Soul of Blades - Chapter 17: The End of a Dungeon (Patreon)

Alex walked towards the pulsing portal, uncertainty etched on his face as he contemplated his next move. His hand tensed slightly as he extended it, cautiously placing it through the magical barrier. The moment his hand breached the portal's threshold, he felt a surge of powerful magic enveloping him, an alien sensation that tingled through his fingertips and spread throughout his body. He was submerged in a cocoon of energy.

Amidst the swirling currents of magic, a notification had materialised before his eyes, its words glowing in golden letters:

[Floor completed, proceed to next floor & claim unique skill and rewards?]

"Yes," he breathed out, almost lost in the overwhelming rush of energy that consumed his senses.

Gradually, the sensation subsided, leaving him gasping for breath. As the storm of magic dissipated, Alex found himself standing in a vast expanse, the ground beneath him and the distant surroundings bathed in unrelenting white. The emptiness stretched endlessly, an unknown realm devoid of any discernible landmarks.

[Quest ‘Incursion event -Daemon Sentinel’ Completed]

[Rewards: Granted.]

[Gained Feat: "Survivor" need for sustenance of all kinds reduced by 50%]

[Gained Feat: "Warrior" all stats +5% when in battle against higher level opponents.]

[Gained Feat: "Champion" all stats + 5% when outnumbered in combat]

[Initiating Skill creation protocol…]

[System Alert: Skill creation has been influenced by your class]

[…]

[Congratulations on receiving the first unique skill on the planet. ‘Inner Focus’ - Rank B gained!]

[ Pioneer All stats +5 > Pioneer I - All stats +7]

Alex felt the rush of instant stat gain, reduced to a slight tingle, before a deep voice shattered the tranquility. The flashing feat vanished with a swift wave of his hand. It seemed he had company. There was no room for distractions, then.

"An interloper? So soon? Strange..." The voice, deep and tinged with authority, interrupted his thoughts.

Alex pivoted on his heel, his eyes scanning the expanse behind him. There, he saw a figure emerge from the stark whiteness—a large and aged wolfman, distinguished by his gray streaks and weathered countenance. Clutching a long cane and draped in a patchwork attempt at an Asian traditional robe, the wolfman exuded an air of ancient wisdom and power. Despite his advanced age, he stood tall, towering over Alex with an imposing presence.

To Alex's surprise, five more wolfmen, similarly robed, were seated in a wide circle some distance away, engaged in a mysterious ritual. Between them, the flickering traces of a portal danced in the air, the beginnings of a gateway to another realm, a stark contrast to the monochrome world.

The old wolfman followed Alex’s gaze to look towards his companions, before he stepped to the right, blocking Alex’s view of his allies in an instant. The small movement had been too fast for Alex to track, causing a slight shockwave and a puff of white dust-filled air.

The old Wolf had instantly shifted position with a single step, blurring before Alex’s system enhanced vision. It was almost as if the wolf had moved so fast it had disappeared entirely.

“Focus, interloper.” The wolf growled, its voice booming with rugged irritation. “I'm talking.”

Alex paused in shock, and without hesitation, He opened his stat sheet and dumped all fifty three of his unassigned stats into strength, dexterity, and intelligence. Sixteen into strength, sixteen into dexterity, and thirty-one into intelligence.

[Name: Alex Ironwood

Level: 27

Race: Human - Rank F

Primary Class: ̷̷͎̠̠̖̳̮̿́̏̄͝͠Sys̵̞̈́͆̓̓te̸̪̟͇͕͂mic SwO̷̟̮̙͚̔rd So̶̼̲͋͐͋͂ͅve̶̷̵̴̲̳̱reign

Sub-class: Locked

Strength: 119 (77)

Dexterity: 166 (107)

Endurance: 65 (42)

Intelligence: 180 (116)

Wisdom: 43 (28)

Feats: First Encounter, Pioneer, Pinnacle IV, Survivor, Warrior, Champion

Active skills: Phoenix Leap, Mana Blade, Boundless Dodge, Duȅ̷̳̮̄͝͠l of C̷͎̠̠̖̿́orruption,

Passive skills: Inner Focus, A̷̶̵̴̲̳̱l̸̢͉̗̣̑͐͛à̸̶̵̴̶̷̶̺̥̮̯͇̲̳̱̼̲͒̈́̈͛͋͐͋͂ͅͅ ̷̷̶̴̵̶̷̸̴̶̷̵̢̳̮̲̳̱͉̗̣̲̳̱̏̄̑͐͛͝͠Ω̴̵̶̷̲̳̱ ̶̶̯͇̼̲̈́̈͛͋͐͋͂ͅ ̷̷̶̴̵̶̷̴̶̷̵̳̮̲̳̱̲̳̱̏̄͝͠g̵̶̷̴̲̳̱e̸̪̟͇͕͂e̶̷̵̴̲̳̱E̵̴̶̷̶̵̴̶̷̷̸̸̢̲̳̱̼̲̲̳̱̟̮̙͚͉̗̣̺̥̮͋͐͋͂̔̑͐͛̀͒ͅͅ ̶̷̶̴̵̶̷̯͇̲̳̱̈́̈͛ ̷̸̴̶̷̵̳̮̪̟͇͕̲̳̱̏̄͂͝͠M̷̶̵̴̲̳̱m̸̵̴̶̷̸̷̸̴̶̷̵̢͉̗̣̲̳̱̪̟͇͕̟̮̙͚̺̥̮̲̳̱̑͐͛͂̔̀͒ͅ ̶̯͇̈́̈͛ ̷̸̶̢̳̮͉̗̣̼̲̏̄̑͐͛͋͐͋͂͝͠ͅO̷̟̮̙͚̔o̶̼̲͋͐͋͂ͅᾯ̴̵̶̷̵̴̶̷̷̸̸̸̢̲̳̱̲̳̱̟̮̙͚̪̟͇͕͉̗̣̺̥̮̑͐͛̀͒ ̶̯͇̈́̈͛ ̷̶͎̠̠̖̼̲̿́͋͐͋͂ͅ ̷̳̮̏̄͝͠ ̷̶̴̵̶̷̵̴̶̷̴̶̷̵̲̳̱̲̳̱̲̳̱ ,

Dao: True Immortality - 0.03% Progress

Unassigned stat points: 0]

Viewing his stats, Alex was dumbfounded, he was receiving a 55% bonus. That meant two things; this wolf was stronger than him, and the system was including his summoners as a part of the force Alex was battling, despite them apparently not being directly involved in the fight and busy with the portal. That was a cause for concern. Still, his key stats had all entered the hundreds, almost double his levels worth. That put him on equal terms with someone around level 65, assuming they had a common class and skills. Maybe in the level 50’s if the rarity of their class was higher.

He hoped it would be enough.

He needed strength and speed, but he would need the reaction time even more, to fight and even see this old monsters' movements. With higher dexterity his body could move faster, but without intelligence, his mind would not be able to keep up with the speed of things around him. If this system was similar to the ones he played on earth, then intelligence should involve mana in some way... he’d long suspected it dictated his mana pool. He was pretty sure it was between intelligence and wisdom, but his money was on intelligence. It would explain why it usually took so long for him to run out of mana. After all; intelligence had been and now was once again his highest stat.

He exhaled, centering himself as the warm sensation of evolution engulfed him.

The old wolfman regarded Alex with a haughty gaze, his eyes glinting with knowledge and superiority. "Ah, a human," he sneered, a faint hint of a snarl curling his lip. "Somehow arriving before our dungeon has even begun to be built, and before the tutorial has ended. Alone.” The wolfman eyed him curiously. “There are eight more stages to be built in our dungeon, and many more bosses to arrive, a legion, even. I am merely a Commander, and the General, Swifthelle the unyielding, is not here- but I doubt you would even survive her blades swing.” The Wolfman mimicked a swinging motion with both arms and smiled, his sharp teeth almost blinding as they reflected the light of the empty expanse. “This stage, this small realm- it’s incomplete. And yet here you are.” The Wolfman gave a hearty laugh that sounded like a mix between the howls of a fat man and the huffs of a canine. He continued. “Tell me, stranger, are you really strong or just really lucky?"

Alex, considered the question, and held back a chuckle at all of the insanity he had faced in the last week. “A bit of both, really” he said, with a smirk.

The cavern rumbled with the growl of the ancient wolf, eyes alight with age-old wisdom. His demeanor shifted at Alex’s response. "You younglings, think yourselves special. That you stand a chance against the inevitable. The Canids are ordained by the heavens themselves to rule over this plane when the Imperials arrive." His voice was like the crackling of burning timber, ominous yet enchanting.

Alex, struggling to calm his pounding heart at the words and hidden meanings, stared at the towering figure.

Finally, he had met something that could speak in a language he understood. It had been too long since he had communicated with something other than the inhuman system, perhaps he could finally get some answers. "Why?" He asked, eyes narrowed. "Why invade?”

The old wolf's gaze fell on the portal nearby. "That," he pointed with his staff, "is not a decoration. It's a gateway to our world. When the Imperials arrive, we, the Canids, will ascend, becoming the rightful caretakers and regents of this plane. We will rule this realm in all but name, answering only to them. If you surrender now, you will keep your life and remain in this dungeon as a part of our force. That would be best, hatchling."

Alex gripped the hilt of his sword, feeling the rough grain against his palm. So this is what was happening on Earth, and in this strange world he had yet to truly see. He hoped his family was doing well. Everyone on Earth, and Pyra too, for that matter, had time on their side. They had their tutorials, and whatever benefits the experience would bring. His family, his friends, they would definitely be ok, he hoped. In the week he’d spent studying the wolfmen camp, he had seen their brutality and ruthlessness first hand. The daily battles, and what looked like ‘honour duels’ or simple tests of strength often ended in death matches among the clan. How would they treat those below them, or their enemies, if they killed their allies for simply being too weak? A Spartan culture like that would be a nightmare to live under, millions would die.

That was unacceptable.

“And why should we surrender without a fight?" He asked, his voice low and steady, ready.

"A fight, you say?" The old wolf chuckled, a harsh, grating sound. His fangs glistened ominously. "Why, what you faced was but a scouting party. Our main force approaches in waves, and believe me, boy, it's more than you can handle. How long do you think we have had our system? Weeks? Months? years?"

The old wolf leaned forward on his cane, his sharp features contorting into an inhuman grin, "Or centuries?."

Canines as long as Alex's fingers reflected the white of the expanse around them as the wolfman continued, "Our leaders, our Alphas, and our Supremes. Each of them could raze this planet. The system attempts to limit us, to protect you from our strength, reduce our levels, stats, and classes to give you a chance. But it has always been futile. A fresh planet cannot hope to compare. I commend you on your survival, human. But your journey has reached its end. Surrender or perish, it makes no difference. Our pack is endless." At this, the graying wolf displayed a smug, satisfied grin.

His words hung in the air between them like the scent of blood, heavy with an unspoken threat. Alex steadied himself despite its implications. He couldn't afford to let the wolf get under his skin.

"And yet," Alex said, voice steady, "there's only one of you guarding the portal."

A wry smile curled upon the old wolf's lips, as if he had read Alex's thoughts. "I alone am more than suitable," he declared, his voice dripping with confidence. And with those words, he raised his staff, pointing it directly at Alex. "Let us begin."

As they settled into stances, with tense movements, a sudden flurry of system notifications flashed before Alex's eyes:

[Active Quests: Limitless Prospect: Reach level 200. Reward: Unlock sub-class.]

[Floor Quest: Complete quest to close Incursion Dungeon and return to Pyra.

1: Inducted Insurgent: Servant species 'Apex Canids' are attempting to summon their main force into the dungeon and break free to invade and subvert planet designation 'Pyra' - Defeat the Commander - designation 'Warbane Greydath' and stop the summoning.

Reward: E rank 'Outer Focus' skill, E rank ‘Inventory’ skill, Release from dungeon, E-grade equipment, 'Dungeon Insurgent' Feat - Increased regeneration & resilience when invading planes or facing invaders]

"Huh," Alex muttered, a mix of surprise and amusement colouring his voice. "So I really only have to beat one guy?" A hint of a smirk tugged at his lips. "I wasn't expecting it to be this easy."

The wolf commander cocked his head, a mix of curiosity and amusement hinted in his eyes. "… Humans." the commander sneered, before acting.

In a flash of motion, the wolf launched himself at Alex with explosive speed, almost appearing to have disappeared for a second to Alex's senses, his movements a blur of fur and fangs.

A streak of grey and white instantly descended on Alex, faster than his eyes could follow. Alex barely even saw him move before a blade was at his neck, less than a second away from removing his head from his body.