Adrias felt his blood boiling, his eyes glowing in the darkness like a beast about to pounce on its prey. A cold, demonic smile crept across his lips as he watched the guard kneeling before the black stone, his body trembling as he absorbed energy from it.
"You don't even realize... you've walked into your own trap."
He placed his hand on the hilt of the black sword he had found in the depths of the mine. He could feel its pulse, as if it were a living thing—thirsty for blood.
He still didn't have enough power. But the sword...
This sword was different.
It pulsed with sinister energy, surging through his body whenever he held it. He didn't yet know the true nature of the weapon, but he was sure of one thing—
It was no ordinary sword.
He moved silently, approaching slowly, his breath calm like a lifeless shadow. The guard was still lost in absorbing the energy, unaware of what was happening behind him.
Then, at the perfect moment—he struck.
He lunged like a serpent, the black sword flashing in the darkness as it pierced the guard's back with terrifying force.
But—
He didn't die immediately.
The guard gasped, his body convulsing violently, his eyes widening in shock. He tried to scream, but Adrias clamped a hand over his mouth, driving the sword deeper and deeper, savoring the sensation of metal ripping through flesh and bone.
The guard began to tremble, his body fighting to stay alive, but Adrias gave him no chance.
In a low voice, he whispered in his ear:
"You bullied me today, didn't you? You insulted me... mocked me... So tell me, who's the slave now?"
The guard looked at him, fear filling his eyes. He hadn't expected to die like this. He hadn't expected to fall by the hands of the "filthy slave" he once mocked.
But the true horror had only just begun.
Adrias twisted the sword inside his body, tearing through the guard's internal organs, causing unbearable pain. He didn't want to kill him quickly—no, that would be far too merciful.
Instead, he slowly pulled the sword out, letting the wound gush with blood, before stabbing it in again—this time on the other side of his body.
Slow, deliberate thrusts—each one meant to prolong the agony.
The guard tried to resist, but he was too weak. Blood poured from him, the light fading from his eyes, his body twitching... until finally—
He stopped moving.
Adrias watched him fall to the ground, his final breath fading into the mine's cold air.
But it wasn't over yet.
He turned to the black stone from which the guard had been drawing energy. He didn't know exactly what it was, but he knew one thing—
It held power. Power he desperately needed.
He reached out, touched the surface of the stone—and immediately felt a surge of energy flood into him. It was hot, frantic, like a flame trying to consume his body.
But instead of retreating, he smiled.
"Come on... Give me everything you've got."
Moments passed—then—
His body exploded with power.
He felt every muscle in him pulse, every bone burn as if being reshaped. It was a violent wave of power, unlike anything he had ever felt before.
And then, after a few moments, when it was all over—
He opened his eyes.
And reached the second level of the Force Embodiment Tier.
He stood there, breathing slowly, looking at his new body, feeling the strength now coursing through his veins.
Adrias looked down at the corpse at his feet. Blood seeped from the deep wound, the scent of iron mixing with the damp, moldy air of the mine. He could feel the heat of his body, the new power inside him—but he had no time to enjoy it.
"Damn it... I need to move quickly."
He knew it was only a matter of time before the guard's body was discovered. If the other guards noticed his absence and started searching, things would turn disastrous.
He raised his hand to his face, feeling the stickiness of hot blood covering his cheeks and chin. He glanced down at his clothes—stained with blood, some of it already drying, forming dark patches that would easily give him away.
"I can't go back like this... They'll kill me on sight."
He quickly looked around. The mine was dark, but filled with dust, rocks, and grime. Most of the slaves were always filthy, but blood—blood was far too obvious. He couldn't take the risk.
Then an idea struck him.
He rushed to one of the mine's walls, using his hand to gather the wet black mud from the water dripping down from the ceiling. He smeared it across his face, coating his skin until no trace of blood remained. He did the same with his arms and hands, making them appear like they were simply covered in the usual dirt of slave life.
The clothes were harder. The stains were too obvious, but—
He spotted a small puddle of muddy water. He had no choice. He knelt quickly, soaked the cloth, scrubbing it harshly until most of the blood faded. The water wasn't clean, but it was better than nothing.
"This'll have to do."
He took a deep breath and looked at the corpse one last time. He had no time to hide it, but he dragged it quickly into a darker corner, where the rocks piled up. Maybe they wouldn't find it immediately. Maybe... they'd just think the guard vanished like others had before.
But that wouldn't stop them from searching.
He turned fast, heading back to the slave sleeping quarters. His steps were quick but not frantic—he knew that acting natural was the key to survival.
The closer he got, the louder the sounds of snoring and heavy breathing became. Most of the slaves were asleep, meaning no one had noticed his absence yet.
He slipped between the tired bodies, moving to the spot where he usually slept, and slowly lay down, stretching out his body as if he had never left.
But his heart was pounding violently.
Not out of fear—no.
Out of excitement.
He had killed his first guard. He had grown stronger. He had taken his first step in this new world.
He closed his eyes, but he didn't sleep.
There was too much to think about.
The black stone... the energy... the sword... and the sentence carved on the wall.
All of it pointed to something greater—something he didn't yet understand.
But one thing he was sure of—
He wouldn't remain a slave in this place.
He would become its master.
To be continued...