but possesses unparalleled strength. Sometimes men, women, children or even the elderly came at him ready to kill.
There was no way of saying if they were real or not. He only ever had one option if he wanted to survive──kill or be killed.
"This place is way too messed up but… finally… I can finally get out of here," he said, his mentally exhausted eyes recovering some life.
"Just one fight and it's over. Only one last battle," he said as he advanced towards to Boss room.
Several hours later walking at his pace, Asaru finally reached the Boss Room of the Tutorial Dungeon.
"Guess this is it?" he murmured, his voice tinged with excitement and dread as he looked around him, noticing that he was in what seemed to be old ruins.
Most of the walls were covered in ancient runes with the stones covered by overgrown vines, and at the very center of the ruins, a giant door stood before him.
Without a doubt, behind this door was the dungeon boss.
"Better be prepared than sorry."
[You have purchased Full Recovery Buff. You have used 1000 Achievement Points.]
[AP: 23000]
"If things get too intense, I can still use this to turn the tides."
"Now… on to the main quest."
As he opened and passed through the door, Asaru's vision was blurred by blinding light.
The next moment, he opened his eyes in an expansive, blinding white void. The ground beneath him was a seamless plane, stretching infinitely in all directions, devoid of any distinguishing features. Confusion clouded his mind as he then noticed a solitary figure hovering above the ground.
It was a shadowy, indistinct form made of pure darkness and possessing an ethereal aura with eyes that glowed with an otherworldly light.
[You have encountered the Dungeon Boss: Shadow Spirit of the Nameless Sword.]
The shadow's eyes met Asaru's with a piercing gaze while a grin stretched from ear to ear, playing on its lips as if the darkness itself were alive with malevolent amusement.
Asaru, still trying to process his surroundings, felt a pang of anxiety as he felt the powerful aura and bloodlust emanating from the monster in front of him. "Who-who are you? No… What are you?"
The shadow chuckled.
Ace frowned, unable to tell what thoughts were behind the shadow's laughter. "What the hell?"
The shadow's form shimmered with impatient energy as it flickered with an enigmatic smile, conjuring and materializing two black blades that emerged from its hands.
"Wha-?"
Asaru didn't even have time to finish his sentence as the shadow moved with sudden aggression, lashing out at incredible speed.
Its attack, only a blur of dark, crackling energy, was one aimed with deadly precision as Asaru, his blade clashing against the shadow's blades with a resounding clang, and his arms feeling numb from the sheer force of the impact, barely managed to block the attack.
Ace's eyes narrowed as he pushed back the shadow with his sword and then shifted to a defensive stance.
"Damn it all! This going to be rough."
Asaru dodged and parried with practiced skill, but not without consequences as a sharp pain flared in his abdomen as one of the dark blades grazed him, causing him to spit out blood.
His right leg was also wounded, each attack from the shadow continuing to increase the damage he had already taken.
The shadow's laughter echoed ominously through the void as it continued its relentless attacks which gave no time for Asaru to breathe.
Asaru's thoughts raced as he continued to fend off against the shadow's attacks, exhaustion clouding his vision and his body aching from the relentless onslaught.
"To defeat him I need to surpass him. If I can't do that then that means I'll die here today."
Gritting his teeth, Asaru summoned his remaining strength, seizing an opportunity and countering by grazing the shadow's face who, momentarily surprised, leaped in retreat.
Taking a deep breath, Asaru, his black eyes, glazed and glinting with a golden hue, but focused with fierce determination akin to a beast's burning within them, fell into a trance-like state.
[You have used a Full Recovery Buff. All injuries have been healed.]
Healing all his previous injuries, Ace vanished from sight and reappeared behind the shadow, his movements becoming a fluid combination of evasion and precision while a scorching, intense aura began to emanate from his body, expanding further and further, filling the space with its searing heat.
The shadow, momentarily taken aback by this sudden evolution, struggled to land an attack as Ace, who had always been on the receiving end, was now attacking more precisely and ferociously than before.
In a decisive moment, Asaru channeled the energy that surrounded him into a concentrated blade of pure power which, with a single, sweeping motion, struck downwards towards the shadow.
"IT'S OVER! NOW DIIIIIEEEEEE!" he screamed as the energy blade sliced through the shadow's form with devastating force.
As the shadow's form dissipated, Asaru stumbled back, his body trembling from the strain of his attack, barely able to keep his footing.
[You have defeated the Dungeon Boss: Shadow Spirit of the Nameless Sword. All stats have permanently increased.]
"DAAAAMN! Finally done with it haha," Ace exclaimed, his voice a mix of relief and exhilaration as dropped to his knees, the adrenaline beginning to fade and exhaustion finally overwhelming him.
[Congratulations. You have cleared the Tutorial Dungeon. You have received 15000 Achievement Points.]
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[Name: Asaru Takayoshi]
[Age: 16]
[HP: 16700/16700]
[AP: 40000]
[Stats]
[STR: 395]
[AGI: 360]
[STA: 325]
[PER: 315]
[INT: 430]
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[Calculating rewards…]
[Notice: You have exceeded the required conditions threshold for quest completion]
[More than 50% HP remaining when defeating the boss. Condition: Cleared.]
[30000 AP or more AP remaining after quest completion. Condition: Cleared.]
[Overall average of 300 stat points after quest completion. Condition: Cleared.]
[You have met all the requirements for a Status Update.]
"What the hell? Status Update? What's going on now?" he asked as he who always thought that after clearing the dungeon the game would end, was confronted with the reality that it was far from over.
"DAMN IT! AT LEAST GIVE ME FREAKING AN EXPLANATION"