Lucien stepped deeper into the cave, his bony feet scraping the stone floor. The dead cave rats behind him were already fading from his mind. All he wanted now… was to survive—and one day, to get revenge on the man who stabbed him.
The path grew darker.
A breeze passed through a crack in the stone wall. Cold, dry air.
Lucien looked around. One wall looked strange—like a piece didn't belong. Curious, he pushed it.
RUMBLE…
The wall slid open.
Behind it was a dark tunnel. Long, quiet, and creepy.
[◆ Hidden Path Discovered: Forgotten Crypt]
Warning: Unknown danger ahead.
Lucien hesitated, then stepped inside.
He walked slowly, bones creaking with every step. Torches on the wall lit themselves as he passed. He stopped in front of a large stone door carved with ancient symbols.
He pushed it open.
Inside, a giant round room waited.
At the center: a stone coffin.
Lucien whispered, "What… is this place?"
As he stepped closer—
CLANG!
The coffin BURST open.
A skeleton in black armor stood tall, holding a broken sword.
Its blue eyes flared.
[◆ Mini-Boss Appeared: Crypt Guardian (Lv. 4)]
HP: 120/120
Lucien's bones tensed. "That thing… it's not like the rats…"
The guardian rushed forward.
CLASH!
Lucien dodged, barely.
He raised his hand. "Bone Spike!"
A sharp spike of bone shot from his forearm and stabbed the guardian.
[Hit! Guardian HP: 105/120]
The guardian didn't flinch.
Lucien ducked a swing, then countered again. The fight was hard—his stamina low, movements stiff.
The guardian slammed him with its shield.
Lucien crashed into a wall.
[You took 16 damage. HP: 20/50]
He gasped. "I won't die again…"
Using the chain nearby, he pulled it under the guardian's feet—tripping it.
The monster fell.
Lucien jumped, driving his bone blade into its skull.
CRACK!
The guardian collapsed.
Lucien stared at the twitching body of the fallen Crypt Guardian. Its bones cracked, then turned to dust, scattering across the cold stone floor.
He stood still for a moment, gripping his bone blade tightly. He had no breath, no beating heart, yet something stirred in his chest—relief, maybe even pride.
"I actually did it..." he whispered. "I killed it..."
[◆ Mini-Boss Defeated!]
[+25 EXP]
[Level Up: Lucien is now Lv. 2]
[+5 HP | +2 STR | +1 AGI]
His body shimmered for a moment. He felt different. Stronger. His bones were thicker, his movements faster, smoother. It was as if the energy of the crypt itself was fusing into him.
Lucien looked around. The chamber was massive, silent, and ancient. The walls were carved with old symbols he couldn't read. Stone pillars leaned and cracked from time. A broken shield lay forgotten in the corner, covered in dust and spiderwebs.
Behind the now-empty coffin, something caught his eye—a faint red glow coming from a small pedestal.
Lucien stepped closer. On top of the stone rested a round pendant, glowing gently like a burning coal.
He reached out, picked it up carefully.
[◆ You found: Pendant of Ember Skin]
Grants Resistance to Fire Damage
Passive Effect: +10% Fire Resistance
"Fire... resistance?" Lucien said. "This pendant… it's warm. Even though I don't have skin… I can feel it."
He slid the pendant over his neck. The moment it touched his chest, a soft warmth spread through his bones. Not burning—just comforting. Alive.
He stared at the empty room. It was quiet again. But something didn't feel finished.
Then, he noticed it.
A narrow crack in the wall behind the pedestal.
Almost hidden in shadow.
Lucien moved toward it. The space was tight, but just wide enough to slip through.
"Deeper again…" he muttered. "What else is down here?"
He pushed forward.
The path sloped downward. Deeper underground. The air grew colder. The walls dripped with moisture. Webs clung to his arms as he passed. It felt like no one had walked here for hundreds of years.
After what felt like forever, the narrow path opened into a larger chamber.
In front of him stood a stone bridge, stretched across a massive chasm. Below it—nothing but darkness.
Lucien walked slowly. Bones crunched under his feet.
On the other side of the bridge stood a massive door, carved with skulls and flames.
He reached the center of the bridge.
Then—click.
Stone shifted.
From the sides of the bridge, secret panels opened.
Small skeletal creatures crawled out, their bones twisted and glowing red.
[◆ Enemy Spotted: Bone Crawler (Lv. 2)]
HP: 30/30
Three of them surrounded him.
Lucien raised his bone blade, his eyes focused.
"You're not stopping me here," he said.
One of the Bone Crawlers shrieked and leapt.
Lucien rolled under it and slammed it with his bony elbow. Another slashed at his side, cutting across his ribs.
He didn't flinch.
He countered with a Bone Spike.
[Hit! Bone Crawler HP: 18/30]
They circled him.
Lucien stepped back. One foot slipped close to the bridge's edge. Below him—only blackness.
"No room... I have to finish this now."
He slashed the second crawler, breaking its jawbone.
Then he turned, ducked a claw swipe, and stabbed the third through the chest with a clean strike.
The first crawler leapt again.
Lucien caught it mid-air with a kick, sending it flying off the bridge.
It let out a sharp shriek as it vanished into the dark.
[Enemies Defeated: +18 EXP]
Lucien stood there, breathing out of habit. The glowing red eyes were gone. The bridge was silent again.
He had survived.
He crossed to the end of the bridge and stood before the massive stone door.
Carved at the top were three words in ancient writing.
He couldn't read them.
But he could feel them.
The door slowly creaked open on its own.
Warm air rushed out, along with a strange smell—burning, ancient, powerful.
Lucien took a step forward.
"Whatever's down there… it's not just bones anymore."
He didn't turn back.
He walked into the shadows.