The table was covered in parchment blueprints and glowing sketch circles.
Eron stood in front of a spell diagram, one hand extended.
[Create Concept – Activated]
Object Blueprint: Dimensional Storage Gauntlet (Evolving Type)
Traits:– Stores unlimited non-living material under current mana limit– Time-frozen space– Evolves with high-frequency use: Can gain sorting, categorization, smart access
Mana Cost: 48Cooldown: 6 hours
A pulse of light. The arcane lines etched themselves into the air before folding into metal and mana.
[Item Created: Arcvault – Tier 1 Spatial Gauntlet]– Inventory created– Current Limit: 20 items (non-living)– Evolves after 500 uses or with a Rank Core
Eron nodded, sliding it onto his left hand.
Next, he sat, closed his eyes, and focused.
[Create Concept – Activated]
Skill Blueprint: Kill-Chain Mastery (Adaptive Passive)
Traits:– +10% EXP per monster defeated– Every 50 confirmed kills: +1% bonus EXP– Max cap: +200% EXP– Evolvable: Can increase cap or bonus ratio
[Skill Created: Kill-Chain Mastery Lv. MAX]➤ Passive: EXP Boost➤ Kill Counter: 0/50➤ Next Boost: +11%➤ Skill Evolution Available at Kill Count 2,000
He smirked.
"Perfect."
Neha walked in, double-checking her travel gear and light armor. "So, how many monsters are we planning to massacre today?"
"At least two hundred."
The slime bounced, eager for battle. Blade Hound stood at the doorway, paw blades gleaming.
Destination: Scarvane Cavern
Buried at the edge of the Obsidian Wastes, Scarvane Cavern had been sealed for over 80 years.
The records described it as an unstable rift between the surface and an ancient bestiary vault. Monsters that entered rarely left. And more importantly, it held a Sealed Skill Core guarded by something called a "Shell Warden."
System Ping: Objective Confirmed – Unique Skill Core: Arc Node IUse: Compatible with Adaptive SlimeType: Core-Support – Non-spell skill enhancement
Over the next 3 hours, Eron and his team cut through everything that moved.
[Forest Howler – Defeated][Burrow Maw – Defeated][Venom Crawler – Defeated ×12]
EXP Boost: +10% ➤ +12%Kill Count: 78
[Eron ➤ Lv. 7 ➤ 8][Neha ➤ Lv. 5 ➤ 6][Slime ➤ Lv. 6 ➤ 7][Blade Hound ➤ Lv. 4 ➤ 5]
"Almost halfway to the next cap," Eron muttered, panting lightly. "How's the slime?"
Neha looked back as the slime body-slammed a second Howler with a reinforced pulse shield.
"Still smiling. Somehow."
Kill-Chain Passive: +13% EXP
[Stone Drakes – Defeated ×3][Kill-Chain Passive: +15%]
[Slime ➤ Lv. 7 ➤ 8]Trait Gained: Mana Burn Resistance
[Blade Hound ➤ Lv. 5 ➤ 6]Gained Skill: Accelerated Bite – Fire Variant
Scarvane Cavern – Entrance Cleared
The outside shell had been guarded by Darkroot Golems, slow but with armor thick as siege gates.
[Darkroot Golem – Defeated ×2]EXP: +24%Kill Count: 198
[Eron ➤ Lv. 8 ➤ 9][Neha ➤ Lv. 6 ➤ 7][Slime ➤ Lv. 8 ➤ 9]
Inside the Cavern – The Shell Warden Appears
As they entered the sealed vault, ambient mana thickened. The cave was no longer natural—it was a manawarped domain.
And at the heart stood a beast:
Shell Warden – Guardian of the Arc Node
Species: Ancient Mycera Beetle – Titan Grade
Skills:• Shell Burst• Hardened Stomp• Arc Burst (Lightning Core)
Rank: B (Mid)
It roared, shaking the cavern walls.
"Positions!" Eron ordered.
Neha unleashed a double flame spiral. The slime tackled and triggered its new mass-shift defense, absorbing the shell blast and bouncing back to avoid the stomp.
[Blade Hound: Accelerated Bite → Critical! – Warden Shell Cracked]
Eron dashed forward.
Tactical Flow ActivatedCombo: Bind Glyph + Reverb Slash + Mana Anchor
[Warden Staggered]
He raised his sword high—
"Requiem Echo – Cleave Depths!"
The entire left half of the Warden shattered.
[Shell Warden Defeated]
Unique Drop Acquired: Arc Node Skill CoreEXP Boost: +25%
[Eron ➤ Lv. 9 ➤ 10][Slime ➤ Lv. 9 ➤ 10]
Slime Evolution Possible!
[Kill-Chain Kill Count: 214]
EXP Bonus Reached: +25%Evolution Option Now Available for EXP Passive
System Update
[Arc Node Skill Core – Claimed]Compatible with Slime Evolution: Yes1/3 Unique Skill Cores Acquired
[Slime Evolution Path "Primordial Slime" – Conditions Partially Met]➤ Next Requirement: Arcane Origin Trial (Pending)
[EXP Passive: Kill-Chain Mastery Evolution Available]
Option: Raise Max Bonus Cap to 300% OR Increase EXP per kill bonus to +2% per 50
Eron chose:
+2% EXP per 50 kills (faster scaling)
The sun had not yet risen, but Eron sat at the cave mouth beside his party. The Arcvault stored the glowing Skill Core. His slime slept on his shoulder, softly humming, now glowing faintly gold.
Neha leaned back beside him. "You really believe it'll evolve?"
"I don't believe," Eron whispered. "I know."
And he wasn't going to stop until the world did too.