The morning after the Hollow Tide was deceptively quiet. Pale sunlight filtered through the cracked stones of the tower, illuminating the battlefield strewn with the remnants of corrupted creatures. Leo stepped over the husk of a Hollowborn, its form already dissolving into black dust.
Aerin stood near the wardline, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "You did well," she said without turning. "Most first-timers don't live to see the morning."
Leo flexed his fingers. The memory of the battle still pulsed in his muscles. "Still breathing. Barely."
The system chimed softly in his mind.
"⟪Passive Effect Applied: 'Whisperveil Cloak'⟫
+15% Evasion | Movement Noise Reduction Active⟫"
The cloak fluttered slightly as if acknowledging its own activation. Leo found the silence it lent his steps… unsettling.
"Where to now?" he asked.
Aerin finally turned. "The Hollow left a scar on the land — but there's something worse stirring beneath. We need to descend into the Ruinstone Crypts."
He raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess — more corrupted horrors?"
Her expression didn't change. "And echoes. From the Old World. The system's starting to reactivate deeper layers."
Leo didn't like the sound of that. But he nodded anyway.
They made their way through a fractured courtyard behind the tower, where half-buried steps descended into darkness. Faint runes glowed across the stone — flickering like dying stars.
"⟪New Zone Unlocked: 'Ruinstone Crypts – Level 1'⟫
Threat Level: Moderate⟫"
"Great," Leo muttered. "First a tide, now a tomb."
At the base of the steps, a gust of cold air greeted them. Shadows clung to the narrow passage like spiderwebs, and the air smelled of damp stone and something older.
"System won't hold your hand down here," Aerin warned. "Stay sharp."
As if on cue, Leo's interface flickered.
"⟪Quest Received: 'Awaken the Crypts'⟫
Objective: Locate the Heart of the Crypts
Bonus Objective: Survive for 15 minutes without triggering a trap⟫"
He exhaled slowly. "No pressure."
Aerin passed him a small glass orb inscribed with twisting vines.
"Take this. It's a 'Rootseer Orb.' Should light up any unstable ground."
"⟪Item Acquired: 'Rootseer Orb'⟫
Effect: Reveals hidden traps and unstable terrain within 3-meter radius | Duration: 10 minutes⟫"
Leo activated the orb. Green light spilled out in a slow pulse, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Faint outlines of old glyphs and buried panels glowed beneath the surface.
"Good," Aerin whispered. "Now walk like you mean it."
They moved slowly. The crypts were narrow, the silence oppressive. Leo kept the 'Verdant Fang' close, every footstep measured.
A skittering sound echoed from deeper within.
A moment later, the system flared:
"⟪Enemy Detected: 'Cryptlurker Drone'⟫
Type: Aberrant Insectoid | Tier I | HP: 70⟫"
The creature burst from the shadows — six legs, armored carapace, eyes gleaming red. It moved like a centipede with rage issues.
Leo didn't hesitate.
"⟪Skill Activated: 'Shadow Step'⟫
Rank: C
Effect: Dash through shadows within 5 meters. Leave behind a shadow afterimage.⟫"
He vanished and reappeared behind the Cryptlurker, driving the 'Verdant Fang' into its back. Spores bloomed from the wound.
"⟪'Verdant Fang' Effect Triggered⟫
Healing Spores Released
+5 HP Restored⟫"
The insect shrieked and bucked. Aerin flanked it from the other side, her bone knife plunging in with surgical precision.
"⟪Enemy Defeated: 'Cryptlurker Drone'⟫
EXP Gained: 40⟫"
Leo wiped black ichor from his blade. "I'm starting to miss the fog."
More skittering came from the tunnel ahead.
Aerin grinned grimly. "Then you'll love what's next."
The orb's light dimmed slightly — time was running out.
But Leo stood a little taller now. The system was no longer an enigma. It was a rhythm. A language. And he was starting to speak it fluently.
"⟪Soul Resonance Increased⟫
Current Resonance: 24%⟫"