Before stepping into the chamber, I tried contacting the elves using the pendant Sylvan had given me, but nothing happened. I wasn’t too surprised, they’d mentioned they wouldn’t be coming for a few days but part of me had still hoped for some backup. With a sigh, I tucked the pendant away and stepped inside.

  The chamber ahead was vast, illuminated in patches by clusters of bioluminescent mushrooms clinging to the uneven walls. Their faint, pulsing glow cast ghostly light over the sprawling space, but it was far from comforting. The air was damp and heavy, filled with the sickly sweet stench of decay.

  I picked my way forward carefully, wading through ankle deep muck. It clung to my boots like glue, each step making a nauseating squelch. The smell was overwhelming, like week old roadkill stewing in the summer heat, and to make things worse, I noticed tiny, writhing maggots swimming in the filth. I felt them latch onto my legs, squirming against my skin. I tried brushing them off, but it was futile.

  The worst part, though, was the sound. A constant, high pitched scritching filled the chamber, faint but unnerving, coming from somewhere above. My senses sharpened as I scanned the darkness. Slowly, my eyes adjusted, and when I looked up, my stomach twisted in revulsion.

  The ceiling wasn’t just dark, it was alive. A seething, wriggling carpet of shadow clung to the rock above me, its movements subtle yet undeniable. It was like staring into the abyss, only to have the abyss blink back. And then, a piece of that living darkness broke off.

  I crouched instinctively, sinking deeper into the muck as the fragment of shadow swooped silently downward. It landed on a nearby rock, and in the dim light, I got my first clear look at them, the source of the scritching.

  Four bat like creatures perched on the rock, their faintly glowing eyes cutting through the gloom. Each was the size of a fire hydrant, their pitch black bodies blending seamlessly into the darkness. Inspection worked, and their information popped into view.

  Corrupted Screecher (Level 71)

  These cave dwellers were once domesticated by the Drak’nir. They were prized for controlling insect populations and producing excellent fertilizer.

  Bats. Of course, it’s bats, I thought bitterly. And why were they so damn high leveled? The system’s logic, if it even had any, was a mystery.

  I froze in place, barely daring to breathe. Whether they relied on sharp eyesight or echolocation didn’t matter, my best chance was to stay perfectly still.

  The bats began clawing at the muck, devouring the maggots with grotesque fervor. The slurping, wet noises they made churned my stomach. One by one, more pieces of the wriggling ceiling broke off, and soon, a swarm of these creatures was feasting around me. Their glowing eyes dotted the chamber like sinister stars in a night sky.

  I needed a plan. There was no way I could sit here forever, but the tunnel behind me was at least twenty yards away, and navigating it quietly was impossible. My only option was to create a distraction and make a run for it.

  Taking a deep breath, I plunged my hand into the muck. The slimy, wet sensation nearly made me retch, and the wiggling maggots squirming against my fingers only made it worse. The stench that hit me when I disturbed the filth was almost unbearable. Finally, my hand closed around a decent sized rock.

  I waved my hand to shake off the worst of the slime, then hurled the rock as far away as possible. The sharp clatter echoed through the chamber, followed by a moment of eerie silence.

  Then, the scritching turned into a deafening cacophony. High pitched screeches assaulted my ears as hundreds of bats launched into the air, their wings creating a chaotic storm of sound and movement. The noise made me stumble, but I forced myself forward, gunning for the tunnel.

  My heart pounded as I ran, but a group of the bats broke off, swooping down to block my path. Desperation fueled my instincts, I morphed a kite shield, just big enough to cover my head and chest without slowing me down too much.

  I barreled through the swarm, the shield smashing into their bodies. My vision went black for a moment as foul blood and shredded flesh splattered against me, but I kept moving.

  One of the creatures latched onto my shield with its clawed feet, its weight surprisingly light. Before I could react, it lunged for my neck. I tucked my chin instinctively, and its overhanging jaw caught my ear instead. Pain exploded in my skull, and I screamed. The sound startled the bat, and it released me, falling limply to the ground.

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  But the rest of the swarm was still behind me. I pushed through the twisting tunnels, the jagged rocks tearing at my arms as I ran. The noise of the bats was deafening, their wings creating a gale that seemed to chase me through the darkness.

  Then, I heard it, a new sound, faint but growing louder: the howling roar of a storm.

  Risking a glance over my shoulder, I saw the swarm still chasing me, but something about the storm was disorienting them. Groups of bats veered off course, slamming into the walls and ceiling.

  The air grew hotter with every step, and my lungs burned as I struggled to breathe. Why do I even need to breathe? I thought bitterly. My astral body felt real, but it didn’t make sense.

  No time for idle thoughts. I kept running, the scorching wind blasting against me. The bats were in worse shape, flying into each other in their panic. They ignored me entirely now, their coordination unraveling.

  Seizing the opportunity, I slowed down and morphed a helmet around my head. It covered my face completely, except for a thin slot for my eyes. The enclosed space made me feel like I was suffocating, so I shaped small openings for my nose and mouth. The result looked vaguely like a Spartan helmet, it wasn’t perfect, but it would do.

  I manifested a long two handed blade, its balance rough and its design simple. There wasn’t time for finesse.

  The bats continued flailing wildly, and I stepped into the fray cautiously. The storm’s chaotic winds made me nearly invisible to them, their attention scattered.

  I struck with precision, slashing left and right. My blade tore through their fragile bodies, splattering blood and gore with every swing. Their numbers were overwhelming, but the storm worked in my favor, disrupting their movements and turning their attacks into desperate, clumsy strikes.

  Some managed to fight back, clawing and biting at me, but most of their attacks missed. Even so, the wounds began to add up. My arms ached, my muscles screaming in protest, but I didn’t stop.

  I kept advancing, stepping over mangled bodies and crunching their remains beneath my feet. My blade was slick with blood, but I kept swinging.

  I didn’t know how long I fought. It felt like hours. My arms were leaden, my body trembling with exhaustion, but eventually, the chamber grew quiet.

  The swarm was gone.

  I stood there, covered head to toe in blood and filth, gasping for air. The storm still howled faintly in the distance, but the bats were no more.

  I’d done it.

  I took a few minutes to let my energy regenerate, sitting amidst the carnage I’d left behind. My energy levels and regeneration were noticeably higher than before, but I couldn’t help feeling frustrated. Despite my improvements, I was still relying on the same simple strategies during battles.

  I had Manifestation, a skill that literally let me shape reality within my range, yet I was using it like a blunt tool. I needed to be more creative, to push the boundaries of what it could do, and to train until the process became second nature, like breathing. And then there were my other skills, Levitation sat practically untouched! Why wasn’t I using it more often?

  And my Unique Skill... It was supposed to be my trump card, but I’d barely scratched the surface of its potential. Its level was still woefully low. That had to change.

  I made a promise to myself: I’d experiment with my skills, test new strategies, and train until every tool at my disposal became second nature. Sure, I needed a controlled environment for most of this and “controlled” was a laughable concept here but I’d figure it out.

  With a clearer plan in mind, I stood, shaking off the weight of my earlier frustration. Time for some loot!

  Surveying the bloody battlefield up close was a grim experience. The mangled bodies of the bats looked less like creatures and more like twisted heaps of flesh and bone. Some were so disfigured I couldn’t even tell where the wings ended and the bodies began. The foul, cloying smoke that still hung in the air stung my eyes and coated the back of my throat.

  I started looting, crouching by the nearest corpse and pressing my hand to its lifeless body to activate my skill. Nothing happened. My first attempt was a bust. Undeterred, I moved from bat to bat, methodically repeating the process. It wasn’t until I’d worked through nearly half the pile that something finally happened.

  A golden glow sparked from the bat’s body, coalescing into faint motes of light. The lights gathered together and condensed into a small, shiny pebble that fell into my palm.

  Small Energy Crystal (Common)

  Concentrated energy used in enchantments and alchemy, but mostly as currency throughout the realms.

  So it’s basically free money. Neat!

  I wondered how the economy of these realms functioned if monsters could just be farmed for loot like this. Surely there had to be limits, or inflation would run rampant. Still, the thought of cashing in these crystals made me feel a bit better about the whole situation.

  By the time I’d gone through the rest of the pile, I’d found two more common energy crystals. Not a huge haul, but not bad either. With my energy fully restored and my determination renewed, I pressed on deeper into the cave.

  After pushing through the muck filled bat chamber, weaving carefully between stalagmites, I reached another opening. The air shifted slightly, carrying with it a damp, earthy scent. I moved cautiously, winding through the narrow, twisted path until I stepped into a smaller chamber.

  This one was different. The floor was riddled with holes, each about the size of a dog door, and faintly glowing pools of water dotted the ground. The soft blue light cast eerie, shifting shadows on the walls. I crouched behind a nearby rock, staying perfectly still as I observed the scene.

  Massive insects, each the size of an eagle, flitted between the ponds. Their translucent wings beat with a low, constant hum that made my skin crawl. Suddenly, a shadow darted from one of the holes.

  The blur resolved into a monstrous creature. It pounced on a resting mosquito, jaws snapping shut with a sickening crunch. The thing was the size of a large dog, its wrinkled, infected looking skin a pale, sickly pink. It had no eyes, just a smooth expanse where they should have been, and its oversized jaws were dominated by two massive, jagged teeth. Its paws ended in three huge yellow claws that raked the ground as it dragged its prey back into its hole.

  Corrupted Burrower Gnarl (Lev 68)

  These subterranean creatures burrow through cave walls using their powerful, clawed forelimbs and reinforced snouts. Though mostly passive, Burrower Gnarls are highly territorial and will attack anything that disturbs their tunnels.

  Perfect! A prime target for a little experiment.

  My Manifestation skill now allowed me to create objects up to twelve feet away, not amazing, but the extra range was definitely useful. The only question was what to manifest. Throwing knives looked cool in movies, but I’d be lucky to hit even a stationary target. Darts, though... those were a better bet.

  I started practicing, manifesting a small dart roughly the length of my arm. I added fins to the back for stability, tweaking the shape and weight until it felt just right. The first attempt wasn’t perfect, so I reabsorbed it and tried again.

  After several iterations, I got the design just right, and my speed improved with practice. Soon, I could manifest a dart in under two seconds.

  It was time to play whack a mole.