Shadow of the Abyss

Chapter 21: First Steps

[Black Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

[Info Acquired]

Name: Black Mamba

Type: Cryptid

Str: 3

Dex:4

Con:

Wis:4

Cha:

Skill: Polymorph[E], Instincts [F]

Eyes swaying from left to right, Altair didn't relax as the alarms within his mind didn't cease. He could feel the numbing of his wound where the beast's claws nicked him, but he refused to check his injuries.

It wasn't the time.

Big Sis Luna isn't here… Did she get teleported elsewhere?' He gulped, an unsettling pressure gathering within his chest. He watched as two more Black Mambas stepped out of the woods a him, bearing their fangs. "I can't run. They're faster than me.'

"I need to survive' He swore as the Circle of Gluttony within his heart whirled at greater speeds.

[Circle of Gluttony [F] Proficicy Increase by 7%]

A comforting heat gathered within his chest as an amoring hunger began to build within the depths of his being. He grinned and lunged toward the two Black Mambas, baring their fangs at him.

[Grave of Night: Shadow Sword]

Mirroring the movemt of the Black Mambas, Endymion twisted like a snake, gaining the flexibility of the serpt as it pierced through the eye of the charging snake. The prince quickly lept into the air dodging the second Mambas as he whirled his blade through the serpt's eye through his brain, painting his sword arm the color of blood.

[Black Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

He landed, his cold, lifeless eyes narrowed on the second serpt, taking wolf form. Altair smiled. " You caught me off guard last time. But I'm ready." He said, pointing Endymian towards the beast, "You serpts lack skill."

And through, 'They're flexible in their snake form, but wh they take the form of a wolf, they have speed. I need to be careful. If they time the morph right, they'll get me.'

[Circle of Gluttony [F] Proficicy Increase by %]

Nodes of Mana swelled a his being as the Circle, the size of a seed, grew in size, devouring the Mana from all a.

Altair settled in a defsive stance, ssing the tsion gathering in the hind legs of the Black Mamba that lunged towards him. He grinned just as it arrived, clawing towards his head.

"Got you." He shouted, fainting defse. He leaned forward into the incoming claw, tasting death brush past his forehead, and he dipped beath the Black Mamba in one fell swoop. Sweat ebbing down his handsome face, his sword pierced up as he ran the beast through, showering his body in a guiser of blood and guts.

A harsh howl of mournful roar thundered through the area. The Black Mambas kneed over, his hammering chest fading as its whimpers soft.

"Die!"

Piercing his blade through the beast's skull, howling as he twisted Endyiman through its brain, suring it was dead.

[Black Mamba Felled: Exp Gain]

"It's over…." He muttered, touching his searing chest. He winced. " Damn. That hurts. Thankfully the claws wer't poisonous."

[Circle of Gluttony would like to Devour the Three Souls of the Black Mamba]

"Eh?" Altair eyes wided. "It can devour… Soul?" He frowned, smiled, th frowned again, a pang of regret he didn't get to ask his mother about the odd 'Tarnishing' that occurred.

"Well. It's a part of me, right? I'm sure it can't be bad." The boy thought. " Go ahead."

Noticing the small silvery flames rising from out of the corpse. A curious gleam twinkled through Altair's dark amethyst eyes. he stared as the three Soul Flames shrieked into his chest, vanishing without a trace.

[Soul Absorption: 30 Day]

"Interesting." He muttered. And questioned. " But why did it activate after the battle and not in the middle? And this Mana" Peering down at the violet Nodes suring him, he frowned. "It's so thick it's congealed into the Material Plane. And while it doesn't have a physical effect as of yet, it's surprising to see such a dsity within the dungeon."

Countless theories flooded the young prince's mind as he looked down at the corpses before deciding to leave.

"I need to find water. Mother always said if I'm ever stranded, I should find drinking water first or devour the blood of monsters. I just hope that I can find a water source before it comes to that."

He looked towards the skies, feeling the glare of the twin's sun against his cheeks, and headed in the opposite direction. Hoping his limited scope of knowledge regarding dungeons would help him survive.

The Aros family had diligtly researched dungeons and the many worlds they led to. Some found that despite the limited scope of each dungeon's objective, there was an tire world to explore, resources not found anywhere within their world, much less the neighboring sectors.

Leading to the formation of many laws restricting advtures from killing a dungeon boss, which would cause the dungeon world to collapse.

And considering the amount of Mana each dungeon provided to Earth through the various Gates, the collapse of a single dungeon meant the training speed of humanity's structure would fall behind.

Hours slowly wt by as Altair aimlessly wandered the forest, the ache over his chest now nothing more than a scab. Wh suddly he stopped peering towards the setting suns, a frown upon his face.

"The sun is going to set in a few hours. Has it really be that long?" He shook his head and peered at his stats.

Name: Altair

Age: 9

Circle One: 9% Complete

Cultivation Method: Circle of Gluttony [F]

Class: Young Prince Lv [First Awaking]

Strgth:

Dexterity:

Constitution:

Wisdom: 5

Charisma: 5

Mana:

"The Master of Swords said it usually takes two months to create the first cultivation circle. I wonder if I'll take that long?" He pondered, touching his small chin, his childlike expression torn with worry after a few hours of walking. "Well, looks like I can't find water. Guess I'll have to drink the blood of the monster.

Yuk… But I'm also without food." He glanced down at Endymion, a faint grin on his face. " Just me and you now, I guess. Let's get along, kay?"

The Young Prince closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath as he released a cry at the top of his lungs. A hope that a monster would hear his cry. But the momt his voice thundered, the Mana suring him amplified this cry.

A thunderous wail graced the woods as a chill whipped through Altair, and a sinking feeling of unease wormed through every fiber of his being.

"Oops…" His words thundered off.

Altair snapped his hands over his mouth. Invisible tears shrieking over his cheeks. 'Curse this Mana! I've zero control!' he moaned inwardly wh the hissing of serpts caught his ear.

From a distance away, Luna giggled, hovering in the skies. " What a silly child. Don't worry, Altair, wh your Big Sis is done. You'll be a true monster. A monster who'd be ready to face the Trials of the Moon." She lifted a finger that bled a dangerous amount of Mana, her icy gaze swirling with profundity and darkness. " But to do so… Big sis will make you suffer a bit.

But don't worry. I won't break you too much."