The old man, who had just disappeared, reappeared in a dimly lit chamber, merging seamlessly with a tall figure already present in thete.
The man, strikingly handsome with an air of nobility, carried a presence unlike anyone native to this world. His aura was regal, commanding, as though he were born to rule, but it was tinged with something far darker.
Before him were several mirrors, each displaying scenes from the ongoing trials. He watched the participants struggle—some meeting their demise, others barely scraping through the first levels, only to be plunged into greater danger.
There was no pity in his gaze, only a cruel glint as he observed their fates. His lips curled into a faint sneer, and his eyes lingered on two specific mirrors.
One showed Aengus, the other Aria. They stood out from the rest, their vibrant energy drawing his attention.
“Heh, heh… two bright souls, unlike anything I’ve ever sensed,” he mused, a sinister gleam in his eyes. “These two should provide enough energy to create the Soul pill for my recovery. Then, I can finally escape this wretched cage.”
He spat the last word, his face contorting with disgust as he glanced around the dim room.
“I don’t understand how these people can live in such a trashy world.” His voice dripped with contempt.
The man sneered, his gaze narrowing as he clenched his fist, causing the very space around him to tremble from his power.
“If only this damned will of this world (System) wasn’t interfering,” he muttered darkly. “I wouldn’t have to sit and wait for this charade to play out.
But heh, I can still bend the rules of this lower world to my will. How could these lesser beings ever hope to match my power or intellect?” He chuckled, the sound cold and devoid of any warmth, his eyes gleaming with cruel satisfaction.
“Once you’re all dead, the fun begins. I’ll return to the Primal Realm, and those who betrayed me will know the true wrath of this emperor. They thought they could kill me, but I will rise again.”
His voice suddenly softened as he spoke the last part, as though addressing someone far away. “My love, just wait for me. This emperor will not be brought down by some measly betrayal.”
With a surge of power, he clenched his fist harder, the room shaking under the weight of his rage. The very fabric of space around him distorted, as if it, too, feared his strength. His ambitions were clear: revenge, power, and the return to his rightful place at the top, no matter how many lives it would cost.
“Huh, what is this kid doing?”
His gaze suddenly fixed on Aengus, who had just defeated the two Nyx and approached their dead bodies, placing his hand on the soul-like form.
He didn’t know what the kid had done, but the smile on Aengus’ face felt ominous to him.
Still, he couldn’t interfere unless he wanted to risk punishment for using his powers against the system.
Curious, he turned his attention fully to Aengus.
“Be happy while you can, kid. Let’s see how far you can go against my minions,” he laughed coldly.
—
[You have acquired a new Active Skill: Space Slash (D); With this skill, your sword can cut through space, causing a spatial tear that pulls enemies into the chaotic Spatial Storm. It is lethal to the user as well.]
[You have acquired a new Active Skill: Space Claws (D); Your claw attack can now instantly reach enemies from a 10-meter distance.]
[You have acquired a new Active Skill: Space Warp (D); Allows short-distance space teleportation (5 meters).]
—
Aengus absorbed the skills while using Darkness Shroud to conceal them as much as possible.
It had been a little difficult to deal with the Nyx because of their Space Warp ability, but after observing their patterns and relying on his heightened awareness, Aengus handled them effortlessly.
Regardless, it could have been much more difficult if they had been higher-level Nyx.
He decided to synthesize his passive skills for extra assurance and to prepare for confronting the real enemy.
His soul was now fixed, so he easily commanded the system in his mind to synthesize the appropriate skills.
[ Melee Combat (C) + Quick Reflexes (C) + Critical Strike (C) + Predator’s Instinct (E)
+Extreme Onigiri Combat Body (C) + Enhanced Stamina (C) ]
Step by step he merged all the the passive skills, and the final result was satisfying.
[ Supreme Hunter (A) ]
[ Description: The Supreme Hunter is an higher level predator, combining agility, strength, and instinct to dominate the battlefield. With enhanced melee combat skills, six enhanced senses, and lightning-fast reflexes, they strike with deadly precision (↑300%).
Their Extreme Onigiri Combat Body allows for brutal close-quarters fighting, while heightened stamina enables relentless pursuit of prey. ]
[ Poison Resistance (C) + Blazing Purge (D) + Health Regeneration (D)= Phoenix Resurgence (B) ]
[ Phoenix Resurgence (B)]
Description: Phoenix Resurgence channels the mythical power of rebirth, allowing the user to recover health instantly while igniting their surroundings in purifying flames. When the user is critically injured, this skill activates automatically, granting a substantial health boost while simultaneously creating a fiery barrier that burns enemies and neutralizes poison passively. ]
With the synthesis done in his mind he now had only three passive skill: Supreme Hunter (A), Phoenix Resurgence (B), Water Breathing (C)
Aengus felt his senses heighten to an unnatural degree, and his body became more controlled, almost as if he were attuned to every movement and sound around him. He could hear faint echoes of people’s screams, even through the very fabric of space nearby.
His All-Seeing Eyes, however, couldn’t pierce through to the other side, but his new passive skill had sharpened his five senses to an extraordinary level, enriching his combat experience.
With his sixth sense, he could now sense danger and detect killing intent from miles away.
With Phoenix Resurgence, he was able recover health quickly, like how a Phoenix and Vampires heal themselves.
Turning his gaze to where the dead bodies once lay, he saw two D-grade soul cores—the “reward” for clearing the first level. It felt almost like progressing through dungeon floors, reminding him old memories.
Without hesitation, Aengus used soul devour to absorb the cores, feeling his soul heal slightly, though only a minuscule portion.
Moments later, with his enhanced hearing, he detected the sound of space tearing again. More Nyx creatures emerged, their presence immediately felt by Aengus. But This time, there were five of them.
