Demigod Class Ascension Chapter 7: Corrupted Nightscape

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Cube had told Will that nights were much different and more dangerous than days in the Great Beyond, but it was only now, as he stepped outside the Safe Zone at night, that Will truly understood what his Novice Administrator meant.

“What’s going on? Is this the same city as before?”

Will was left shocked; the scene before him was not what he had expected. He had imagined a dark, ruined city with strange nocturnal monsters lurking about, perhaps a couple of goblins to hunt…

However, reality was far beyond his wildest imaginings. What stretched before him could only be described as a vast crimson forest.

The forest sprawled across the city as if it had stood there for years. Each tree was enormous, reaching heights of over ten meters, with hard black wood and red leaves. Some bore strange, eye-shaped fruits that glared at him the moment he stepped out of the Safe Zone.

The dark night sky was equally bizarre—twisted, with waves of crimson energy flowing endlessly across it. And the moon? It wasn’t normal. It glowed red, a single eye staring down at him.

“Cube! What the hell is this?! It feels like… like…”

“Like you walked into another world? Yes, master. This is but a small glimpse of the Great Beyond. As you can see, during the day, despite its difficulties, things are far more tolerable.”

“Can you at least tell me how this is happening? There’s no way all these trees appeared out of nowhere just an hour ago, right?”

“Well, that wouldn’t quite be the case. What’s happened could be described as… well, let’s call it ‘Corruption.’ This is the effect of a Corrupted Domain imposed upon this world by Dark Deities.”

“…Corruption?”

“In the Great Beyond, there are many deities. Each governs a certain ‘domain’ of their own. At night, due to an oversaturation of deities tied to darkness, death, blood, and other domains within the ‘Dark Spectrum,’ a phenomenon we call the ‘Corrupted Nightscape’ occurs. The night warps and shifts instantly as the Domains of various deities clash, creating a chaotic, monstrous landscape of uncertainty and danger.”

“…”

Will listened to Cube while scanning his surroundings. Since the Apocalypse began, this was the first time he truly felt like he was in another world.

“Even in Phase 1 of the Tutorial, because the Corrupted Nightscape phenomenon is so strong, it manifests. This is, of course, just a small taste of it—nothing compared to the true horrors awaiting you in the Great Beyond. It’s one reason why every civilization and village builds tall, magically enhanced walls to protect themselves.”

“And what… what Domains can you detect here?”

“Hmm… Dark Forests, Blood, and… Crimson Moon,” Cube said. “Indeed, this must be their doing.”

“What? Are those supposed to be Deities?” Will asked.

“Yes, we mostly address them by what they represent. Their true names are rarely known, and they’d rather never reveal them, as it could become a weakness,” Cube explained. “Naturally, given how basic their Domains are, they’re obviously very strong. The more fundamental and prevalent a Domain is in nature, the more powerful it can grow as a Deity… but I suppose this isn’t the kind of talk you’d like to have right now, master. And I believe I can’t say much more with my current limitations.”

“I guess I’ve got the gist of it, more or less…” Will said, suddenly detecting movement to his left. In the distance, on another street, he saw a shadow darting behind the trees. “So those… those Deities from the Great Beyond are doing whatever they please with our world? Is that right?”

“Yes…” Cube sighed. “It’s always been that way when new worlds are assimilated, unfortunately.”

“Hmph, I suppose that’s that, then.” Will gripped his fists tightly, clutching his hammer and axe. “And…”

“SHYAAAGH!”

In that moment, a terrifying scream pierced the air. A shadowy figure leaped toward his head, its slender body flanked by lanky arms and legs, its massive head sporting sharp teeth and no eyes, only enormous ears. A monstrosity of the night attacked him.

Will, however, had been waiting for it. He swung his hammer faster than the creature could reach him, smashing its long, frail-looking body with all the strength in his right arm. A powerful crimson shockwave erupted, blasting the creature into pieces.

[You have slain [Shrieker (Tier 2: Level 5)]. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 50 Tutorial Points.]

“Huh?!” Cube was surprised he hadn’t detected it. “It appears my scanners don’t work as well in the Corrupted Nightscape…”

“Thankfully, I got Beast Hunter earlier. It’s a useful Trait,” Will nodded, glancing at the monster’s corpse. “What is this thing? It’s certainly not a goblin.”

“That’s a Shrieker,” Cube explained. “A giant, wingless, blind bat monster the size of an average man, with deadly claws and an even deadlier venomous bite. They only appear at night and rely on their hearing to catch prey. They’re frail, as you can see, but very fast and ravenous. They’re among the most common monsters in the Corrupted Nightscape.”

“So monsters average Tier 2 at night, huh.” Will quickly stored the creature’s corpse in his Bag of Holding. “That sure ramps up the difficulty for other people… Nobody would survive a swarm of those.”

“Certainly not, but master is strong and has great weapons and equipment. Although I was opposed to the idea, perhaps the night might be the perfect place for you to grow stronger faster and net more Tutorial Points,” Cube said. “Once Phase 1 ends, Phase 2 begins, and new items will become available in the Tutorial Shop as it rises from Rank 1 to 2, while also increasing the stock of previously available items.”

“That’s great. Then saving Tutorial Points is worth the hassle…” Will nodded. “Now… let’s continue.”

“Where do you plan to go, master? Don’t wander too far, or you might get hurt,” Cube cautioned.

“I’ll stick around the mall,” Will said in a lower voice, quickly deciding to stay quiet and alert.

He moved through the strange woods, sniffing the air and “sensing” for nearby monsters, using his new Beast Hunter Trait. Being in the middle of a forest also gave him a 20% boost to Agility and Dexterity, making him more adept at moving carefully.

“Hm?”

Will quickly spotted something—a set of shadowy figures chasing him, climbing the nearby trees. They were closing in… long arms and legs. Shriekers, most likely. And not just a lone scout, but a whole group, hunting him down after catching the scent of their kin on his blood-covered weapons.

“Master, there’s over six of them! Please run! You can’t handle that many!”

“…”

Will didn’t run. Instead, he stood still. The Shriekers, confident in their numbers, stepped forward and circled him like starving wolves eyeing easy prey, drooling a strange purple saliva—their venom.

“M-Master! You’re going to die!”

As Cube panicked, Will gripped both weapons tightly, staring at the beasts in silence. For a moment, no one moved, each side watching the other, waiting for the perfect moment to strike and claim victory.

And then…

“SHYAAGH!”

The cry of two Shriekers echoed behind Will. He noticed them latching onto his back, their jaws snapping at his skin, only to be thwarted by his tough Chimera Leather Coat. They tried for his neck and head next, but that didn’t work either. Water surged around their legs, dragging them down—chain-shaped water, conjured by Will on a whim.

BAAAM!

Both Shriekers slammed into the ground, shattering the pavement and groaning in agony. They weren’t dead yet, but Will finished them off—one with a stomp to the head, the other with a clean axe slice to the throat.

At the same time, the others attacked. One bit at his legs, but his Chimera Leather Pants and Boots came through again, resisting the deadly blows even from Tier 2 monsters!

Will furiously smashed the one gnawing at his crotch with his hammer, silently thanking himself for crafting that tough protection in the groin area—just in case something like this happened.

As he watched the Shrieker’s brains explode and splatter across the ground, Will manipulated the water chains, wrapping two more before the rest leaped out of his grasp and aimed for his back and head again.

“You really don’t learn your lesson, do you?!”

Will roared angrily, smashing the head of a Shrieker climbing his body with his hammer. A powerful crimson shockwave erupted, injuring two more in the process and dropping them dead to the ground.

“Grrrrhhh!”

The last remaining Shrieker cried out, fleeing as it realized it couldn’t win. Will considered chasing it but decided against it—it would’ve been a waste of time and effort.

[You have slain [Shrieker (Tier 2: Level 5)] x5. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 250 Tutorial Points.]

[Level Up!]

[Special Class: {Demigod} has reached Level 14. Stat Points have been allocated; you gained 1 Free Stat Point.]

“Incredible… I killed five Tier 2 monsters in just a couple of seconds without even taking damage…” Will muttered in disbelief. “Though, the points are lower than usual…”

“That’s due to your strength relative to them, master, and your purchase history. The more you buy, the less TP you earn until the next Phase,” Cube explained. “The System does this all the time to ‘balance’ everything.”

“Hmm, it’s fine. I’ve still earned 300 TP so far, and that’s good for now,” Will nodded, quickly storing the corpses. Despite their long, lanky frames, they were surprisingly lightweight, making it easy to store several.

Though his TP earnings had been sharply reduced, Will was still satisfied with gaining a level from the fight. It left him feeling fulfilled—six more levels to go before he could Rank Up. He continued scouting the area, passing by the pizzeria he’d found earlier and entering it out of curiosity, hoping to find pizza or ingredients to store as food.

“What?”

But inside the kitchen, he found neither utensils nor the faint hope of a ready-to-eat pizza—just a mass of white spiderwebs stretching across the corridor and down into a hole in the floor.

“T-This is an Arachneia Nest! Master, don’t touch it!”

“…”

Will walked into the kitchen until he found what he was looking for: a lighter. He could’ve tried Will-o-Wisps, but those only burned life force, not inanimate objects.

“…Master?”

Cube stared in disbelief as Will nonchalantly set the entire spiderweb ablaze after cutting off a large chunk with his axe. The flames spread rapidly, racing downward. The cries of dozens of tiny monsters echoed from below.

“Gryeeeeehhh!”

RUMBLE!

The floor trembled as giant cracks split open, then exploded apart, revealing dozens of burning spiders. Will bolted out of the pizzeria before he could catch fire himself, watching as several car-sized spiders from the nest burned and died upside down.

And there were a lot of them!

[You have slain [Lesser Arachneia Soldier (Tier 2: Level 3)] x7. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 350 Tutorial Points.]

[Level Up!]

[Special Class: {Demigod} has reached Level 15. Stat Points have been allocated; you gained 1 Free Stat Point.]

“I-I can’t believe that worked. Turns out their spiderwebs are highly flammable, huh…” Cube nodded, recognizing Will’s ingenuity. “That was incredible, master—and effortless! But… this is odd.”

“Odd?” Will asked.

“Arachneia are eusocial spider monsters, like ants. There are scouts, soldiers, warriors, and… a queen,” Cube mused. “Hmm, perhaps—”

CRASH!

The pavement shattered as a colossal figure emerged. Will stepped back in awe, ducking behind a giant tree as he beheld what he assumed was the creature Cube had hinted at.

Over ten meters tall, with a hard, metallic exoskeleton and eight sharp crimson eyes…

“GRYYAAARRR!”

[Arachneia Queen (Tier 3: Level 15)]

“So this is the Queen, huh?”

From the hole she’d burrowed through the pavement, five more figures emerged—large, heavily armored spiders, each at least five meters tall. Will also noticed their levels.

[Arachneia Warrior (Tier 2: Level 12)]

Until now, Will had assumed the max level per tier was 10, but he was mistaken. Certain beings, like him, could exceed level 10 in their Tiers, much like how his Class had a level cap of 20 instead of 10.

They simply possessed greater power and potential, which meant they took longer to grow but would ultimately become even more terrifying after Ranking Up…

“Master, that Arachneia Queen might be your toughest foe yet. I’d recommend a swift retreat!” Cube urged, worried for his master.

“I have all the tools to win. I can’t just run away, Cube,” Will replied. “I’ve got two weapons, armor, and new Skills… I have to at least try while my Mana’s still full.”

The Arachneia Queen crawled through the trees and ruined buildings, eyeing the charred corpses of her children. Furious, she scanned her surroundings with her eight crimson eyes.

“The trick is distracting her so I can take down the warriors first…” Will thought for a moment. “Ah, could that work? Depends on how dumb she is…”

Will spent 10% of his Mana, conjuring a large mass of floating water and coating it with an icy, frost-covered surface. Using his mind, aura, and—surprisingly—his Magic Forging Skill, which worked even with other magic types, he molded it into a roughly humanoid shape of water and ice. He sent it walking far off, then had it hurl a chunk of ice at the Queen.

CRASH!

The Queen took an ice cube to the head and glared at the figure—a puppet of water and ice—that bolted in the opposite direction, rounding the corner of another street.

“GRYAAAH!”

The Arachneia Queen roared in rage, her steps toppling trees as she chased the magic puppet. The warriors, confused, followed her—only for Will to step into their path, blocking them.

“Give her some privacy, will you?”

With a powerful swing of his hammer, Will caught one Arachneia Warrior off-guard, crushing its armored head into the ground. The strike unleashed a crimson shockwave, the hammer’s skill activating perfectly. The monster’s head armor was tough, but the shockwave shattered it, blowing its head apart and killing it instantly.

[You have slain [Arachneia Warrior (Tier 2: Level 12)]. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 50 Tutorial Points.]

The other Arachneia Warriors recoiled in shock, stepping back—perhaps in fear. Despite their size and imposing presence, the sudden death was too startling, especially for eusocial creatures.

Will didn’t waste the opening. He’d sent the “Water Puppet” to distract the Queen, but by now, she’d likely caught it. He’d designed it to explode upon destruction, freezing everything nearby, though he knew it would only slow her briefly. He had to eliminate her warriors before she returned—and fast.

Infusing his Divine Aura into his legs, Will stepped forward, moving faster than ever, leveraging the bonuses from his boots.

[Chimera Leather Boots (D Grade)]

[Weapon Type]: [Magic Armor] [Boots]

[Weapon Requirements]: [Any Class]

[Weapon Parameters]: [Physical Defense]: [600] [Magic Defense]: [300] [Durability]: [1000]

[Weapon Bonuses]: [+3 Agility] [+3 Vitality] [+3 Dexterity] [+3 Senses]

[Weapon Skill]: {Beastly Leap}: [Charge Energy inside your boots and release it, giving a powerful leap that increases your movement speed by 100% for the duration of that leap. Cooldown: 10 Seconds.]

Thanks to {Beastly Leap}, Will closed the gap to the nearest spider in an instant, catching them off-guard and maintaining his momentum. He swung both hammer and axe downward simultaneously, striking another Arachneia Warrior’s head and blasting it into pieces.

BAAAM!

[You have slain [Arachneia Warrior (Tier 2: Level 12)]. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 50 Tutorial Points.]

As the second beast fell, the remaining three panicked and roared, charging at Will together. Their giant jaws clamped onto his body. Will gritted his teeth, realizing they were about to rip him apart! Their teeth gnawed at his skin and armor as he screamed in pain.

However…

“RAAAAH!”

With a mighty roar, he swung his hammer at the head of the Arachneia biting his ribs, tearing apart its eyes. The creature shrieked in agony before releasing him. Then he swung his axe at the one on his left, aiming for his legs, cleaving through its jaws and making it vomit green blood.

With both warriors staggering back in agony, the last one bit down on his chest with the force of a hydraulic press. Will felt the air leave his limbs, but he swung both weapons at the beast’s head, relying on his coat’s defense to survive an otherwise lethal blow.

CRAAASH!

Hammer and axe struck from both sides. Unable to defend itself with its legs dug into the ground to hold Will, the Arachneia’s head splattered into pieces, dying like the others.

[You have slain [Arachneia Warrior (Tier 2: Level 12)]. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 50 Tutorial Points.]

“Haah… Ugh…”

Will examined his wounds—they weren’t too bad. Sacred Healing quickly patched them up. The venom made him woozy and numbed his arms and legs, but his senses returned as he circulated his Divine Aura through them.

“Shit, that was tougher than I thought.”

“And very reckless!”

Cube reprimanded him as usual, and Will had to admit it was indeed reckless—but a risk worth taking, especially with his new equipment.

“Shyeeehh!”

The two remaining Arachneia weren’t dead yet. They roared, swinging their giant legs like sharp spears, trying to impale him. Will dodged swiftly, moving to the side, then climbed one of them. He attached a Water Whip to his axe and hurled it at the spider’s leg, striking from above with all his momentum, cleaving its head apart.

[You have slain [Arachneia Warrior (Tier 2: Level 12)]. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 50 Tutorial Points.]

At the same time, the other Arachneia spat a mouthful of venom, dousing Will from head to toe in deadly poison. Nausea and paralysis gripped him instantly.

“Gaaaah!”

He froze the venom, shattering it apart while Sacred Healing kept him alive. Stepping forward, he threw his hammer with all his strength, crushing the monster’s head. The creature’s body collapsed; the hammer lodged in its corpse.

[You have slain [Arachneia Warrior (Tier 2: Level 12)]. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 50 Tutorial Points.]

[Level Up!]

[Special Class: {Demigod} has reached Level 16. Stat Points have been allocated; you gained 1 Free Stat Point.]

RUMBLE!

“Damn it… And here comes the Queen.”

In that moment, Will saw a giant spider burst through the buildings, glaring at her warriors’ corpses strewn across the streets, her eyes blazing with hatred. Some of her legs were frozen, but she seemed otherwise fine.

“She’s back so soon?! You barely had a chance to catch your breath, master!” Cube panicked.

“I know, but it’ll have to do,” Will sighed, standing firm as the Arachneia Queen screamed and charged. Each of her footsteps shook the city, cracking the pavement.

A massive leg tried to stomp him, but Will used {Beastly Leap} to dodge, retrieving his hammer from the other monster’s corpse. He infused both it and his axe with his Pseudo Divine Weapon Skill.

“RAAAAH!”

He aimed for her legs first, swinging both weapons with all his might! But he quickly realized it’d be far harder than with the smaller ones—her exoskeleton was incredibly tough. Only a few cracks appeared despite his full-force strike.

“GRYAAAH!”

The Queen roared furiously, opening her jaws to devour Will in one bite. He didn’t move, realizing that with such a sturdy exterior, the only way to harm her was from the inside.

“Eat shit!”

Will spent another tenth of his Mana, conjuring a massive Will-o-Wisp fireball and hurling it into her jaws. It exploded inside, burning her mouth and stomach!

BOOOM!

“Gaaaaggghh!”

The Queen shrieked in shock and pain, staggering erratically, crashing into buildings and toppling them with her immense bulk. The Will-o-Wisps, designed to burn lifeforce, transferred a small portion back to Will, revitalizing him.

“If hitting her legs or armor is useless, I’ll crush her eyes next!”

Will summoned several smaller fireballs—apple-sized—and fired them at her eyes with precision, his manipulation honed from working the Magic Furnace.

The Arachneia Queen was bombarded with explosions, her eyes burning in agony as she coughed blood and venom. Despite her superior strength, she hadn’t expected such a trump card.

But she wasn’t helpless.

“GRYYAARRR!”

With a furious roar, she spat venom from her burning jaws, the acid melting cars, pavement, and entire buildings. Will’s eyes widened—he knew he couldn’t survive that. He ran, conjuring ice walls to shield himself while bombarding her with Phantasmal Fireballs from afar, dealing steady damage and healing any poison that grazed him.

“Master, is this even going to work?! You’ve turned this into a battle of attrition! The Queen has far more vitality and mana than you!”

“I know, but what else can I do but wear her down from a distance?”

Will kept up his game, but the Queen’s patience snapped. She aimed her abdomen at him, unleashing a torrent of spiderwebs that turned the area into her “domain.”

“What…?!”

Will gasped as one arm stuck to the webbing. The more he pulled, the more it felt like his skin would tear off! He grabbed his lighter, setting the webs ablaze. The fire burned him, but he freed himself, cloaking his body in cold water and charging through the flames.

As he ignited everything, the Arachneia Queen gave chase. Her tough exoskeleton let her stride through the fire unscathed, though she’d grown sluggish and weaker. With several eyes gone, she was still burning internally, coughing blood and flames.

“Master, I think it’s working—she must be dying!”

“Alright!”

Will climbed a building, using Beastly Leap to reach the roof. He glanced down as the Queen charged, crashing into the structure with her full weight, toppling it onto herself.

Leaping into the sky, Will fell toward her head, aiming for her eyes with both axe and hammer. Using the momentum of his fall—gravity as his weapon—he struck.

CRAAASH!

With all his strength, he smashed her head, bursting her remaining eyes into bloody pulp. Three consecutive crimson shockwaves from his hammer dealt internal damage to her skull as more flames seared her. With his Mana below 10%, he had to end this fast.

“GRRRR!”

Defying all odds, the Queen survived, roaring and snaring Will with her sharp legs, trying to impale him. His coat deflected the blows as he wrestled her limbs, burning her with flames.

“Come on, die! Die already! Come on!!!”

As her legs pierced his arms, Will screamed. His phantasmal flames, glowing clear blue, turned pitch black, scorching her with heightened intensity for a fleeting moment.

“KRIEEEEH!”

The monstrosity let out a final shriek before collapsing, shaking the street and toppling another building. It was dead.

[You have slain [Arachneia Queen (Tier 3: Level 15)]. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 300 Tutorial Points.]

[Level Up!]

[Special Class: {Demigod} has reached Level 17. Stat Points have been allocated; you gained 1 Free Stat Point.]

“Aaaaggh… W-What the hell was that?”

Will slumped onto the spider’s corpse, puzzled by his flames turning black. Cube was stunned—what he’d sensed in that moment was…

“It was your Divinity, master!”

“What?”

“In a moment when you pushed yourself to your limits… I suppose it awakened something. It might not be fully formed, but that was definitely a Divinity tied to Death or even… Destruction.”

“Oh…”

Will lacked the energy to dwell on it. He healed himself with Sacred Healing and ate a mouthful of Chimera Meat jerky he’d prepared earlier. It tasted less awful than Hobgoblin meat but was damn tough. Still, like the Hobgoblin meat, it sped up his Mana recovery and sated his hunger.

[Congratulations, you have completed Phase 1 Tutorial Objective 7: Slay 5 Tier 3 or above Lifeforms: 5/5!]

[Please choose your Reward.]

[+5 Strength.]

[+5 Agility.]

[+5 Magic Power.]

[+New Skill.]

[+90% Skill Mastery.]

[+1 Enhanced Magic Weapon.]

“Huh? Ah, this…”

As he recovered, Will eyed the notifications with a weary expression. More options glowed mysteriously before him. He seriously considered +5 Magic Power—five points was significant—but the allure of a new Skill gnawed at him.

After all, skipping it meant missing out on something potentially game-changing. Will-o-Wisp had clinched this victory, proving how vital Skills could be.

He grabbed the Skill Card. It dissolved into particles of light, merging with his hand and coursing through his body.

“Ah, huh?”

He felt little change, though a new protective layer of energy now enveloped him—something he’d been working on but hadn’t mastered.

[You have learned the Skill: [Pseudo Divine Armor (Tier 1)]: [Spend Mana to coat your body with a layer of your Divine Power. The stronger and more awakened your Divinity, the tougher and more durable this protective coating becomes, mitigating damage and capable of forming armor and shields. Reduces damage taken by 30%. Increases Resistance against All Elements.]

“I finally got it as a Skill…”

Will stood, feeling the power flow more easily through him. He practiced with it—as the description promised, he could shape it into massive shields and barriers, potentially outclassing his Ice Walls. They cost more Mana but weren’t exorbitant. The Skill seemed to refine his Mana control, minimizing waste.

It dawned on him: greater mastery reduced a skill’s Mana cost. Perhaps high costs stemmed from poor control, letting Mana scatter uselessly.

“I can’t carry these whole, but I can at least take a leg, some jaws, maybe some eyes,” Will said, swiftly butchering the Arachneia Queen and Warriors. He only extracted the Soldiers’ cores.

In the end, he claimed a massive leg from the Queen, several venomous fangs, a stash of her venom, and her huge, watermelon-sized core, plus the other spiders’ cores.

“You’ve scored a nice haul of materials, master! Well done!”

“Hm, seems like no monsters are around. Where’d the Shriekers go?”

“Must’ve fled after that big battle. Arachneia Queens are already so strong… Oh, that gives me an idea—why not check their nest?”

“The one I burned?”

“Yes, it should’ve cooled by now. Arachneia dig large underground tunnels, you see. The rich Mana down there might’ve spawned rare materials.”

“Alright, I’ll give it a shot.”

Along the way, Will stored some wood, leaves, and odd fruits from the Nightscape trees the Queen had smashed. He wasn’t sure what happened at dawn—whether they’d burn away or vanish as if they’d never existed.

“It’s in here, right? Hm.”

Will peered down, spotting a large cave. He jumped in, using his smartphone as a flashlight, and navigated the spider-dug corridors. No Arachneia remained, but dozens of eggs—resilient even to fire—littered the space.

“Better burn them. I don’t want this getting out of hand.”

Will showed no mercy, using Will-o-Wisp to incinerate every egg, restoring his health in the process.

[You have slain [Arachneia Larvae (Tier 1: Level 1)] x15. You have earned Bonus Experience for slaying a Lifeform above your Tier and Level. You earned 75 Tutorial Points.]

“Master! I think I found something! Over here!”

Will followed Cube’s voice into a large, hidden underground chamber, distinct from the rest. Glowing, colorful crystals filled the space, the air was thick and heavy with concentrated Mana, making it hard to breathe.

“These are…?”

“They’re Spirit Stones! I think there’s a Water Stone here—perfect for evolving your Aqua Hand Skill sooner!”

“But how did so many form here so fast?”

“It’s not about time. Your world’s merging with the Great Beyond. Like the forest outside, pockets of the Great Beyond can spawn here. This nest might’ve already existed elsewhere and linked to this… uh, pizzeria.”

“Huh…”

Will nodded, searching for the Spirit Stone he needed. He found dark blue Space Element stones, purplish-blue Poison Element ones—abundant here—and clear blue Ice Element crystals.

“So Ice and Water are separate elements…”

“Sort of… Oh, could that be it?”

Cube darted into a small crystal near some broken pipes and a puddle. Will followed, spotting a single blue crystal growing amid the water.

“Not too dark, not too clear… I think this is the Water Spirit Crystal! I can feel its essence—can’t you, master?”

Will plucked the crystal from the ground. With a glance, he sensed its uniqueness. Whispers filled his ears, and tiny, sparkling, near-microscopic creatures floated around it, then circled his head.

“What are these things?” Will wondered.

“Spirits, master—small entities born from Spiritual Energy, the purest essence of elements, mana, and nature,” Cube explained. “They can grow larger, but most are microscopic, only sensed by those attuned to the elements. Bigger ones, High Spirits, evolve in highly spiritual places from millions of smaller ones combining. Beyond them are Divine Spirits.”

“That’s fascinating… so much about this universe I never knew. You’re really useful, Cube. Thanks for all your help so far,” Will said sincerely, smiling at his assistant.

“Master, it’s just my duty as your Administrator—don’t mention it,” Cube replied, seeming pleased. “Now, I’d suggest using the crystal. Your Aqua Hand is strong, but it’d be even better at a higher level, especially against Tier 3 monsters.”

“Right, let’s do it,” Will agreed, pulling out the other materials. “So, how do I do this?”

“A notification should appear if you think about evolving the skill,” Cube said.

“Hm, okay.” Will nodded, closing his eyes briefly. When he opened them, there it was.

[Your Skill [Aqua Hand (Tier 1)] has reached 100% Skill Mastery. You can now Tier Up your Skill.]

[Necessary Ingredients for Tier Up]:

[One Tier 2 Monster Core: 1/1]

[Ten Tier 1 Monster Cores: 10/10]

[One Water Spirit Stone: 1/1]

[All Necessary Materials are available. Do you wish to Tier Up your Skill?]

[Yes] [No]

Will pressed [Yes]. The materials floated before him, dissolving into countless light particles that gathered into his hands, making them glow. Two tattoos—blue water droplets—suddenly etched themselves onto his hands.

For a fleeting moment, Will felt strange, as if ocean waves swept him away. He was drowning in a cold sea, yet it wasn’t frightening—it was calming, like home.

Then he felt he could swim through it. Looking around, he saw a vibrant coral reef, teeming with thousands of colorful fish and giant creatures of all shapes and sizes.

It was soothing, like returning to a home he didn’t remember.

“I see…”

Will’s eyes widened as a deep, masculine voice echoed from the depths.

Bright blue eyes emerged from the sea, piercing his very soul.

“So you’ve finally begun to claim your power, my son.”

“H-Huh?”

What did this voice mean by “son”?

Will couldn’t believe what he was experiencing.

Was this a hallucination, a dream?

Or were those words—and the entity behind them—real?

“Wait…! Are you…?! Are you my…?”

“I’m glad you’re healthy and have survived this far… Will.”

The water swirled around him, forming enormous hands that cradled him like a child.

“Why did you leave me?!”

Will didn’t hesitate, demanding the truth.

“I wish I could talk with you as long as I wanted. But I cannot…”

FLASH!

A bright azure light rose from the ocean’s depths. A small, droplet-shaped blue jewel floated toward him.

“Claim your true power, my son. Survive at all costs… And find us.”

“At least tell me where the hell you are!”

Will shouted, clutching the crystal, but he snapped back to reality—as if it had all been a vision.

“Master?! Are you okay? You were screaming just now!” Cube fretted.

“I’m… I’m fine,” Will muttered, looking dazed and weary. He realized he was crying and quickly wiped his eyes. “Cube, I… someone gave me this.”

“Huh?!” Cube’s eye widened, nearly popping out as he saw the jewel in Will’s hands. “T-That is…! That’s a…! Unbelievable!”

“What is it? Tell me already…” Will sighed.

“That’s a Crystallized Divine Ocean Tear! An incredibly rare Divine Treasure that any Ocean God would kill to possess!”

“What?”

“It seems… you heard a voice, right?”

“Yes… he called me his son and… was that really my father?!”

“Perhaps! I can’t believe it! It seems your parents weren’t as neglectful as you thought! They’ve left you an Inheritance… or perhaps a Legacy?”

“What? I don’t even understand what you mean…”

“Hmm, there’s too much to explain! We need to head back to the Safe Zone, master. Grab as many crystals as you can—they’re all insanely valuable!”

“Fine, fine…”

Though confused, Will felt a deep joy at finally hearing his father’s voice for the first time.

[The Skill: [Aqua Hand (Tier 1: 100%)] has Tiered Up to [Ocean Hand (Tier 2: 0%)]: [Manipulate Mana and Divine Power to conjure powerful Water Attribute Spells and even Advanced Ocean Magic Spells at will, without requiring Runes or Chanting. The intensity and strength of this Magic increases based on your proficiency and the Spells you develop. By sacrificing a large quantity of Mana, you can further manifest your Divinity and temporarily materialize the {Ocean Domain} around you.]

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