Floor ??? - Labyrinth Of The Deathly Embrace
Adonis's chest heaved with barely contained fury, his crimson interface glowing faintly in the dim cave. Beside him, Dennis slept soundly, his steady breathing a quiet anchor that soothed the storm raging in Adonis's heart.
What am I going to do? The question looped in his thoughts, heavy with the weight of the battle looming ahead. His gaze drifted to his stats: five unallocated points, alongside a tower point balance of 2,250 TP. Without hesitation, he funneled all five points into stamina. The longer I can use my skills, the better my chances, he reasoned. Higher stamina meant endurance, and endurance meant survival.
His thoughts shifted to the system's shop—a virtual marketplace brimming with potential. He opened the interface, scrolling through a dizzying array of skills, items, and consumables. Most were far beyond his meager TP, their prices mocking his desperation. He scrolled faster, frustration mounting, until something caught his eye. A faint smile curled his lips. Yes. This is it.
The next morning, Adonis and Dennis trudged through the cave's winding tunnels, their footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence. Dennis glanced at Adonis, his brow furrowing. Adonis's mind was elsewhere, his eyes distant, his aura unsteady. Dennis reached out, clapping a hand on Adonis's shoulder. "You alright?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.
Adonis forced a smile, his voice steady but hollow. "Yeah, I'm fine."
Dennis wasn't convinced. Though his eyes lingered on Adonis, noting the faint, alien energy seeping from him. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but it carried a sinister edge—darker, more malevolent than the half-halo's power they'd encountered before. Dennis's instincts screamed that something was wrong, but he pressed on, his sword hilt a comforting weight at his side.
As they walked, Dennis spoke again, his tone cautious. "Adonis, the atmosphere around you… it's not right. You sure you're okay?"
Adonis's smile didn't waver, but his eyes gleamed with something unreadable. "I'm fine, Dennis. Really."
Dennis frowned but shifted the conversation. "How do we find the other half of the halo?"
Adonis's expression sharpened, his voice steady with newfound certainty. "Well since I absorbed the first half. I can feel the other half calling to me. It's close."
Their journey led them to an open portal, a shimmering doorway suspended in the cave's heart. Adonis paused, his senses tingling. "It's through there," he said, stepping forward. Dennis followed, and the portal swallowed them, spitting them out into a vibrant forest bathed in golden sunlight. Towering trees stretched toward the sky, their leaves whispering in the breeze.
They pressed deeper into the forest until Adonis froze, his senses flaring. Two presences—one familiar, one dangerous. Before he could react, a blur of motion tore through the air, snatching him skyward.
Dennis spun, his instincts kicking in as a deadly force surged behind him. He unsheathed his sword just in time to block a devastating punch, the impact sending him skidding backward. His hands trembled, but he dug his heels into the earth, regaining his balance.
A knight stood before him, cloaked in a crimson aura, a gauntlet gleaming on his fist. He grinned, his voice dripping with mockery. "Oh, you blocked that?"
Dennis's blood ran cold as recognition hit. This was one of the two knights who had betrayed him, who had slaughtered his companions. Rage surged through him, his blue aura flaring like a storm. "You bastard," he snarled, gripping his sword tighter. "You'll pay for your betrayal—and for the innocent lives you took."
The knight laughed, his grin twisting into something cruel. "Innocent? All I see are criminals who deserved to die."
Dennis's vision burned red. With a roar, he charged.
Meanwhile, deep in the forest, Adonis lay battered in a small crater, blood seeping from his wounds, bones splintered from the impact of his unseen attacker. But his body hummed with power, knitting itself back together as he rose, eyes blazing with defiance. A monstrous figure landed before him, the force of its descent sending a shockwave through the air, rattling the surrounding trees. It was the bat—the one he battled before.
Adonis scoffed, a devilish grin spreading across his face. "We meet again, you bat bastard."
The bat let out a bone-rattling roar, the air quivering with its fury. Adonis's grin widened. "You're stronger than before," he said, his voice laced with mocking confidence. "Back then, I was too weak to face you. I fled like a coward, even now, I know I can't beat you… not without this."
He trailed off, his hand glowing as he materialized a shimmering blue shard from his inventory.
"Hey, bat. Do you know what this is?"
The bat lunged, its fist a blur of catastrophic force. The punch obliterated the trees in its path, shattering the ground where Adonis had stood. But Adonis was gone. In an instant, he reappeared behind the bat, his voice cold and triumphant. "This is the Shard of Symmetry."
The bat whirled, but Adonis continued, his tone dripping with menace. "I bought a low-grade skill called 'Steal' from the shop. It let me siphon TP and items from anyone and I used it to siphon TP from Dennis to afford this little gem. And do you know what it does?"
The bat turned, its eyes narrowing.
"It balances the scales," Adonis continued. "It gives me your strength, your power, for ten minutes.
The bat's eyes widened, but Adonis's gaze burned with killing intent. "Sadly for me, it's limited to three uses," he said, his voice low and dangerous. "But sadly for you… ten minutes is more than enough time to end you."
Adonis's strength surged, his power swelling to match the bat's. His eyes gleaming with murderous intent.
"Now, let's begin… your execution."