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Kuro stood amidst the remnants of the battle, his chest rising and falling with labored breaths. Sweat dripped down his brow, his body bruised and battered from the relentless fight. Despite the victory, he was completely exhausted.
"Damn. I underestimated Photon Energy." Kuro glanced at his injuries which were healing extremely slowly, with galaxy-like energy being emitted from the wound.
Kuro let out a long, slow breath, his sharp eyes still scanning the battlefield for any last signs of movement.
With a final exhale, he straightened himself up, brushing aside the lingering fatigue. "It's over," he muttered to no one in particular.
He finally looked at the system notifications.
[You have defeated the Galactic Slime, Scaris.]
[The tower is pleased with your performance.]
[Items and other things can now drop from defeated foes.]
Kuro's eyes gleamed as he processed the final line. Items... He could feel a spark of interest surge through him. He hadn't even considered the possibility of drops ever since he received the system. Thinking again, he felt stupid since Jinwoo received drops after defeating monsters in dungeons.
His fingers twitched, eager to collect whatever spoils might come from this victory. Items could range from simple tools to powerful artifacts. Maybe there was something in the system that could speed up his recovery or enhance his powers in ways even he couldn't yet imagine.
With a thought, Kuro's eyes scanned through the chamber.
Kuro's sharp eyes narrowed as he saw the faint glow emanating from under Scaris' defeated form. He finally remembered he needed to add Scaris as his shadow soldier. The idea had slipped his mind.
Kuro moved toward Scaris' body, his footsteps silent as the shadows around him seemed to respond, swirling with his every movement. He crouched down, and with a careful hand, he reached toward Scaris' body.
"Arise"
Tti-ring!
[Shadow Extraction has failed.]
Kuro's eyes narrowed, the familiar surge of frustration beginning to rise within him. The magic that usually flowed effortlessly through him had hit a wall—something about Scaris' essence was resisting.
'Again'
"ARISE!"
Tti-ring!
[Shadow Extraction has failed.]
Kuro's mind raced as he tried to analyze the situation. Why was Scaris resisting the shadow extraction? Was it the creature's unique energy? The galaxy-like aura emanating from the slime's body? Or was it something more—an external force preventing him from claiming the creature's soul?
Kuro's eyes flickered, narrowing as the faint glow of Scaris' body pulsed softly. The strange energy had to be the key. He could feel it, the power woven into the slime's essence.
For a moment, Kuro hesitated, considering his options. But that hesitation was fleeting.
"Alright, then," Kuro muttered, his voice low and determined, "If it's resistance you want, I'll give you more than you can handle."
With a focused breath, Kuro steadied himself, drawing all his chakra reserves into his shadow. His surroundings darkened as the shadows intensified, swirling more violently around him.
"Arise!" His voice rang out with authority, as he pushed all his gathered shadows into Scaris. He could see the remaining Photon Energy inside Scaris being devoured and consumed by the shadows.
Tti-ring!
[Shadow Extraction successful.]
Kuro looks at the shadow that came out of Scaris, now dozens of times smaller.
[???? Lv. 1]
Rank: Elite Knight
Kuro's eyes widened when he saw the rank. "Elite Knight!?" Kuro whispered to himself, disbelief creeping into his voice. His mind quickly ran through the possibilities, but none made sense. Even Dickus, an S-ranker, shadow was only Knight rank.
"Either way, this is good for me." He looks at the slime that is now no larger than a basketball.
The slime slowly hopped toward him, sensing his gaze. "All hail the Shadow Monarch!" The slime sends a telepathic message to Kuro.
Kuro's face cringes upon hearing the smile.
"My Lord! May I eat that giant dead slime over there?" What seems to be some short arm extended from the slime body as he pointed toward Scaris.
"Ugh. You know that is you, right?" Kuro asked.
"No!! He is not me! He's food!" The slime replied.
Kuro has no words to describe what he is feeling. He could only shake his head. "From now on, you will be called Gluttony."
"Yes! Yes!" Gluttony jumps up and down. "Now can I eat it?"
Kuro looks at Gluttony, who seems to be salivating. "... Sure."
"Yay!!!" Kuro watched in stunned silence as Gluttony eagerly hopped toward the remains of its former self, the now-defeated Scaris. The tiny slime's enthusiasm was infectious, but also borderline absurd. There was no mistaking that this thing—once a terrifying opponent—was now as harmless as a child with a voracious appetite.
Gluttony didn't wait for Kuro's second confirmation. In an almost comical display, the slime began to latch onto the remains of Scaris, rapidly devouring the once-mighty creature with an unsettling eagerness. It wasn't like any normal eating behavior Kuro had ever seen—this was pure, relentless consumption. Gluttony's form seemed to grow slightly with each gulp, the soft glow around its body pulsating as it absorbed Scaris.
Kuro sighed, feeling a strange mix of amusement and disbelief. 'From an Elite Knight to a hyperactive blob…' he thought, watching the slime greedily consume its own remains. The contrast between what it could potentially become and what it currently was left him unsure whether to laugh or shake his head.
After Gluttony devoured Scaris, Kuro saw items glowing on the floor where Scaris remain use to be.
"Ah right. I forgot that I can now get drops." Kuro blinked as the shimmering glow of items caught his attention. He had been so caught up in the absurdity of his new shadow soldier that he had completely forgotten about it.
Stepping forward, he glanced over the ground where Scaris had once lain, the glow of several items rising from the ruins of its form. Each item pulsed with energy, a faint hum in the air. Kuro's curiosity grew as he knelt down to examine the loot.
A few different objects lay scattered in the aftermath of the battle: A crystal, a necklace, and a tattered scroll.
Kuro picked up the crystal first. He could feel a familiar warmth emanating from it as his fingers brushed the smooth surface.
[Photon Crystal]
Unstable energy Orb. Contains concentrated photon energy.
Kuro raised an eyebrow. This could be useful, he thought. "To be a bomb."
Kuro slipped the Photon Crystal into his inventory with a nod of approval. He'd deal with it later—when he had more time to experiment with its full capabilities.
Next, he picked up the necklace, which shimmered with an iridescent glow. The chain was delicate but seemed incredibly sturdy, and the pendant itself was shaped like a star, with what looked like a tiny gem at its center.
[Star Pendant]
An ancient talisman. Grants the wearer the ability to tap into the energy of the stars. Can amplify the user's energy regeneration by 20%.
Kuro's brows furrowed. Star energy… He hadn't expected this kind of item. Amplifying energy regeneration could be extremely useful, especially when dealing with long or drawn-out battles. His own reserves of energy were far from endless, and anything that could help him recover faster would be a valuable asset. It just means he can gang up on the enemy with his shadow soldiers longer, just like he did with Scaris.
Kuro slipped the necklace on, feeling the subtle pulse of energy it provided as soon as it touched his skin. It then disappeared but he could still feel that the necklace ability was still active.
Finally, Kuro reached for the tattered scroll. It was old, its edges frayed and delicate, but there was a strange aura surrounding it. The symbols etched on the parchment were unfamiliar, their meanings lost to time—but something about them tugged at Kuro's instincts.
[Ancient Scroll of the White Dragon Emperor]
A scroll of unknown origin. Contains forbidden knowledge of the legendary White Dragon Emperor. Can bestow the wielder with a fragment of the Emperor's power.
Kuro's breath caught in his throat. He heard about the White Dragon Emperor from Scaris but never would he thought he would receive something like this.
Kuro tucked the scroll carefully into his inventory, ensuring it was protected. He currently doesn't have the time to experiment with it right now. But it was something to keep in mind.
With his new loot secured, Kuro stood up and looked at the giant prison door that led to the Sealed Prison