"We need to get the hell out of here," Ryan muttered while looking around. "This place is creepy as hell."
He gave him a disappointed look. "Sorry guys, but we're stuck here for a while," he said calmly, like they were on a normal vacation. "I tried to find a way out, but I always end up back at the camp."
"What are we going to do now?" Liz asked. She was quiet and a bit concerned.
"I'll figure that out soon," Sylas said. "But we need food first."
"Oh, a boar would be nice," Ryan muttered.
He smiled. "We'll see."
He walked toward the leafless forest, his footsteps quiet. He roamed around, trying to find a way to get out of this cursed place. But just like before, it was no use—every path led him in circles.
Then he heard something. It wasn't loud, but it got his attention.
He followed the sound and soon stumbled across a herd of boars.
He smiled.
Without hesitation, he moved in. In one swift motion, he cut the head off one, then sliced off its legs and left the messy torso behind.
When he returned to the camp, the others stared at him in shock—especially Ryan.
"You actually found a boar?"
A grin formed on Sylas's face. "What can I say? I have a secret admirer."
Elizabeth tilted her head. "What?"
Sylas laughed it off. "Nothing." Then his eyes drifted across the camp. "I wish we had something fresh… like water."
They all nodded in agreement. They cooked the meat and began to eat.
Ryan took a bite and started chewing. "This meat is so juicy," he said. After swallowing, he blinked. "I don't feel thirsty anymore."
Sylas raised an eyebrow, took a bite, and realized Ryan was right. Elizabeth and Liz agreed. They devoured the meat like they were drinking water.
Sylas only took two bites… and stopped.
Something felt off.
After they finished eating, Elizabeth leaned back and said she felt drowsy. Liz and Ryan nodded, their eyelids heavy.
"In the middle of the day?" Sylas asked.
They could barely talk. Their bodies were giving out. Even Sylas felt it—subtle, creeping exhaustion.
One by one, they all collapsed into sleep.
Sylas stayed up.
Or at least, he tried.
The moment his eyes closed, the voice returned.
But this dream was different.
He stood in an empty space. Across from him stood Elizabeth, Ryan, and Liz. They cried out for help, reaching for him. Their voices were shaking as they were begging him not to let them die.
"What will you do?" the voice cut through the silence.
"Who are you?" Sylas asked. His tone didn't waver.
"Don't you want to save them?"
Sylas started walking toward them—but before he could reach them, Elizabeth's head was cut off. Liz was split down the middle. Ryan was severed at the torso.
The voice laughed. "You failed."
Sylas stood still, unmoving. Then, slowly, he bent down and picked up Elizabeth's head.
He opened his eyes.
Footsteps echoed outside the tent.
He stepped out—and like before—cut down everything that moved. Not a single creature escaped his blade.
[Soul Core Fragments Collected: 80/100]
He looked up at the statue.
It had changed.
A mouth had formed where its face had once been blank. And it was moving.
"Damn you," it hissed. "You are troublesome."
Sylas ignored it and went back inside.
That's when he saw them—tentacle-like shadows stretching across the camp. They were connected to the others, wrapped around their bodies, draining them.
Their life force.
He slammed Excalibur into the ground.
A bright golden light exploded from the blade, instantly devouring the dark tendrils.
Then he understood.
This place wasn't just a trap—it was a lie.
The food. The comfort. The warmth.
All of it was bait.
It made them feel full. Tired. Safe. But the moment they consumed anything, they became prey.
This realm fed off human fear.
The next morning, when the others woke up, they looked pale. Weak. They could barely stand.
The statue watched them with a wide smile stretching across its stone face.
Sylas left and returned with another boar. But this time, the others couldn't eat more than one bite.
They passed out almost instantly.
Sylas took the meat from them and started eating.
He forced it down.
As his vision blurred and his body gave out, he used his last bit of strength to cut his palm and grip the hilt of his sword with his bleeding hand.
He found himself standing before a burning kingdom.
Destroyed.
He didn't flinch.
He ignored it and wiggled his fingers. He could move the hand he'd cut. The other—still frozen.
"You done showing me this?" he said.
"Aren't you afraid?" the voice asked again. But now… it sounded concerned.
"I am afraid," Sylas said quietly. He raised his hand. Excalibur appeared.
"But those were fears I already survived."
He unsheathed the sword.
"They are no longer my fears."
He drove it into the ground.
"They are reminders," he shouted. "Reminders of why I can never fail again!"
The golden light burst outward, burning through the illusion.
And he woke up.
Outside, the statue was moving.
It had come alive—and was attempting to flee in silence.
It was now tall and slim, wearing a long black robe, long hair. Its face resembled Lancelot.
"You won't be leaving here alive," Sylas said.
A grin formed on his face.
He walked toward it, slow and steady, sword in hand.
"Stay away," the statue said. Its voice was low, sharp, devilish. "You think this changes anything?"
Sylas didn't stop.
"Do you know what I am?" the statue hissed. "I feed on Veil Walkers like you daily."
He smirked. "Then why are you backing away?"
"Damn you!" It lashed out—shadowy tentacles lunged toward him.
But they didn't touch him. The light around Sylas consumed them before they got close.
"W-wait," the voice changed. It cracked.
The statue took a step back.
"We can—make a deal. I can help you. Give you power. You don't have to fight me."
He didn't say anything. He kept walking toward it.
Wings erupted from its back. It launched into the air.
Sylas raised his hand—and his Domain activated.
The battlefield shifted.
Everything turned gold—the field, the sky. Swords rose from the ground.
The monster crashed into the dirt, pinned by invisible weight.
It struggled, twitching.
"No—no no no—"
Sylas approached. His boots echoed across the fog-covered battlefield.
The monster looked up at him, trembling. Its stone eyes were wide—full of fear.
"Please," it whimpered. "Don't do this…"
Sylas didn't speak.
He summoned a sword and drove it straight into its back.
The monster screamed.
Another sword. Then another.
Each shattered after a single strike, but Sylas didn't stop. He kept summoning more.
"Stop! I—I didn't want this!" it cried. "It wasn't my choice—I only did what was commanded!"
Sylas leaned down, grabbed its chin, and forced its head to face him.
"I would've given you something fast," he said. "But you hurt someone I adore."
He stood back up and plunged another sword into its back.
And another.
And another.
Until the Domain timer ran out—and all the swords vanished.
The monster twitched on the ground.
"Please… just kill me already…"
Sylas picked it up.
Threw it into the sky.
And with one clean strike—
He cleaved it in two.
[Soul Core Fragments Collected: 100/100]
[System Notification]
Weapon Evolution Complete: Excalibur – Phase II
• Current Rank: C
• Mana Output: C
• Combat Rank: C
• Overload Scaling: Active
• Domain Duration: +30 seconds
• New Trait: Second Form Unlocked – Domain Ascension
• Power increases as Excalibur evolves.
Skill Unlocked: Domain of the King (Second Form)
Create a battlefield shaped by the will of the King.
• Replica swords from memory fill the area
• Sylas can summon and wield any sword he's seen or touched
• Each sword can only be used once
• Enemy buffs are suppressed
• Visual Shift: Gold fog covers the ground. Ancient banners rise
• New Effect: Dominion Pressure – enemies suffer reduced speed and reaction time
• Duration: 120 seconds
• Scales with Excalibur's Rank
Passive Skill: Absolute Sword Sense
• Sylas can draw out 200%+ of any weapon's potential
• Includes hidden traits and overload states
Passive Skill: King's Blessing (Upgraded)
• For 90 seconds, Sylas can temporarily raise the combat rank and stats of any loyal subject by one tier
• Loyalty required
• If loyalty is broken, the subject is stripped of all blessings and paralyzed for 60 seconds
• Active only within Domain
New Passive: King's Authority
• Loyal subjects lower than Sylas will match his rank during Domain
• If loyalty breaks, subject is paralyzed for 60 seconds
• Only applies to those who recognize him as king
Next Evolution Target: B-Rank
Requirement: 200 Soul Core Fragments.
As the monster's remains vanished, the world changed.
The gray sky turned blue.
The water became clear.
The trees stood tall and full of green leaves.
And far ahead… a path appeared.