Lukas slipped back into the capsule, heart racing with anticipation. The hum of the NeuroDive system kicked in, and in a blink, he was back inside Upraised.
Noir opened his eyes in the familiar, bustling Town of Seldom. The ambient sounds of footsteps, conversations, and distant crafting filled the air. He took a deep breath and muttered, "Alright… let's see where we left off."
He opened his inventory.
[Inventory]
36x Cursed Bone
40x Rotten Cloth
56x Feathers
49x Fangs
60x Rusty Blade
589 Silver Coins
He squinted at the list, frowning. "I don't even know if this is trash or treasure…" he muttered, rubbing the back of his head. "Whatever. I'll figure it out later."
His mind returned to the cave. The monster. Karkaskhan.
That violet name still burned in his memory. He didn't forget how it killed him last time. But now… he was going back.
Determined, Noir walked through the busy streets of Seldom and turned into a side road where the blacksmith's forge glowed a hot orange.
The sound of hammer against metal echoed as smoke rose from the chimneys. Inside, a bald, burly man with a braided beard looked up from the anvil.
"Looking for something, friend?" the blacksmith grunted.
"Yeah. Daggers," Noir replied, stepping closer. "I need something quick, deadly, and light. I'm planning to face something big today."
The blacksmith let out a chuckle. "You're not the first to say that, but most of them don't walk back in one piece. Let's see what I've got for you."
He gestured to a nearby weapons rack. Noir scanned through rows of basic iron daggers, chipped short blades, and glinting knives—until one set caught his eye.
Asura's Twin Daggers
+15 Attack
+3 Agility
+10% Dodge
Price: 200 Silver
"These look good," Noir said, holding them in his hands. The grip felt natural, like the weapon was meant for him.
"Ah, sharp eye," the blacksmith nodded. "That set's no beginner toy. But if you're serious, they'll do you good."
Noir handed over 200 silver coins without hesitation. "I'm serious."
The blacksmith wrapped the daggers in cloth and handed them over. "Then good luck out there, Assassin. Come back with stories—or at least come back."
Noir gave a small smirk. "I plan to come back with both."
He stepped out of the forge and stood still for a second, the weight of the daggers in his hand and the memory of the boss flashing in his mind.
It's time.
After securing the Asura's Twin Daggers, Noir made his way through the town square, weaving past players and NPCs alike. The hum of trade chatter filled the air—some were selling rare mats, others were shouting quest invites. But he had only one goal in mind.
The Potion Shop.
A bell jingled as he pushed open the wooden door. Inside, glass bottles lined the shelves in all shapes and colors, the scent of herbs and faint chemicals lingering in the air.
Behind the counter stood a young NPC girl with auburn hair tied back in a messy bun. She looked up and greeted him cheerfully.
"Welcome to Liora's Remedies! What are you looking for today, traveler?"
"HP and stamina potions," Noir said, stepping up to the counter. "How much?"
"Both are 5 silver each," she replied, smiling. "Reliable quality for daily adventuring."
He quickly checked his coin pouch—389 silver left after buying the daggers. He didn't hesitate.
"I'll take everything I can get with this," he said, placing the rest of his silver coins on the counter.
The shopkeeper's eyes widened slightly, then nodded and got to work. A few moments later, Noir walked out of the shop with a weighted satchel hanging from his belt.
[Inventory Updated]
+38 HP Potions
+38 Stamina Potions
Silver Coins: 0
He stood in the middle of Seldom for a moment, adjusting the daggers on his back and glancing toward the distant edge of the forest.
The sky had shifted ever so slightly—orange starting to creep into the blue.
"Karkaskhan," he muttered. "Round two."
And with that, he vanished into the crowd, heading straight for the deep forest once again.
The trees thinned as Noir encountered his first group—wolves and goblins patrolling near a clearing. Without hesitation, he dashed in.
Goblin: "GRAAAH!"
Noir: "Let's dance."
He lunged low and slashed through the goblin's legs. Another one lunged from the side, but he twisted, letting it graze past as he drove his dagger into its ribs. A wolf pounced. He ducked, spun, and drove both daggers up into its belly.
In just a few minutes, five enemies were down.
Noir: "Still got it."
He took a moment to shake out his shoulders, then made his way toward the familiar cave where Karkaskhan resided.
The Cave Revisit
The entrance loomed in front of him. It was quiet—too quiet.
Noir stepped inside, blades drawn.
Within minutes, the first wave hit. Dozens of spider mobs crawled from the ceiling and walls, fangs dripping.
Noir: "Here we go…"
He triggered Swift Step, dashing between them at breakneck speed. The +25% movement boost let him avoid their lunges while slicing them from all angles. Still, their numbers overwhelmed him. One latched onto his shoulder. Another nicked his leg.
Noir: "Tch—Persistent bastards!"
He activated Critical Dash Slash. Time seemed to slow as he dashed forward, slashing six spiders in a single sweeping motion. Half fell, twitching in death. The others scattered—but it wasn't over.
For the next 30 minutes, Noir danced between the horde, sweating, bleeding, surviving. Potion after potion, dodge after dodge. Until the last spider let out a screech and collapsed.
He panted, leaning on his dagger.
Noir: "That… was too close."
He popped a potion, took a breather, then moved deeper into the cave.
The New Skill
As he walked, his thoughts drifted to the Swift Step skill. He had acquired it from grinding Cursed Humans deep in the forest two days ago. After taking out over 100 of them, a system prompt suddenly flashed:
Skill Acquired: Swift Step – Gain +15% movement speed for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 30 seconds.
Noir wasn't sure if it was just a hidden milestone or part of a quest he didn't notice—but he was grateful.
"If it wasn't for that skill… I might not have made it."
Now, as he neared the boss chamber, he checked his cooldowns. Everything was ready.
Critical Dash Slash — Ready.
Swift Step — Ready.
He stood in front of the ominous door.
Noir: "Time to end this."
With both blades ready, he pushed forward—into the unknown.
The moment Noir stepped into the boss room, the temperature dropped. A putrid stench hit his nose like a wall. The space was wide and dome-like, covered in webs clinging to stalactites above.
And there it was.
From the darkness emerged the grotesque form of Karkaskhan—a towering, eight-legged monster with a human torso fused into its upper half. Pale skin stretched across its humanoid face, which twitched with a half-smile that didn't reach its soulless, spider-like eyes. Eight limbs dug into the cavern floor, each one as thick as a tree trunk. Its violet name floated above:
Karkaskhan [Lv. 2]
Noir gripped his new blades—Asura's Twin Daggers—feeling the cool metal in his hands. His breath slowed as he bent his knees, preparing for the charge.
"Let's end this."
He activated Swift Step. His body blurred, vanishing and reappearing to Karkaskhan's left flank in an instant.
The humanoid head turned unnaturally, eyes snapping to Noir's location. One massive leg swiped sideways, quicker than expected.
CLANG!
Noir barely crossed his daggers to block the attack, but the force sent him flying into the cave wall. Dust fell from the ceiling as he staggered back to his feet, shaking his head.
"It's that strong already?" he muttered, wiping blood from his lip.
Karkaskhan screeched, rearing up on four of its legs, the humanoid torso stretching grotesquely. It launched forward, a series of slashes from its front claws whistling through the air.
Noir ducked under the first, sidestepped the second, and activated Critical Dash Slash.
His body ignited in a blur.
Six rapid slashes.
One across the shoulder.
Two across the lower limbs.
Another diagonally across the abdomen.
But as he spun for the final strike, Karkaskhan shrieked and reared back, causing Noir to miss the sixth slash. Still, blood splattered across the stone floor.
CRIT! –145 HP
Karkaskhan snarled and opened its grotesque jaw—spitting webs in Noir's direction.
He rolled left, but one thread caught his leg.
"Shit!"
The boss lunged, spearing a leg toward his chest. Noir twisted just in time to avoid being skewered, using the momentum to cut the web from his foot and leap backward. He chugged a stamina potion, heart racing.
His cooldowns were ticking.
15 seconds for Critical Dash Slash.
7 for Swift Step.
"I need to buy time—"
The spider charged again.
Noir used his environment, zipping between the stalagmites, forcing Karkaskhan to slow down in the tighter corners of the chamber. As he baited the boss, he threw two quick slashes at the hind legs, chipping away its health.
Karkaskhan's HP: 68%
Suddenly, it jumped into the air—massive for a creature its size—and slammed down. The floor quaked. Noir was knocked off-balance.
The boss pounced, landing right in front of him.
"CLOSE ENOUGH."
Swift Step – Activated.
Noir vanished from the ground and reappeared behind Karkaskhan. He drove his dagger into the lower spine and sliced upward.
CRIT! –120 HP
The boss shrieked and bucked violently, knocking him back.
Cool down ready.
"Let's gamble it."
Critical Dash Slash – Activated.
Noir charged forward, twin daggers blazing.
One strike to the side of the head.
Second—upper thorax.
Third—lower back.
Fourth—mid-legs.
Fifth—arm.
Sixth—direct to the heart of the humanoid chest.
CRIT! CRIT! CRIT!
Karkaskhan's HP: 9%
But the boss didn't fall. Instead, it roared and entered an enraged state. Purple veins bulged from its body. Its speed doubled. Noir couldn't react in time.
A leg whipped into him—SLAM!
He rolled across the stone, coughing, red warning flashing in his vision. He slammed an HP potion down his throat and barely stood.
"Come on…"
He waited for it to charge. It shrieked and dashed forward—
"NOW!"
Swift Step.
He blinked behind it.
No dialogue. No flair.
Just one final clean slash across the neck of the humanoid half.
Blood sprayed. The monster collapsed, legs twitching.
[Karkaskhan Defeated!]
You earned: 320 XP
Loot: ??? (Check Inventory)
Noir dropped to his knees, breathing heavily.
"Holy… shit."
"That was the hardest fight I've had in a game."
He checked his cooldowns again, sweat dripping down his forehead despite the full-dive immersion.
And for the first time since he logged in—
He smiled.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
🔺 LEVEL UP! 🔺
Congratulations, Noir!
You have reached Level 2.
+2 Strength
+3 Agility
+1 Intelligence
+20 Max HP
+10 Max Stamina
New Skill Unlocked: Shadow Cloak (Passive)
Your footsteps become 20% quieter and you're 15% harder to detect when not in combat.
Noir's eyes widened as the message faded from his view. "Level two already?" he muttered, grinning through his exhaustion.
He sheathed his daggers and staggered back against the cave wall, chest heaving. He let the adrenaline bleed out of him as the glow from the fallen boss slowly dissolved into mist.