Nightborne woke before dawn, his breath misting in the chill morning air as he stepped out of his cave. The two moons of the island now followed a proper cycle—one dipping below the horizon as the other hovered high, casting silvery shadows across the forest floor. He shouldered his pack, its weight a familiar comfort, and checked his gear:
Direwolf's Claws, cold and ready at his wrists
Blade of Forgiveness, razor‑sharp at his hip
ShadowSteel Daggers, twin stars of darkness
Darkness Wire, a strand of pure void
Flying Shadow Daggers, ever poised for return
Rations, water, and seven Tier 1 Energy Crystals
He'd earned six more last night, pushing his Dark Domain tally to nine out of a hundred. But he felt no rest in victory—only the hunger for more power. Today, he planned to test Dark Domain's new upgrade: the ability to bring three enemies into the void at once.
He slipped into Shadow Blend and moved through the ancient forest in silence. Moonlight filtered through moss‑dripping branches, painting silver flecks on jade ferns and midnight mushrooms. An owl called in the distance, its hoot vibrating like a drumbeat in the hush.
After an hour's travel, he reached a rocky clearing ringed with crumbling pillars. This place was well‑known as the battlefield of whispered legends—where shadow beasts once fell before the god Cesar's light. Now, it waited for him.
He crouched at the edge and drew a deep breath, tasting the forest's metallic air. With a single word, he activated his skill:
[Dark Domain — Level 1 Activated]
The world snapped to black. Even the glow of his daggers vanished. His senses sharpened: the faint scuff of paws, the rasp of wings, the distant rumble of footsteps.
Then came the first wave: six shadow‑wolves, snarling and circling. He could barely make out their glowing eyes as they prowled.
But tonight he could bring in three creatures at once—the upgrade had taken effect after his boss kill. He whispered:
[Dark Domain Upgrade: 3-target mode]
From beyond the boundary, three new foes were pulled into the void: two horned wraiths with shrieking voices and a skeletal knight bristling with jagged bone.
Now he faced ten enemies.
He steeled himself. No hesitation. He vanished in a blink:
[Shadow Step]
He reappeared behind a wolf, daggers whirling. Two precise slashes cut across its shoulders, severing spine and sinew. The beast collapsed into motes of shadow. He blinked back, now beside a wraith, claws flashing in a brutal arc that shredded its form.
Next, he teleported atop the knight's shoulder mid‑stride, plunging ShadowSteel Daggers into its eye sockets as it reeled. Bones shattered. The knight's form collapsed like a broken puppet.
Six down, four to go.
The remaining foes roared in the darkness—wolves lunged, wraiths screeched, the skeletal knight reassembled itself. He darted through the void, teleporting between foes like a phantom. Each strike precise, each combo lethal.
Twenty seconds later, silence returned.
He let the void collapse and reality rushed back. Moonlight returned; crumbling pillars stood silent witnesses. He knelt, pulling ten new Tier 1 Crystals from the mist.
[Progress: 19/100]
He tested teleportation: roof to floor to wall in heartbeats. His heart pounded with power. He flexed his Claws; Dark Domain's upgrade was real—and devastating.
But he wasn't done. He rose and marched toward the northern canyon where the rumor of the Shadow Colossus persisted—a massive beast of living void.
He climbed for hours, each step echoing in the silent wood. The sun stoked the horizon; dawn's glow painted the trees orange. Shadows retreated—except in his mind, where darkness still clung.
At midday, he reached the canyon's edge. Towering walls of basalt rose on either side. A deep chasm bisected the earth, water flowing at the bottom like quicksilver. The colossus had lair here, it was said, waiting to swallow intruders.
Nightborne checked his system:
[Magic Power: 930/1200] [MP Regen: +15/min] [Progress: 19/100]
He could spare a Domain if he moved fast.
He descended. Loose stones slid beneath his boots; narrow ledges demanded focus. Finally, he reached a rocky shelf where footprints the size of cartwheels imprinted mud.
He drew a deep breath, centering himself. Then:
[Dark Domain]
The world fell silent.
Within the void, he sensed him: the Shadow Colossus. A form greater than any wolf or wraith—a hulking mass of living darkness, steel horns dripping void. It stomped the ground, each step echoing like thunder.
He knew this encounter would define everything.
With no hesitation, Nightborne teleported.
He blinked behind one of its massive legs, summoning ShadowSteel Daggers in both hands. He drove them up, carving a gash through impossible shadow flesh. The colossus roared—a soundless quake that rattled his bones.
It swung back with a maw of claws. He vanished, reappearing on the other side, slicing across its waist. Black mist hissed from the wound.
This was no 1v1: he was alone against a titan. He needed speed.
He drew the Darkness Wire and whispered "Bind." The filament shot out, wrapping around the colossus's ankle. Eight feet tall or more, the creature bucked, shaking stone dust into the void. He clung to the ledge, heart racing.
He called [Shadow Step], reappearing on its shoulder blade. He slashed downward, feeling resistance before the blade cut through.
The void pulsed with energy—this was Dark Domain's true test.
He leapt off, summoning both daggers to fly in a boomerang arc, striking from multiple angles. The colossus tried to retaliate, but his fluid teleportation made him uncatchable.
After a frenetic minute, the colossus staggered, one knee buckling. He sprinted across its back, leaped to the ground, and drove the Blade of Forgiveness through its core. A single tear slid down his cheek—tribute demanded by the sword.
The creature collapsed, its immense form dissolving into a storm of shadows that rained down like ash.
Silence stretched.
He knelt and recovered fifteen crystals from fading mist.
[Progress: 34/100]
[/Hidden unlock: Dark Domain – Increased MP pool +10% when active/ Dark Domain – Now supports 3 enemies simultaneously][/Hidden]
The void dissolved. Dawn's first rays touched his battered form. He staggered to his feet, the world returning in full color. Pain radiated through his limbs, but triumph surged stronger.
He checked his MP: nearly full, thanks to the hidden buff. Dark Domain drained less now. He smiled.
His next steps: return to Greenwood Hollow, rest, then delve into Cesar's temple for more secrets.
He turned and climbed out of the canyon.
Ahead, the sun rose on an island that would one day be shrouded in endless night. But Nightborne—master of darkness—would be its light.