Chapter 2: GrimWorld
The first thing that Arlan did was clean up the blood in the living room before moving in front of the dead body.
'Let's see what I can summon in exchange for this body,' Arlan thought before he pointed his hand at the assassin and closed his eyes.
A glowing black magic circle with white borders soon manifested below the body.
The body entered that magic circle before something popped out of it.
A four feet tall black humanoid shadow with unshaped limbs.
'A common shadow creep? Well, better than nothing.'
Opening his eyes, Arlan looked at the shadow creep before his eyes suddenly glowed mystically.
It was as if an additional pair of faint magical dark red eyes overlapped his physical eyes.
At the activation of his Evil Eyes, the shadow creep was pulled towards Arlan while turning smaller before it vanished into his eyes.
He sent the ShadowCreep beside his soul and commanded it to protect it.
After showering, he looked at himself in the mirror to see the young man he had become.
He had an above-average handsome countenance, a whitish-peach skin tone, and silky but messy black hair of medium length.
But Arlan's most striking aspect was his pair of attractive amber eyes.
His eyes and slim body enhanced his above-average looks, giving him a relaxed and calm type of handsomeness.
He then opened GrimWorld Online's capsule and lay inside.
'This is comfortable.'
The inside of the capsule was made with the utmost comfort of the user, and there were no wires visible except for linear patterns that started glowing in digitize-blue after he opened the capsule.
'I guess this is the only way to recover myself. Such esoteric magic in this device, but the atmosphere here has scarceness. Maybe some other part of this world has high mana and magic power in the atmosphere?'
While wondering, Arlan put his head on the cushion and wore the special blindfold with digitized patterns on its surface.
It was also comfortable to put on eyes.
Afterward, Arlan pressed a button that closed the capsule while a voice rang out.
[Please prepare to sleep and dive into GrimWorld.]
After the capsule was closed, Arlan closed his eyes.
[3]
[2]
[1]
[All the best]
Arlan saw himself arriving among the dark clouds before a woman with long crimson hair, two red horns on her head, and wearing a kimono-like outfit appeared.
"A new prey into the GrimWorld, eh? Are you ready to experience suffering and chaos while growing stronger?"
'Suffering and chaos?' Arlan couldn't help but faintly smile. "I am."
"Good, then choose a starting weapon."
Arlan saw a list of weapons before him with a wave of that woman's hand.
"All weapons will be attached with a skill. Melee weapons will have melee skills, while magical and ranged weapons will have ranged skills. All of them are common-rank, so choose the one that suits you."
Arlan touched a wooden magic staff.
[Magic Staff]
\_Grade: common.
\_Magic power: 30.
\_Skill: magic pebble.
[ Magic Pebble ]
-Type: magic Spell.
-Grade: common.
-Scaling: magic-7, mind-3.
-Shoots a pebble created from condensed mana towards a target. You must aim properly using your mind to hit your target.
'This staff is good,' Aran thought after checking the staff. 'I can use it in both ways.'
"Do you wish to take Magic Staff as your starting weapon?"
The woman asked.
"Yes."
Arlan answered with a nod.
"The scaling indicates that the damage of this skill will be based on your Magic and Mind stats. The number beside them ranges from 1-10 based on the scaling value."
"When you reach level 1, you will unlock your status. Good luck, crawler. Now, be on your journey."
Arlan suddenly saw the scenery change before him as he arrived in a dark cave.
The cave was dimly lit up by luminous crystals here and there as Arlan looked around.
'So, there's only one way.'
Arlan saw only one path ahead in this cave and started walking.
But the moment he reached the entrance, bone cackling rang as he saw a skeleton coming from the ground before him.
Arlan jumped back reflexively and pointed his staff at the skeleton.
'Magic Pebble.'
Mana released in front of the staff before turning into a magic pebble of condensed mana as it shot towards the skeleton and hit it.
*Clackling~*
[Level 1 skeleton killed. You have gained 10 experience points]
[You have reached level 1 and gained 1 status point.]
[Congratulations on starting your journey, crawler. You have been rewarded 5 status points as a good luck gift.]
[Your body is being scanned for status generation; please wait for a few seconds.]
[Affinity detected.]
[Body lacking some nutritious; code 02 activated.]
[A serum will be injected in five minutes.]
[Scanning completed- You can check your status and distribute the status points.]
[Please distribute these five status points carefully, as how you clear the path ahead will determine your starting boon.]
____________________
[ Status ]
\_Name: —
\_Titles: —
\_Class: —
\_Rank: Crawler.
\_Level: 1 ( 0/100 exp )
—>Health: 100%.
—>Mana: 100%.
\_Stats: 6 status points.
-Body: 5
-Mind: 5
-Magic: 8
-Mana: 5
-Soul: 1290
\_Talents: —
\_Affinity: Shadow.
\_Skills: —
[ Storage Box ]
[ Inbox ] (locked)
[ Friends ] (locked)
[ Chat ] (locked)
____________________
Arlan first inputted his name and then distributed status points, adding three in body, one in magic, one in mana, and one in mind.
Afterward, he walked into the dimly lit cave passage for roughly fifty meters before seeing an entrance glowing with silver sparks.
'Hmm? Is that an entrance to outside?'
Arlan was surprised. He soon arrived there and narrowed his eyes. 'This is magic… teleportation?'
Without further ado, he stepped ahead and entered.
But after entering, he arrived in a place full of darkness that soon turned into a worn-down ancient hall with regal decorations still intact.
*Swirls!*
Soon, a swirling mass of darkness conjured in front of him before turning into a skeleton wearing armor and wielding a sword.
[Trial starts. Please defeat the 1st foe.]
Arlan saw the skeleton running towards him with his sword intending to hack him, but he calmly moved to the side before smacking the staff into the skeleton's head.
'Weak.'
[Level 2 Skeleton killed, you have gained 20 experience points.]
But right after that, another swirling mass of darkness conjured before turning into two skeletons.
'Magic Pebble.'
Arlan masterfully used Magic Pebble as it hit the incoming skeleton's head squarely and easily smacked the other one with his staff.
'This staff is strong, but its durability is decreasing.'
'Guess I'll use some fists and kicks.'
Arlan had limited mana, so he wanted to use it wisely. If there were enemies he could defeat with his limbs, he would do it.
*Swirls~*
Another swirling mass of darkness conjured, producing a single creature this time.
[Dark Fangs Wolf]
-Level: 5
-Health: 100%
-Strength: 5 / Agility: 7
-Mind: 2
-Magic: 7
-Mana: 4
*Awooo!*
The wolf howled before dashing towards Arlan at full speed.
Arlan conjured a magic pebble but didn't release it and swiftly dodged the wolf's pounce before releasing it right when the wolf turned to him after its failed pounce.
The magic pebble pierced the wolf's head and instantly killed it.
[Level 5 Dark Wolf killed, you have gained 100 experience points.]
[You have reached level 2 and gained 1 status point.]
Arlan added the point into mana before he saw another swirling mass of darkness appears.
...
One by one, new foes arrived, and Arlan continued defeating them until the 10th foe, where he also heard a voice.
[This is the last foe of the trial. Good luck]
The 9th foe was a level 10 troll, and he also killed it relatively easily with two Magic Pebbles at his heart after dodging and planning a bit.
He reached level 6 after killing the troll and got four more status points, adding 2 to mana, 1 to the body, and 1 to the mind.
'Let's see who is the last one.' Arlan thought as he saw the swirling mass of darkness soon transforming into a black humanoid wearing a full-body dark gold armor and a giant black rusty sword in his hand that was glowing with runic patterns.
[ Skeleton Dark Knight ]
-Level: ???
-Rank: Awakened
-HP: 100%
-Mana: 100%
-Strength: 58 / Agility: 43
-Mind: 51
-Magic: 76
-Mana: 76
-Soul: 64
"Crawler, are you ready to die in my hands?" The Dark Knight spoke before its eye sockets gleamed with ghastly white wisps.
Arlan frowned. 'How is anyone supposed to defeat this 10th foe?'
"As per rules. I'll allow you the first strike opportunity. Go ahead."
The dark knight spoke as he put his giant sword at his back and crossed his arms.
"Quite arrogant for a measly skeleton in metal," Arlan said before his eyes darkly glinted.
A malevolent aura oozed out of him after he spoke, surprising Arlan. 'This…'
'This game first managed to measure my current soul power into some numbers, and now I am feeling the aura of my soul oozing out….'
'If so...'
"Hahaha. Let me see what you are capable of!" Dark Knight laughed.
Arlan grinned and blinked.
'Claw of Death.'
*Roar!!*
A creepy faint white fog suddenly and quietly appeared around Arlan, and a giant bony dragon claw immediately emerged from it. The claw pierced the Dark Knight and continued in upward momentum as it smashed into the grand hall's ceiling.
All of that in merely one and a half seconds.
*Booom!*
The hall slightly shook at the impact while the Dark Knight was barely visible within the gaps of the giant claw, but not for long as the Dark Knight turned into motes and vanished.
[An unknown skill detected]
[Skill Construct activated]
[Soul-type magic...]
[ Skill analyzing progress 1%…]
Arlan was surprised and thought amusedly. 'It will be an interesting discovery if this game can analyze my magic spell.'
…
Meanwhile, a particular big office in the headquarters of AstralTech was alarmed.
[ Skill Construct code 001 activation error.]
[ Skill analyzing progress halted at 1%.]
[ Error ]
[ Demanding higher authority and access to GrimCore. ]
"What's going on?!"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone