Zain crouched against the jagged rock, his newly enhanced body thrumming with power. The cavern of Abyss's lowest floor stretched before him, a wasteland of shattered eggs and smoldering ash. The crimson glow from the fissures cast long, twisted shadows, and the air was thick with the stench of sulfur and death. His golden eyes darted across the chaos, alert for danger. The system's gifts—Fireball, Enhanced Stamina, Enhanced Strength—had made him stronger, but he was still a newborn demon in a world that devoured the weak.
A low growl rumbled nearby, pulling his focus. Three demons, larger than the hatchlings he'd seen, had taken notice of him. Their eyes glowed like embers, their claws dripping with the viscous fluid of broken eggs. The largest stood nearly twice his height, its body a mass of muscle and jagged scales, like a living fortress. The other two were smaller but no less menacing, their movements sleek and predatory. They stalked toward him, coordinated, as if they'd already mastered the brutal hierarchy of this place.
Zain's heart pounded, but the fear was laced with something new—anticipation. He rose to his feet, claws flexing, a sharp grin spreading across his face.
"Alright," he muttered, his voice a low growl. "Let's see what I can do."
The largest demon lunged first, its claws aimed for his chest. Zain sidestepped, his enhanced stamina lending him speed he hadn't expected. The demon's claws grazed the air, sparking against the rock floor. Zain retaliated, his enhanced strength driving his claws deep into the demon's side. Black blood oozed from the wound, and the creature roared, stumbling.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 4.
The system's chime was a jolt of adrenaline. Zain barely had time to register it before the other two demons attacked in tandem, one from the left, one from the right. He ducked under a swipe, the air whistling above his head. His mind focused, the knowledge of Fireball surging to the forefront. He extended his hand, palm out, and willed the spark to life.
A sphere of flame erupted, small but searing, and shot toward the demon on his left. It struck the creature's chest, exploding in a burst of heat. The demon screamed, its scales charring as it collapsed to the ground, lifeless.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 5.
The remaining demon hesitated, its glowing eyes narrowing. Zain didn't give it a chance to regroup. He charged, his enhanced strength propelling him forward like a coiled spring unleashed. His claws sank into the demon's throat, and with a savage twist, he ended it.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 6.
Zain stood over the bodies, chest heaving, the cavern's heat pressing against his obsidian scales. The system's interface flickered in his vision, confirming his new balance. Six souls—not enough for the System Mall's higher-tier items, but a start. He glanced at the fallen demons, their forms already beginning to dissolve into the ash-strewn floor. This was Abyss's way: the weak fed the strong, and Zain was determined to be the latter.
He turned his attention to the remaining eggs, fewer now, their shells cracked or shattered. The other demons in the cavern had noticed his fight, their glowing eyes turning toward him. Some backed away, wary of the newcomer who'd dispatched three of their kind. Others bared their teeth, their growls a challenge. Zain's grin widened. Let them come. He'd take them all if he had to.
He moved to the next cluster of eggs, his claws ready. Each one was another soul, another step toward power. He shattered one, then another, the system chiming with each kill.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 7.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 10.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 15.
The work was grueling, his muscles aching despite his enhanced stamina. The cavern's heat weighed on him, the sulfurous air stinging his lungs. But Zain pushed on, driven by the memories of his past life. He'd spent hours watching anime heroes rise from nothing, reading about protagonists who defied the odds. Now, it was his turn. Every egg he destroyed, every soul he claimed, brought him closer to that dream.
Hours passed—or what felt like hours in this timeless abyss. His soul count climbed steadily: 20, 25, 30. By the time he reached 35, his body demanded a pause. He leaned against a jagged outcrop, catching his breath. The cavern was quieter now, the initial frenzy of hatching and slaughter subsiding. The ground was littered with broken shells and the dissolving corpses of failed hatchlings. Only the strongest demons remained, prowling the edges of the chamber or vanishing into the labyrinthine tunnels that branched off into darkness.
Zain opened the System Mall, scanning for new options. The legendary skills were still out of reach, their prices obscured by question marks.
Shinra Tensei (Price: ??????)
Kamehameha (Price: ??????)
Thunder Fruit (Price: ??????)
But a new skill caught his eye, practical and within his reach.
Claw Sharpening (Price: 15 Souls)
It promised to enhance the cutting power of his natural weapons, making his claws deadlier. Zain didn't hesitate. He confirmed the purchase, and a tingling sensation spread through his hands. His claws gleamed sharper, their edges like polished obsidian, ready to rend through anything.
Souls consumed: 15. Current balance: 20.
Zain tested his claws against the rock, leaving deep gouges with a single swipe. A thrill ran through him. He was evolving, becoming something more than a newborn demon. But he needed more souls, more skills, to survive what lay ahead.
He returned to the eggs, his movements more precise now, his sharpened claws slicing through shells with ease. The system chimed again and again.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 21.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 25.
Soul acquired. Current balance: 30.
The cavern was nearly empty of eggs now, the remaining demons fewer and more cautious. Zain's presence had become a warning to the others—a lone demon, small but deadly, carving his place in this hellish hierarchy. He caught their glances, their wary postures. Some slunk into the tunnels, seeking easier prey or safer ground. Others lingered, their eyes glinting with hunger.