Shadow Blood and Fire

As Eli looked around the room there were still several books he hadn't even touched yet, the place really was a gold mine for him.

As he went onto the next set of shelves, with it came a new set of books. He placed his hand on the first one and it was the first Level 3 ability book he had come across.

[ Level 3 Earth Ability Book ]

[ Conversion to 1000 EXP available. Proceed with conversion? ]

Setting the book aside, Eli lifted it once more, confirming the system's offer. Indeed, the Level 3 tome promised a generous 1000 experience points.

Without a moment's delay, he chose to assimilate the book.

[ 1000/15000 EXP ]

Next, he grasped the adjacent skill book, which, as he suspected, yielded 500 EXP—half the bounty of an ability book.

Eli then embarked on a frenzied spree, seizing every book within reach. He absorbed what he could and discarded the rest. While the books might fetch a handsome sum, their burden was not worth the hassle. His thorough search allowed him to ascend another level.

[You have leveled up]

Though no new skills emerged, Eli gained the customary stat points with each level. With 10 stat points at his disposal, he allocated them evenly between strength and agility.

[ Strength: 36(+5) Bronze Gauntlet ]

[ Stamina: 10(+5) Samaritan Coat ]

[ Agility: 21(+2) Lilith Ring ]

[ Precision: 10 ]

[ Level 4 ]

[ 6500/24000 EXP ]

[500HP=750HP]

[55/750HP]

[Stats points: 10]

As the required EXP soared, Eli pondered the limits of his progression. Could there be a ceiling, or would the required points escalate to unattainable heights?

Nearly every book in the storage had felt his touch, yet the highest ability book unearthed was Level 3. The deeper he delved, the higher the levels he expected, but the last shelves offered only duplicates of previous finds. When he lifted another Level 3 Earth ability book, no system alert sounded—it was one he had already assimilated.

Deciding to remain within the safety of the container, Eli shut the door. Fatigue washed over him, but he took solace in the container's sturdy protection from the lurking beasts outside.

He lay down, and in the blink of an eye, his world faded to black.

**********

Eli's body lay pressed against the frigid, unyielding floor, his eyelids fluttering open to reveal a blinding white light. For a fleeting moment during his slumber, he had managed to forget the harrowing events that had transpired.

Yet, as his gaze swept across his surroundings, the stark reality set in—this was no dream. He was not within the familiar confines of his planet architecture; instead, he found himself stranded on a distant planet, light-years from home.

Rising to his feet, Eli stretched his limbs, unable to determine the duration of his unconscious state. Surprisingly, his rest had been deep and restorative, even on the hard floor—a testament to his unforeseen exhaustion.

Approaching the steel door, Eli half-expected daylight to greet him, the new message signaling the dawn of a fresh day. However, doubt clouded his mind; the system clock's relevance on Metropoll remained uncertain.

The daily quest reset at the stroke of midnight, yet on a foreign planet, the concept of midnight held no meaning.

Upon opening the door, night's embrace still enveloped the world outside, but his attention was swiftly commandeered by an unexpected sight.

Eli's heart thundered in his chest as he slammed the door shut once more.

"That was no Rothsoth," Quinn mused, his pulse racing.

Venturing a second glance, Eli cautiously reopened the door. There, within the hangar, loomed a formidable beast, its obsidian-like carapace gleaming. The creature's humanoid posture was supported by eight slender, pointed legs that moved with a ghostly quiet. Its oversized, serrated pincers snapped menacingly, while above its maw, eight eyes shone with a sinister intelligence. The beast's most terrifying aspect was its tail, curving over its back and tipped with a stinger oozing dark venom.

"Inspect."

His newfound skill, 'Inspect,' now functioned from a greater distance.

[Umbrathorn (Mini boss)]

[Intermediate level beast]

[Level 5]

[HP: 30000/30000]

With scant information gleaned, Eli hastily retreated and sealed the door.

Despite advancing two levels within the container, the prospect of confronting an intermediate beast seemed daunting. The weakest among them were tenfold stronger than their basic-tier counterparts, and this creature's formidable appearance promised a grueling battle.

Opting for caution, Eli chose to remain within the capsule, hoping the beast would depart as mysteriously as it had arrived.

Time passed—an indeterminate stretch—and Eli braved another peek. The Umbrathorn remained, and to his dismay, a new element had entered the equation: three spherical objects nestled amidst the scrap metal.

"Eggs?" he pondered, invoking 'Inspect' once more.

[Umbrathorn eggs]

[Intermediate level beast]

The realization struck him; the presence of freshly laid eggs meant the beast would not stray far from its brood.

Eli faced a dilemma: wait within the container, hoping the creature would leave in search of sustenance, or seize the opportunity to confront a potentially weakened mother.

Decisiveness was key; hesitation would only afford the Umbrathorn time to recover.

With resolve, Eli stepped from the container, intent on stealth. The hangar's entrance lay in ruins, the beast having torn through the metallic doors. Though the creature blocked the main exit, Eli still had the small breach in the wall through which he had initially entered.

Navigating the labyrinth of scrap and refuse, he inched toward the hole, only to be met by an incoming Rothsoth.

"Not now!"

The Rothsoth's entrance was marked by a piercing squeal, drawing the attention of the Umbrathorn.

"Silence!" Eli hissed, but it was too late.

The sound of heavy footsteps heralded the beast's approach. Eli turned just in time to witness a colossal pincer descending upon him.

"Phantom step."

[Phantom step activated]

[–10 Energy]

In the nick of time, Eli executed his 'Phantom step' skill, phasing through the attack. The Rothsoth, however, was not so fortunate, crushed beneath the Umbrathorn's might.

"It seems we have no choice," Eli resolved, preparing for the inevitable confrontation.