Ha Long Bay,
In the past, Ha Long, a masterpiece of creation, appeared like a vibrant ink wash painting. Thousands of majestic limestone islands, of all shapes and sizes, undulated on the deep emerald water, forming a breathtakingly epic and poetic landscape. At dawn, the first golden rays of sunlight shimmered on the water's surface, making the scenery appear as a sparkling and magical wonderland. Yachts and sailboats with crimson sails drifted gently by, their reflections mirrored in the clear water, creating a poetic highlight within the majestic expanse.
At dusk, the sunset fell, painting the whole sky red, transforming Ha Long into a magnificent oil painting that captivated people with every breath...
Now, the salty sea smells of thick, metallic blood, the stone islands are covered in a gray film of moss, and rotted yachts lie tilted on the seabed. Unknown creatures hover like phantoms in the air. Their horrifying screams disturb the entire area, tearing the silence of a dead heritage…
The group found a cave by the bay to rest after many days of continuous travel from Cao Bằng to Ha Long. They were exhausted but remained vigilant.
When the moonlight was just a faint streak behind a thick layer of dust, a dry, cracking sound rang out. The ground beneath their feet split open, and a low, menacing growl rose from deep underground, making the entire cave tremble. The surrounding Unknowns screamed and scattered, creating a chaotic scene.
From within the fissure, a colossal monster slowly emerged. It was nearly four meters tall, its body seemingly formed from boiling volcanic rock; every step it took caused the stone beneath its feet to melt into hot lava. Its eyes were a fiery red like live coals, giving off a chilling light in the darkness. On its chest, a dark red Core glowed like a miniature sun, radiating scorching heat.
Ting!
[Warning: Unknown Level 10 – Fusion Abomination – Skill: Pressure Overload – Almost completely resistant to low-level physical attacks.]
The Fusion Unknown, with its body of lava and fiery eyes, growled and advanced. Nam didn't hesitate, activating Fortress Wall. His giant shield glowed, standing firm like an unyielding barrier.
"Keep your distance! I'll hold it off and get its attention. Nghĩa, try to find a weak point and attack! Hoa, find a place to hide!"
As soon as Nam finished speaking, the monster struck. The horizontal sweep of its colossal arm was terrifyingly powerful. Even though Nam managed to raise his shield in time, the level gap was too great. He was sent flying, crashing hard into the cave wall. Nam lay there, gasping in pain.
Meanwhile, Nghĩa charged from the right. He put all his strength into it, driving his dagger into the creature's glowing Core.
"CLANG!"
A dry, deafening metallic sound rang out. The blade bounced back as if it had struck a thick layer of steel. Immediately, the outer scales of the Golem tightened and then burst open, launching Nghĩa far away. His back hit a jagged stalactite, and fresh blood spurted from his lips.
"It... has almost no weakness…" Nghĩa said with difficulty, his voice filled with despair.
After the counterattack, the Unknown took heavy, deliberate steps toward Nam, who lay motionless. It slowly raised its enormous arm, preparing to deliver a fatal blow. In that moment, the glowing Core on its chest was fully exposed, flaring up like a miniature sun, signaling that a brutal finishing move was about to fall.
Ái Hoa, who was still standing at the back of the cave, witnessed it all. Without a second of hesitation, she stepped out of her hiding place. Her eyes suddenly lit up with an ethereal purple glow, as if a surge of energy were coursing through them.
An intense stream of dark purple energy suddenly radiated out, enveloping the entire battle area like a thick mist. The mist then swirled wildly, rushing down to form a vortex, surrounding Ái Hoa and shooting up into the air with wind-tearing speed.
Ting!
[Player Ái Hoa has awakened!]
Right after the notification, an extremely powerful surge of energy burst from Ái Hoa's forehead, enveloping the entire Fusion Unknown.
— SHE SCREAMED —
"Stop!!!"
The giant monster froze immediately. Its entire body stood motionless as if pulled from reality, all movement halted. On its forehead, a mysterious, glowing purple mark suddenly appeared.
Nghĩa seized the opportunity!
Just a few seconds. But that was enough.
He roared, wiping the blood from his face, his eyes fixed on the exposed Core on the Golem's chest:
"I see its Core!"
Without hesitation, Nghĩa put all of his remaining stat points into Attack, activated Accelerated Reflexes, and charged like a ghost, faster than the wind.
"WHOOSH!"
"BOOM!!!"
A monstrous punch, a direct hit to the creature's core. The deafening sound of the impact tore through the air. Rocks shattered, and thick smoke mixed with hot steam billowed up, obscuring everything.
When the smoke began to clear, the creature's entire body was fractured into large pieces, no longer whole. It collapsed onto the damp ground like a cooled slab of lava, completely lifeless.
Ting!
[Elite Unknown Has Been Eliminated]
[Loot from Elite Unknown]
'Mountain Guardian' Shield B+:
* +60 Defense
* 15 Elemental Resistance
* 10% Damage Reduction
* Active Skill: Defensive Pillar – Creates a large-area protective shield for 5 seconds.
'Resonance Pillar' Staff B+:
* +60 Mana
* 30 Spirit
* 10% Increased Healing Rate
* 20% Increased Healing Skill Effectiveness
Group Items:
* x2 High-Grade Healing Potions
* x2 Medium-Grade Mana Potions
* x5 Stamina-Boosting Buns
* x1 Skill Upgrade Stone
* x1 Clue for a hidden dungeon >"Southwest, there is a mysterious Temple, hidden among the caves and limestone mountains…"
A notification appeared before Nghĩa.
Ting!
[You have reached Level 10 – System calculating…]
Cold, incomprehensible lines of text appeared before him:
[System confirms survival progress – Activating Special Privilege.]
[Identity unlocked – Player number 999,999]
[999,998 Worlds have been destroyed]
[You are the sole identified player in this world.]
[Your mission: survive, evolve, and confront what is coming from beyond the Rift.]
[You have the ability to break the level cap. However, it is not free.]
[Each time you break a limit – you will have to pay an irreversible price...]