Ray's mind was a maelstrom of triumph and calculation. The annihilation of the troglodytes, the acquisition of Prime, the staggering influx of XP and points—it was a victory on a scale he'd only dreamed of in his gaming days. He stood over the mountain of dissolving troglodyte corpses, the final threads of their essence flowing into the ever-expanding void within him. The system chimes were a constant, glorious symphony in his mind.
System Notification: Quest Completed - Kill All Troglodytes.
Rewards: 4500 XP, 30 Attribute Points, 150 Skill Points, 1500 Gold Coins.
Congratulations! You are now Level 8!
Congratulations! You are now Level 9!
You have 8 Attribute Points to distribute.
You have 8 Skill Points to distribute.
System Notification: Feat of Strength Unlocked - Slay 50 Humanoids.
Reward: 5000 XP, 20 Attribute Points, 50 Skill Points.
Congratulations! You are now Level 10!
You have 10 Attribute Points to distribute.
You have 10 Skill Points to distribute.
The rush of power was more intense than anything he had ever felt. Three levels in as many minutes. Energy flooded his system, mending minor cuts and bruises and expanding his reserves of health and mana. He was Level 10. A milestone he had been striving for since his first, clumsy steps in this world.
"Athena, allocate all new Attribute Points evenly," he commanded silently, the process now second nature. He felt his physical and mental capabilities surge once more, a perfect, balanced foundation of power from which his transformations would stack.
Strength: 125
Constitution: 125
Dexterity: 125
Intelligence: 125
Wisdom: 125
Charisma: 125
Next, the Skill Points. He had gained a total of 168 from the level-ups and the quest (8 from Lvl 8, 10 from Lvl 9, 150 from the quest). His core principle was unwavering.
"Athena, level Assimilation. Use 160 points to take it to Level 6."
"Affirmative. Leveling Assimilation from Level 5 to Level 6." A profound expansion occurred within him, a feeling of his internal void deepening into an abyss. "Assimilation is now Level 6. Your maximum mass capacity is now 64,000 pounds, plus your innate 200-pound growth, for a total of 64,200 pounds."
Over thirty-two tons. The number was staggering. He could absorb a small building. He saved the remaining 8 Skill Points, his hoard for the next Assimilation leap. He was about to turn his attention to the stunned kobold, Zog, when the world dissolved into blinding white light.
Ray opened his eyes. He was no longer in the blood-stained cavern. He stood on a featureless plain under a sky of shimmering, opalescent light. Before him, radiating power that made the air hum, were five figures.
"Hello! Who are you people? Where am I?" Ray asked, his voice echoing strangely in the vast emptiness.
A figure clad in dark, regal robes stepped forward, his gaze ancient and heavy. "People? We are not people, we are gods, Ray Silver. You are in a celestial dimension. We are ancient gods of your old world, Earth. You have likely heard of us in your mythology."
A cold shock ran down Ray's spine. "You mean... like Greek gods?"
"I am Hades," the figure intoned, "God of the Dead and King of the Underworld."
A woman with hair like spun moonlight and eyes that held swirling constellations spoke next. "I am Hecate, Goddess of Magic, Crossroads, and the Moon."
A broad-shouldered being, his hands looking as if they had forever hammered on divine anvils, grunted. "Hephaestus. God of the Forge, Fire, and Craftsmanship."
A figure clad in bronze armor, his very presence an aura of violence and conflict, grinned a predator's grin. "Ares. God of War. I like your style, mortal. Brutal and efficient."
Finally, a woman in elegant armor, her gaze sharp and intelligent, offered a small, knowing smile. "And I am Athena, Goddess of Wisdom and Strategic Warfare. We have brought you here for a purpose, Ray."
Ray's mind, enhanced to a superhuman degree, was racing, connecting dots. "A purpose? What purpose? To be your pawn?"
Hades's voice was like grinding stone. "The purpose is simple. We, the gods of your old world, wish to be established as gods on this planet, Azeroc. Our worship has faded on Earth. We will not fade into oblivion."
"We are not asking you to preach on street corners," Hecate added, her voice a melodic whisper. "You need only place our shrines in key locations across this world. That is all. We will not interfere with your... conquests."
Ray crossed his arms, the gesture feeling oddly defiant in the face of deities. "Just place your shrines around the world? Okay, fine. What's in it for me?"
"It is simple," Hades said. "We five gods—"
"Not just us five!" Ares interrupted, his voice booming. "All the ancient gods of Earth have pooled their essence! We have given you a gift, a seed containing our combined wisdom and knowledge for you to assimilate. Even Zeus, the King of the Gods himself, has prepared his boon for you!"
"Zeus?!" Ray breathed, the name carrying a weight he understood even across worlds.
"Yes," Athena confirmed, her tone calm and logical. "Our combined knowledge will be yours to unlock as you grow stronger in this world. It may unlock after one level, or ten. But trust me, Ray, once you begin to unravel the gifts we have placed within you, you will be pleased with the results. Your... Athena, on Azeroc, will guide you." The goddess's smile widened slightly. "You named your system after me. A fitting tribute."
The pieces clicked into place. His unique nature, his impossible abilities—it wasn't just random luck. He was a chosen instrument. The scale of it was terrifying and exhilarating. "Okay," he said, his voice firm. "So, you send me back now? I have a base to build and a... well, a world to eventually shape, it seems."
"Yes," Athena said. "Go. Grow strong. We will be watching."
The opalescent light flared, consuming his vision. He felt a sensation of immense falling, and then... nothing.
Ray's eyes snapped open. He was back on his knees in the troglodyte cavern, the metallic scent of blood filling his nostrils.The kobold scout, was staring at him, a look of concern on his reptilian face.
A final, monumental chime echoed in his mind, distinct from the earlier ones.
System Quest: Getting Stronger - COMPLETE. Reach Level 10.
Rewards: 5000 XP, 50 Attribute Points, 200 Skill Points, 1000 Gold Coins.
Congratulations, Ray! You have reached Level 10! The following abilities, skills, and spells have been unlocked:
A torrent of information, vast and complex, flooded his consciousness. It was the divine seed, beginning to germinate.
Abilities Unlocked:
· Void Realm: Your void space is transformed into a livable realm. All assimilated matter contributes to this world. One week inside equals one day in the real world.
· Enter the Void Realm: You and 10+1 individuals per your level may enter.
· Life Seed: The assimilated life force of a creature is stored here.
· Knowledge Seed: Knowledge from the gods and your experiences is stored here.
· Fortify Seed: Fortify a subordinate's attributes by 25% of your own.
· Seed Garden: A metaphysical garden where all your seeds are stored and can be combined.
· Create Life: Use a Life Seed to create a loyal life form, fortified with 50% of your attributes, retaining its previous knowledge. (Uses: 10/year)
· Knowledge Transfer: Impart skills and knowledge to your subordinates.
· Telepathy: Communicate mentally with your subordinates.
Skills Unlocked:
· Slayer Attack: 1000% weapon damage + Attack Power. 90% chance to decapitate or sever a limb.
· Shockwave: Strike the ground, creating a 10x20 ft. area that ripples, knocking enemies back with an 80% chance to stun.
· Flying Swords: Manifest 10 spectral swords that orbit you, each dealing 100% weapon damage + Attack Power, controllable within 100 yards.
· Blade Barrier: Create a 10-yard radius sphere of spinning blades that shreds anything passing through.
Spells Unlocked:
· Teleportation: Transport yourself to any known location.
· Teleportation Gate: Transport 100 + (100 x Caster Level) individuals to a known location.
The sheer scope of it was overwhelming. He was no longer just a creature that absorbed and mimicked; he was becoming a world-builder, a creator of life, a general with telepathic command. He was so lost in the cascade of new power that he barely registered the world around him.
"Sorry, guys," he mumbled, shaking his head to clear the divine static. "I was... lost in thought."
The three unnamed kobolds simply nodded, their kobold features blank but their body language tense. Ray turned to where Zog stood, the red-scaled kobold watching the entrance tunnel with a wary posture.
It was then that the sounds reached them: the distinct, rapid scuffing of many kobold feet, and the guttural, commanding voice of their chief.
From the tunnel, a war party emerged. Nearly twenty kobold warriors, armed with spears and clubs, filed into the cavern, their eyes wide with a mixture of fear and aggression at the scene of carnage. At their head was Chief Gugu, his dark scales seeming to drink the light, his expression a thundercloud of wounded pride and fury.
His eyes immediately locked onto Zog. "Scout!" he barked, his voice dripping with venom. "You return without my permission? You led my warriors away from their posts? Explain this treachery!"
Zog stood his ground, though Ray could see the tension in his shoulders. "Chief Gugu. The threat is gone. The troglodytes have been wiped out. I reported the truth, as was my duty. An attack would have been a slaughter."
"The truth?!" Gugu shrieked, stepping closer, his own warriors fanning out behind him. "You question my judgment? You spread cowardice among my people! You think this... this display," he gestured wildly at the few remaining troglodyte bodies, "absolves your insubordination?"
"The only thing that matters is that the tribe is safe!" Zog retorted, his own voice rising with conviction. "Your pride was going to get us all killed! That is not strength; it is the folly of a leader who cares more for his ego than his people's lives!"
The silence that followed was absolute and deadly. Ray saw the murderous intent flash in Gugu's eyes a second before the chief moved. With a roar of pure rage, Gugu lunged forward, a crude but sharp stone dagger appearing in his hand. The move was shockingly fast, born of a lifetime of brutal survival.
Zog, the pragmatist, the scout, was not prepared for his chief's sudden, personal violence. He tried to sidestep, but he was a fraction of a second too slow. The stone dagger plunged deep into his chest, grating against bone.
Zog's eyes widened in shock and pain. He gasped, a wet, choking sound, and collapsed to his knees, then onto his side. His body twitched once before falling still, a pool of dark blood spreading beneath him.
Time seemed to slow for Ray. He saw the look of shock on the faces of the three unnamed kobolds. He saw the triumphant, savage gleam in Gugu's eyes as he yanked his dagger free. This kobold, Zog, had been competent, level-headed, a potential asset. More than that, in the brief time they had interacted, he had shown a spark of something Ray respected. And this arrogant, short-sighted chief had just snuffed it out for the crime of speaking the truth.
A cold, focused fury, colder than the void between stars, ignited within Ray Silver. It was the rage of a man who had lost one family and seen another potential ally murdered before his eyes. It was the wrath of a god-touched being whose plans had just been personally insulted.
He didn't transform. He didn't need to. His Level 10 body, with 125 Strength and Dexterity, was a weapon unto itself.
"Your leadership is terminated," Ray said, his voice low but cutting through the silence like a razor.
Gugu turned, his sneer faltering as he saw the humanoid form staring at him with an expression of utter, implacable finality. "You! You are the cause of this! Die with your traitorous friend!"
The chief raised his bloody dagger and charged.
Ray didn't move. He simply raised his right hand, palm outward. He focused on the new, devastating knowledge the gods had gifted him. He didn't need a weapon; his will was the weapon. The air around his hand shimmered and distorted.
"Flying Swords."
Ten ethereal, shimmering blades of pure force materialized in the air around him. They hummed with a sound like a swarm of angry hornets. With a thought, Ray directed them.
The ten swords became a blur of motion. They didn't just fly; they streaked. They converged on Chief Gugu in an instant.
The chief had time for one last, confused look. The spectral blades did not simply stab him; they eviscerated him. They slashed, cut, and pierced from every conceivable angle in a single, synchronized moment. It was not an attack; it was an execution.
When the swords winked out of existence, what was left of Chief Gugu was a barely recognizable heap of scaly meat and shattered bone, collapsing into a grisly puddle on the cavern floor. The entire event, from the summoning to the dissolution, took less than three seconds.
A system notification chimed, almost an afterthought.
+100 XP.
The kobold war band stood frozen, their weapons half-lowered, their faces masks of terror and disbelief. Their mighty chief, the strongest among them, had been annihilated in the blink of an eye by this hairless, calm-faced being.
Ray let the silence hang for a long moment, his gaze sweeping over the terrified kobolds. He then walked slowly to Zog's body. He knelt, placing a hand on the fallen scout's shoulder.
"You were right, Zog," he said softly, his voice carrying in the dead quiet. "And he was a fool."
He looked up at the kobolds, his eyes now holding the weight of the power he commanded, both mortal and divine.
"The old tribe is gone. A new power rules these caverns. I am Thorzen. Serve me, and you will know safety, strength, and a purpose greater than squabbling in the dark. Oppose me," he glanced at the remains of Gugu, "and you oppose the inevitable."
He stood, a king claiming his throne amid the ashes of his enemies and the corpse of a fallen ally. The path was clear. He had a base to fortify, a Void Realm to explore, subordinates to empower, and now, a pantheon of gods to install across a world that had no idea what was coming for it.
He looked down at Zog's body again. Thorzen placed his right hand on Zogs head.
"First," Ray "Thorzen" Silver whispered, "we rebuild. Assimilate."