Abyss Draconis

The Next Morning

Golden sunlight pierced through the tall glass window in the room, shining its golden rays on a figure who was peacefully asleep on the puffy white bed, clinging onto the sheets like a greedy drunkard clinging onto the last bottle of his alcohol.

But then, his eyes twitched once, and slowly, one of them opened up.

His left one, giving one look at the peeking sunlight as his hand slowly rose to block the rays of light.

But then, his eyes flashed as the right one instantly opened up and Ryuk jumped onto his butt in the next instant.

"I fell asleep. What happened?" he mused to himself as he looked around the bed confusedly.

But then, the events of the day before instantly coursed into his mind, flooding like a dam with its gate opened and eyes flashed a moment later.

His eyes zipped closed right after and his breathing went still.

When he opened his eyes—

He was in his mental realm.

Like yesterday, there was the silhouette of the spectral figure, the skeleton of a dragon floating in the void of his mental realm formed from his mental vein.

But unlike previously, the runes on its body had considerably dimmed.

Still, there was no dark chains churning around.

Ryuk's eyes flashed before he moved himself away from his mental realm, his eyes opening to the sight of the silvery white bedroom around him.

But then, golden light flashed in front of his gaze.

[Congratulations Host on Completing the Secret Quest: Fully Break Open the Locks Present on Your Mental Veins Within a Week!]

[Rewards:

+200 Stats Points will be unlocked on all stats!

+400,000 EXP!]

[Congratulations Host on Completing the Secret Quest: Reach the First Stage of Aetheris Cultivation]

[Rewards:

+500,000 EXP!

+1 Awakened Aetheris Skill Evolution Card!

+20 Ability Level-Up Cards!]

"Finally, I've broken through the Locks, and reached the First level of Aetheris Cultivation," Ryuk muttered to himself as his hands clenched into his fists.

This time not from pain, but from accomplishment.

'Activate System Interface.'

[System Interface]

[Name: Ryuk Knull]

[Race: Half Jade Dragon, Half Knull]

[Age: 17]

[Apex Energy Cultivation:

Frost Energy Cultivation: Initial Plane of the Stage of Cataclysm

Void Energy Cultivation: Initial Plane of the Stage of Ascension]

[Aetheris Energy Cultivation: Initial Lucid Spark Stage]

[Level: 79]

[EXP: 1,015,000 / 773,000]

[Does Host wish to Level Up?]

[Yes!]

[Congratulations, Host has levelled up to Level 80!]

[+45 Attribute Points Obtained]

[Stats]

[Strength: 1000 (300 Locked)]

[Agility: 1000 (350 Locked)]

[Endurance: 1000 (550 Locked)]

[Intelligence: 390 (+100!)]

[Charisma: 200]

[Attribute Points: 1,105!]

"I've reached the Initial Stage of the Lucid Spark Realm in my cultivation, and that also corresponds to an increase of 100 stat points in my Intelligence, huh?" Ryuk muttered to himself as a new notification flashed.

[Correct, Host. Growth in Aetheris Energy will cause a growth in Intelligence.]

"Sounds fair. After all, when I break through to a new level in my Apex Cultivation, the rest of my stats increase—except my Intelligence. But with Aetheris being an energy of the Mind, it makes sense for only Intelligence to increase."

"Now things are well balanced out."

"But not only that... my current stats are about 700 in Strength, 650 in Agility, and 450 in Endurance. It is no longer a doubt now, that I've surpassed my previous peak before I arrived here..." Ryuk muttered to himself as he clenched and unfurled his fist.

He could see the growth in strength.

And unlike previously, that amount of strength was well controlled—perhaps even well concealed within him.

It wasn't like before when it was so overpowering as if his body could no longer handle more strength.

This time, the strength was subtle and well-contained, able to be released in controlled bursts by Ryuk if he willed—and bearing not much strain on his body.

It was another reminder that the body he was in now was levels above the ones he had before.

[Host possesses one High-Quality Ability Evolution Card for his previous Aetheris Skill: Aegis of the Jade Dragon.]

[A High-Quality skill upgrade is unlike a basic ability upgrade, because it causes the evolution of the skill into something higher and better instead of a simple level increase.]

[Does Host wish to try it out?] the system asked as Ryuk fixed his gaze at the panel.

But then his shoulders relaxed as he nodded his head.

'Yes.'

[Congratulations on using a Skill Evolution Card on a skill!]

[Secret Quest Completed: Use a High-Grade Evolution Card]

[Rewards: +10 Ability Upgrade Cards!]

[Congratulations Host, your Aetheris Skill: Aegis of the Jade Dragon has now evolved into a new skill.]

[Details Below:]

[Previous Aetheris Skill]

[Skill: Aegis of the Jade Dragon]

Description: Drawing upon Aetheris, the energy of the Will, the Host bends the fabric of space, shaping it into an unbreakable shield. With a mere thought, they harden the air before them, turning it into solid jade.

Additional Effects:Momentum Nullification – Instead of just absorbing force, the shield halts it completely, preventing even strong attacks from pushing through.

[Evolution Card Has Been Used on the Skill]

[New Aetheris Skill]

[Skill: Draconic GraveMarch (Lv.1)]

[Type: Draconic Mindform Skill (Aetheris)]

[Description: Each step the user takes after the skill's activation asserts the will of a Sovereign Dragon upon the surrounding space.

A miniature domain is projected from the user's body, causing gravity and physical pressure to surge by hundreds of times.

The very air becomes as dense and unyielding as jade, crushing all movement and momentum within the boundary of the domain—safe for the user.

[Current Limitations:]

Domain Radius at Level 1: 5 meters

Weight Multiplier: +200x Base Gravity

Step-Based Recenter: Only active while walking; effects disperse as soon as the Host's step leaves the ground.

The system notification flashed as Ryuk looked at the technique, studying its activation before he nodded his head.

He couldn't use it now and test it out since he was the only one in the room, but he got the gist of the technique—and it was definitely an evolution of his prevous Aegis of the Jade Dragon skill.

With this, he could slow down both foes and attacks coming toward him.

And if he levelled it up enough, then there was a possibility that everyone would freeze up completely—both attacks and movement—giving Ryuk the sole ability to move around.

Now the name made even more sense in such a scenario.

It would truly be a Draconic GraveMarch for his enemies.