Luke had his hand in the dirt, pulling out everything he could. Two days had already passed in that maddening routine of constant running, never-ending tension, and the looming threat of the Beast Lord. The damn thing never stopped. It slithered across the entire region without pause, hunting him like a predator with no need for rest. Luke couldn't afford to stay in one place for more than an hour. Any longer, and he risked being caught.

Even with Meditation, his stamina never fully recovered. Physical exhaustion had built up like a weight pressing on every limb, and mentally, he was fraying. His thoughts came slower now. His reactions were dulled. Everything was effort. In theory, micro-naps could help. But even that was a gamble. The serpent didn't need to see him—just brush its perception field past him. That alone would be enough to sense the mark. And if that happened? Game over.

Luke knew it. It would only take one mistake. One breath at the wrong moment. If the Beast Lord locked onto him again, there'd be no escaping. And as if that weren't enough, there were the statues. Every time night fell, he had to be on edge. If one of them had seen him, he wouldn't even know until it was too late. But he hadn't wasted those two days.

He'd kept moving toward his destination, step by careful step, while also tending to his personal crop—every leaf, every root cultivated with precision. He needed every single bonus stat he could squeeze out.

*Your profession [Botanist of Mother Freya] has reached Level 28! (Bonus attribute points acquired)*

**[You have reached Level 24! Half-Demon (Rank F)] (+1 bonus point to all attributes, +1 free point)**

Luke exhaled sharply when he saw the race-level notification. Thank the system—his wounds closed up instantly, and the fatigue vanished in a flash. He'd been running on fumes. His mana reserves were almost gone, and he'd need to activate Meditation soon or collapse trying. He had never planted so much in so little time, pouring every drop of focus into growth and survival. Now, with his energy restored, it was time to check the numbers.

Luke opened his system interface and scanned his stats.

Name: Luke Level: 24 Rank: F Class: [Demonic Assassin (Lvl 33)] Race: Half-Demon Profession: Botanist of Mother Freya (Lvl 28) Titles: [Dark Lord] Bloodline: [Bloodline of the Dark Demon] Health Points (HP): 2030/2030 Mana Points (MP): 1660/1660 Stamina: 1220/1220 Soul Fragments: 62/1000

Stats: Strength: 238 Agility: 204 (254) Endurance:102 (122) Vitality: 203 Perception: 228 (238) Intelligence: 166 (171) Free Points: 70

Class Skills: [Basic Blade Handling (Common)], [Profane Knife Throwing (Uncommon)], [Twin Blade (Common)], [Basic Dark Dash (Rare)], [Basic Blood Regeneration (Rare)], [Assassin's Mark (Rare)], [Demonic Blade Dance (Rare)], [Wraith Form (Ultra-Rare)], [Force Infusion (Rare)], [Advanced Stealth (Rare)]

Profession Skills: [Herbology of Mother Freya (Ancient)], [Precise Extraction (Common)], [Basic Potion Crafting (Common)], [Plant Growth (Uncommon)], [Plant Sensor (Uncommon)], [Botanical Bond of Mother Freya (Rare)], [Seed Conversion (Rare)], [Plant Manipulation of Mother Freya (Rare)]

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

Bloodline Skill: [Servant of the Dark Lord (Unique)] Servants: [Princess Charlie (Skeleton) - Lvl 17], [Servant Slot Available]

All his unspent stat points were still sitting there on the interface, untouched. Luke hadn't allocated a single one. He'd thought through every possible configuration during those long hours of running and hiding. He could spread the 70 free points across all attributes for a balanced boost. Safer, smarter. Or… dump them all into one stat. That path would be reckless. But the payoff? Massive.

He was torn. Pour it all into Agility to move faster, dodge better, strike quicker with his kukris? Or funnel it into Strength for raw, brutal power? Speed or lethality. That was the question.

A chill ran down his spine. Something was wrong. Luke's gaze snapped toward a towering structure nearby, one of the tallest in the ruined city. And there, wrapped around the crumbling stone like a living spire, was the Beast Lord.

The serpent's enormous body coiled around the building, using the height to lift itself above the city. A living tower of scales and muscle. Its head turned slowly, scanning the world with eyes like glowing blades. The sun was dipping low now, painting the sky in molten orange. Light shimmered off the monster's scales, casting fractured shadows across the ruins. It wasn't just watching—it was hunting.

Luke had spent hours pushing his mana through the plants, leaving faint traces of his signature across every district, every alley. It was meant to confuse the serpent, cloud its senses, force it to second-guess. But now… the Beast Lord had stopped moving.

Its massive head swiveled, and even from a distance, their eyes locked. Time froze. Then, the illusion shattered with a deafening roar. The creature lunged from the building with terrifying speed, its massive body slicing through the air, every movement a shockwave. Luke didn't flinch. He gripped the hilts of his kukris tightly.

"It's starting," he muttered.

Beside him, Charlie emerged from his soul, already channeling stamina into her fists. And then Luke made his choice. No hesitation.

Stats Updated: Strength: 238 -> 308 Free Points: 70 -> 0

He went all in on damage. If he was going down, he'd hit hard enough to make it count. The serpent barreled toward him, shrieking fury. Luke ran straight at it. Kukris in hand, he surged forward without a second thought, leaving Charlie behind. The creature opened its jaws wide, ready to swallow him whole. And then the ground erupted.

Massive roots burst upward like spears, slamming into the serpent's hide. Vines shot out from alleyways, wrapped around building corners, layered in sharp thorns. Luke had mimicked a tactic from Earth—spike strips for high-speed chases, laid out in green. The Beast Lord ignored the damage, but it didn't expect it. No one would. Even a monster would flinch if ambushed from every direction at once.

That was his opening. Luke charged, stamina roaring through his veins, both kukris glowing with Force Infusion. He hurled one. It spun like a black star through the air and smashed into the serpent's temple with a crack. The impact made the Beast Lord reel, stunned. Even Luke blinked in disbelief at the sheer force.

Before the monster could recover, the second kukri followed. It slammed into the jaw, snapping the beast's head sideways. The massive skull crashed against a building with a crunch of stone and bone. Blood spilled down its fangs. And Luke didn't stop.

The beast let out a furious roar. Luke summoned his kukris back with a burst of magnetism and launched into another dash.

Stamina surged through his veins, through the blades, through every tightened muscle. He leapt. And midair, he collided with the creature, both feet slamming into its face in a double kick powered by infused stamina and seventy freshly invested points in raw strength. The serpent's head slammed back into a building with a thunderous crack. Before it could even react, a kukri came flying, packed with focused force.

It hit like a bomb, driving the monster's face deeper into the crumbling wall. The entire sequence happened so fast the Beast Lord had no time to register what was happening. Even Luke felt the shock of his own newfound power. He landed on the creature's back, blade already in hand, and tore through its flesh with fluid, merciless precision.

The second kukri zipped back into his grip. And then came the dance. Slice after slice. Blades sinking in. Blood pouring out. A punch slammed into the beast's side. Charlie had joined the fight, fury in her eyes. She'd flanked it from the street, fists igniting with Power Punch and Steel Fist.

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The blow cracked across its skull, sending the serpent's head careening into another building.

Luke raised a hand. From within the building's support beams, plants stirred—plants he'd seeded and nurtured with intention. Now, with his new Plant Manipulation skill, they answered. They wrapped around the structure's core and squeezed. The building collapsed. Right on top of the Beast Lord.

Silence.

The serpent's body lay still beneath the rubble. Eyes closed. Luke didn't hesitate. He ran.

But then... the eyes snapped open.

Burning with rage. The debris exploded outward. A stream of acid burst forth. Luke dove to the side, the street behind him sizzling into sludge. Charlie stepped forward, erecting a Spectral Barrier to protect him. The acid hit with thunderous force. Cracks spread. Luke activated their soul link. Charlie vanished—recalled into his soul mere seconds before the barrier shattered. It bought him just enough time. He bolted.

Fog rolled out behind him.

"YOU HURT ME!" The Beast Lord's scream shook the city like a poisoned thunderclap.

The serpent writhed through the streets. Luke sprinted through broken alleys, heart pounding. But as he turned a corner— He froze. There it was. The Beast Lord. Slithering slowly from the far end of the street, eyes locked on him like a vengeful god.

"Shit!" He turned and ran the other way.

The ground quaked. The serpent was climbing a building, coiling up the side like a python around a tree. From the rooftop, it spewed acid into the sky.

"Goddamn it!" Luke dove into the ruins of an old structure just as corrosive rain began to fall.

The roof hissed and melted like butter under a blowtorch.

"You've got nowhere left to run, human..." The serpent's voice echoed from every direction. "You're a speck. Delaying the inevitable. I'll savor your screams while you melt in my acid."

The sound of destruction intensified. It was slithering through the city in a wide, crushing path. Luke vaulted across rooftops, each jump a gamble, each landing a brush with death. But the Beast Lord was relentless.

It seemed to be everywhere at once. He cut across another street—only to find the other half of its body already there, blocking the way like a living wall. He spun, ducked into a side alley. The creature's head lunged in, jaws wide, ready to swallow him whole— And stopped. It recoiled, stunned.

"DID YOU... TIE ME IN A KNOT?!"

Luke didn't answer. He simply gripped his kukris and poured every last drop of stamina into them. Charlie emerged from his soul. The pact with Samael would have to wait. Right now, survival was the only priority.

Together, they jumped. Each aimed for an eye. Charlie erupted in flame, activating Berserker Mode. With her Steel Fist charged to the brim, she drove a punch into one of the serpent's eyes. Luke whirled into the Demon Blade Dance, slashing and stabbing, carving raw hatred into the Beast Lord's other eye.

The serpent lunged forward, blinded by pain—now literally blind. It thrashed in a frenzy, demolishing everything in a storm of rage. Charlie and Luke were flung through the air.

Before she could be crushed, Luke pulled her back into his soul. He hit the ground running. Behind him, the serpent howled and gave chase.

"EVEN BLIND... I CAN STILL FEEL YOU!"

"Oh, I'm flattered," Luke muttered, sarcasm masking the exhaustion in his voice. "You can't see me, but you still can't take your eyes off me?"

"FILTHY HUMAN WORM!"

He didn't respond. He just ran. Vaulting from rooftop to rooftop while the world behind him collapsed into ruin. And then... one of the serpent's eyes began to regenerate.

"Shit..."

The monster lunged.

"You will die!" the Beast Lord roared, voice sharp enough to slice air.

The serpent reared back, jaws wide, fangs like spears gleaming in the light. It dove, ready to devour him whole. A crack rang out, followed by a scream of agony. One of the fangs hit the ground with a heavy, lifeless thud. Luke stood his ground, gripping the Forest Minotaur's Axe. The blade still glowed, heat enchantment active.

The serpent howled in pain. Luke dismissed the axe into his inventory and broke into a sprint.

"MY TOOTH! MY TOOTH!" the monster shrieked, eyes ablaze with fury.

Luke ran like hell, lungs burning. His system interface blinked to life as he reached his destination.

**Special Mission: Sanctuary of the Stone Echoes!**

Objective: Destroy the Fallen Stone Angel and crush the Watchers under its command. Only then will you be able to enter the fortress and activate the Third Mechanism. (Warning: Once inside, there is no turning back. Exit is only possible upon completion.)

[The stones are watching. And waiting. Do you accept the challenge?]

A tunnel opened in the wall of living roots, revealing the darkness beyond. Luke accepted. He turned for just a second—and locked eyes with the Beast Lord once more. Rage. Pure, unfiltered hatred.

"I'LL KILL YOU! YOU BROKE MY TOOTH!" the serpent bellowed, voice echoing like thunder soaked in blood.

Roots surged from the earth, pulsing with energy. They wrapped around Luke and began to drag him toward the tunnel.

"You want me dead?" he shouted back.

Grinning, he held the broken fang high like a war trophy, then tucked it into his necklace.

"Take a number."

The serpent lunged, jaws wide in a final, enraged strike— But Luke was already gone, swallowed by the dark, pulled deep into the unknown by the roots.

[Welcome to the Sanctuary of the Stone Echoes!]

***

Allison and the leadership circle of the Haven were gathered in hiding, tucked away in a storage room beneath the inn, going over the next phase of their plan.

"Once you enter the dungeon, it's all undead soldiers and worse," Mason warned, leaning against a crate. "This is your last chance to back out."

"And miss our shot at Bartholomew?" Miranda scoffed. "Not a chance. We're coming back stronger."

There were three Midnight Wardens stationed inside the dungeon—isolated, far from the city. Perfect. In the city, fighting even one was a nightmare. The moment one engaged in combat, the others would hear the screech and rush in. That's what made them so dangerous. But within the dungeon walls, each one was locked in a separate chamber, far enough apart to take down individually.

Kill one, snag a powerful drop, prep for the next.

"I've got everything on the list," Quinn said as he pulled gear from his storage item—pickaxes, hammers, saws.

Mason gave an approving nod. "That'll do."

Alongside combat, they had another goal: push for profession awakenings. A few members of the Haven inside the dungeon were on the verge of unlocking professions—Miner, Blacksmith, and more. The deeper levels were lined with veins of ore and rare materials. If they played it right, the miners and smiths could work side by side, gathering and forging what they'd need to build up their strength.

They wouldn't be seeing daylight for a while. This was their last day above ground.

"Let's move," Mason said, leading the group into a narrow tunnel.

They'd emerge inside a small house straddling the edge of the Safe Zone—right at the border with the Wild Zone.

Only Allison and Evangeline stayed behind, watching the group disappear into the shadows.

"I need to tell you something about Luke," Allison said quietly, turning to her.

"You still think he's alive?" Evangeline asked.

There was no real way to know. Luke had vanished along with Paul, and for all Allison knew, he'd been killed—either by Bartholomew's assassins or by something lurking in the Wild Zone. The last time they'd spoken was during that chaos at the Haven.

"I'm sure he's still out there," Allison said without hesitation.

Evangeline shrugged. "Alright then. So, what did you want to tell me?"

"Just keep an eye on him if he shows up again. I've got a feeling the next time he appears, he's going to drag some kind of storm with him. He's got that kind of curse—trouble clings to him. So help him, alright? He has no idea what kind of threat is waiting inside that second mechanism fortress. If he walks in there without a plan, he's dead."

Evangeline wasn't joining the group. Even though she was the strongest among them, grinding levels in some dungeon didn't make sense for someone who had already hit the top of her rank. Her value was here—in the shadows of the Haven, keeping an eye on Bastion's movements with the help of her familiar, a raven.

While the others pushed forward, she would stay behind and hold the line. There were still good people in the Haven. They couldn't afford to leave them unguarded.

"I'll do what I can," Evangeline said. "We won't be able to talk for a while—Jerry doesn't enter dungeons. But once you reach the orc forest, I'll send updates by letter."

That was the plan.

"Who knows," Evangeline added with a sly smile, "maybe your friend's already out there in the forest."

"Honestly? That would make sense. That's exactly the kind of place he'd go if he wanted to get stronger," Allison replied. "Or… he crossed through to the other side of the tutorial. Beyond the barrier."

Evangeline laughed. "Who'd be dumb enough to head into the hardest zone in this world while still low-level?"

"Doesn't matter where he is," Allison said, her voice steady. "Wherever he's gone, he'll find a way to survive. He always does. Just promise me—if he shows up, don't let him walk into that second fortress. Tell him to meet me in the orc forest instead."

"Got it," Evangeline said, then melted into shadow, slipping into Allison's own like a wraith.

Allison climbed the stairs and stepped out into the cold dawn air, leaving the inn behind. The streets of the Safe Zone were quiet, still wrapped in night's hush. And as she walked, one thought echoed in her mind: Where are you right now, Luke?

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