Becoming the Dark Lord

Luke swam to the tip of a ruin that still jutted above the water. Without the Spectral Beast, diving like this was risky. Fighting that group of sharks would have been a nightmare. Water changed everything. It slowed him, limited him, turned every mistake into something worse.

He pulled the Reef Ravager Shark core from storage. Focusing on the core, Luke absorbed it.

Rank D Cores: [2/1000]

Now he could do it on his own, ever since his second core had evolved to Rank E.

Even though I only absorbed two cores, I can feel the beast has grown a little stronger.ℴ

The beast system was strange. Beasts hunted to grow stronger through combat experience, and they also became stronger over time on their own. If they devoured the creatures they hunted, they grew stronger as well. But to truly evolve in rank, they needed to absorb cores. For beasts, it was all instinctive.

Luke opened the Spectral Beast interface.

Core: Spectral Beast

Rank: E

Rank D Cores: [2/1000]

Core Skill: [Form Devourer]

Beast Skills: [Spectral Rend (Rare)], [Predatory Sovereignty (Epic)], [Typhon (Mythic)]

Form Devourer: [Grasping Octopus (Rank E)]

Form Devourer Skills: [Suction Grip (Common)], [Ink Jet (Rare)], [Jet Propulsion (Rare)]

I really wish I’d inherited the octopus’s camouflage skill.

Unfortunately, Form Devourer chose the absorbed beast’s skill set at random.

“I thought you were going to make your little pet devour the core and turn into a shark,” Artemis said.

“That would be a waste. The octopus is more versatile, even if it’s a lot slower.”

“That actually suits you. The octopus is a stealth predator.”

“And it even has a blinding skill,” Luke said, remembering an older skill.

“Exactly. They’re assassins. They camouflage themselves, mimic other creatures, trick the world around them. Oh, and they also spend their entire lives without sex, then die right after they finally have it. Honestly, that part suits you too. Deep down, you probably think if you have sex, you’ll die.”

“We’re still on the Zoe thing? I thought you were over that.”

“Of course I’m not over it. And it’s not just Zoe, man, it’s the whole situation. I’ve known you since you were eighteen, and now you’re twenty. You’ve had so many chances, and you’re still out here living like a monk.”

“I am not living like a monk. I already told you that.”

“I need details before I believe that’s true and not just another lie.”

“Why would I lie about something like that, especially if Charlie’s involved? Actually, wait. Why am I even arguing with you? You’re just trying to provoke me into giving you details.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, whistling.

“Why do you even care whether I’m a virgin or not?”

“Somebody has to care, Luke. Since you clearly don’t.”

Ignoring the chatterbox around his neck, Luke opened the skill options that had appeared when his Witch class reached level sixty-five. They were not new skills. Just stronger versions of the ones he already had.

[Enhanced Witch’s Thread (Rare)]: The Witch enchants a knife so that, when thrown, it generates a thread of condensed mana connected to the blade. When the knife strikes a solid surface within a range of ten meters, the thread automatically anchors itself to the weapon, linking it back to the Witch’s hand. This thread allows the Witch to pull herself away or shift position rapidly in combat, reaching elevated places, escaping enemy attacks, or repositioning in the middle of chaos. In addition, the end of the thread that remains in the Witch’s hand can be attached to an object or creature. When the thread is retracted, the bound target is pulled toward the knife, provided its weight and resistance allow it. The thread’s structure is unstable and falls apart after a few seconds, demanding precision in the throw and good mana control to use effectively.

[Enhanced Witch’s Gaze (Rare)]: The Witch focuses mana into her eyes, making her vision sensitive to the energy around her. While the skill is active, she can see objects attuned to mana, allowing her to identify magical items, hidden traps, concealed mechanisms, and disguised passages with greater accuracy. By focusing on a solid surface, the mana gathered in her eyes allows her to see through walls and obstacles, revealing outlines, shapes, and movement on the other side in a visible way. A Witch must always be observant and cunning. This skill reflects her natural curiosity and her ability to see beyond the obvious.

[Enhanced Telekinesis (Rare)]: The Witch refines her telekinetic powers, allowing her to move objects within a certain range with less mana cost and greater efficiency. The number of objects she can control at once, as well as the precision of their movement, becomes easier to maintain depending on the Witch’s mastery and the skill’s limits. Heavier objects can be lifted and manipulated more easily, requiring less mental effort than before. Weight and resistance still vary according to the amount of mana invested, but control becomes more stable and reliable. Objects bound to the Witch remain easier to move, while objects bound to other entities still cannot be affected. This advancement marks a significant step forward in the art of shaping the world around her with nothing but the mind.

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[Enhanced Curse (Rare)]: The Witch conjures a curse in the palm of her hand, inflicting intensified curse damage on anyone she touches. A single touch is enough to make the target’s flesh erupt in far sharper pain, as though the cursed energy were burrowing deep inside. Even after contact is broken, the curse lingers for a short time, causing the target to continue suffering residual pain and damage before it finally fades.

[Enhanced Telekinetic Impulse (Rare)]: The Witch infuses telekinetic power into a thrown weapon at the moment of release, increasing its speed and range even further. The weapon retains all the force of the original throw, but gains a mental burst that heightens its impact. In addition, the Witch can apply a second telekinetic boost mid-flight, extending the distance traveled even farther without losing speed, efficiency, or force on impact.

“They’re all excellent choices.”

But [Enhanced Telekinesis] and [Enhanced Telekinetic Impulse] were pulling ahead.

In the end, he made his choice.

[Your skill Weak Telekinesis (Uncommon) has evolved into Enhanced Telekinesis (Rare)]

“You picked it just because it’s cool, didn’t you?”

“Yeah...” he admitted.

Name: Luke

Level: 81

Race: Half-Demon

Rank: E

Core: [Spectral Beast (Rank E)]

Class: [Demonic Predator (Lvl 82)]

2nd Class: [Arcane Witch (Lvl 65)]

Profession: [Guardian Botanist of Mother Freya (Lvl 78)]

Titles: [Dark Lord], [Myth Slayer]

Bloodline: [Bloodline of the Dark Demon]

Health Points (HP): 8961/9620

Mana Points (MP): 7549/12040

Stamina: 3786/6850

Soul Fragments: 663/1000

Stats:

Strength: 690

Lethality: 1241

Agility: 1115

Dexterity: 514

Endurance: 685

Vitality: 962

Toughness: 453

Perception: 1046

Wisdom: 1204

Intelligence: 1136

Willpower: 912

Free Points: 15

Class Skills: [Advanced Blade Handling (Uncommon)], [Advanced Knife Throwing (Rare)], [Twin Blade (Common)], [Basic Dark Dash (Rare)], [Crimson Fang (Ultra-Rare)], [Predator’s Mark (Rare)], [Demonic Blade Dance (Rare)], [Force Infusion (Rare)], [Advanced Stealth (Rare)], [Assassin’s Tracking (Rare)], [Mana Infusion (Rare)], [Basic Archery (Common)], [Demonic Predator Hands (Epic)], [Demonic Predator Throwing Knife (Epic)], [Burst Throw (Epic)], [Stealth Critical Strike (Rare)], [Shadow Dive (Rare)]

Second Class Skills: [Basic Magic Conjuration (Common)], [Teleportation Pentagram (Legendary)], [Curse (Common)], [Cursed Weapon (Uncommon)], [Shadow Ball (Common)], [Enhanced Telekinesis (Rare)], [Witch’s Gaze (Uncommon)], [Cursed Weapon Throw (Rare)], [Telekinetic Impulse (Rare)], [Telekinetic Pull (Rare)], [Witch’s Thread (Rare)], [Despair Aura I (Rare)], [Clear Mind (Ancient)], [Shadow Mana Explosion (Ultra-Rare)], [Spell Grimoire (Epic)]

Profession Skills: [Herbology of Mother Freya (Ancient)], [Precise Extraction (Common)], [Advanced Potion Crafting (Uncommon)], [Corrupted Plant Growth (Rare)], [Plant Sensor (Uncommon)], [Botanical Bond of Mother Freya (Rare)], [Seed Conversion (Rare)], [Plant Manipulation of Mother Freya (Rare)], [Corrupted Blood of Mother Freya (Ultra-Rare)], [Thorn Mutation (Uncommon)], [Soil Analysis (Uncommon)], [Botanical Purification (Uncommon)], [Acid Blood Arrow (Epic)], [Soil Guardian I (Ancient)], [Vegetal Respiration (Common)], [Stomach of Mother Freya (Ancient)]

Race Skills: [Identify (Common)], [Demonic Perception (Uncommon)], [Dark Blood (Uncommon)], [Advanced Meditation (Uncommon)], [Demonic Endurance (Uncommon)]

Rank Skill: [Soul Infiltration (Rank F)]

Bloodline Skill: [Servant of the Dark Lord (Unique)]

Servants: [Unavailable], [Unavailable]

Familiar: [Unavailable]

Luke allocated his Free Points, putting 10 into Wisdom to increase his mana reserves and the other 5 into Endurance to boost his stamina pool. [Burst Throw] consumed a lot.

Twelve thousand mana. I can cast Acid Blood Arrow twelve times. Hard to believe there was a time when I could barely manage three.

***

Luke was crossing the desert, boots sinking into the sand. His beast was still regenerating inside its core. For now, he was following one of the directions where he had seen the yellow glow of a Marine Artifact the night before.

“You’re not worried about Charlie and Angie? I mean, sure, there’s the whole thing with your family, but still...”

“Yeah, I am,” he said. “But those two can handle themselves. Charlie doesn’t need to breathe, since she’s a vampire, and Angie can fly. They can take it slow, hide out in ruins if they need to. We just have to survive six months to get out of this place.”

He believed they would find a way. They were strong enough.

“But my family...” He went quiet for a moment. “I have no idea what this event prepared for them. Not just them. The forty-nine percent of the population who didn’t have the system either.”

They would never survive something like the island challenge. Not what he had gone through there, and not this, having to face everything waiting in the ocean.

“But in this place, you’re in danger too,” Artemis said. “You should focus on yourself first. Always.”

“I know. It’s not just the monsters here. It’s people too. I could run into anyone below Rank C if I get unlucky.”

Which meant anyone up to level 199. And Luke knew with absolute certainty that he could not beat someone at that level. He wasn’t even sure he could have killed the Archangel from the tutorial if the creature had been cured of its illness when they fought, let alone an enemy who could easily kill that Archangel.

Luke picked up the pace and broke into a run, killing a few beasts along the way.

“Maybe clearing a Beacon will give me more information,” he said to Artemis.

He had stopped to eat earlier. It had been two days since his last proper meal. By late afternoon, he reached the destination. He was already tired by then, with less than half his stamina bar left.

“Another city.”

But this time, the place was wrapped in a blue aura.

[Artifact Challenge found!]

Another notification appeared.

[Warning: Some Marine Artifacts will remain inaccessible and can only appear once you complete the challenge in their area.]

The moment Luke stepped across the boundary, the empty city changed. The illusion vanished. In its place was a battlefield. He saw bodies among the ruins. Dead beasts sprawled across the ground. The city had been hidden behind a mirage until now. An arrow flew at him and struck his leg. Luke immediately threw a knife to the side.

[Witch’s Thread activated]

Limping, he pulled himself behind a pile of rubble.

Shit.

There were people here. Luke could hear the sounds of battle now. Steel. Magic. Combat echoing through the ruins.

[Challenge of the 50 Survivors]

[The Marine Artifact will only appear once there are 50 people remaining in your vicinity.]

[People in the area: 113/50]