SSS Unknown: Dark Knight's Legacy

In his field of vision, two green, gelatinous blobs with life appeared. What he called [Slime]—and just as he was getting frustrated—he grabbed his spear and threw it at them.

'Slimes are single-celled organisms with low intelligence, their weak spot is the core.'

Gathering strength in his legs, he used his uninjured arm to hold the spear and propelled himself forward.

The slimes were no match for him; they were too slow to react. With a precise thrust, the spear pierced the core of one and killed it.

He spun around and kicked the remaining slime away, buying himself time to pull out the spear and continue the attack.

The remaining slime started to resist by hardening the gel surrounding its core. Seeing this, he grabbed a nearby rock and threw it at it.

'It's not effective.'

It began to stretch and bounce in another direction, trying to escape. Seizing the opportunity, he threw the spear at it.

'Damn, missed the core.'

Though the spear hit its body, it didn't destroy the core. That wasn't too much of an issue; just hitting it was enough to stun the slime.

He gathered strength in his legs again, aimed for the core, and struck.

At first, it tried to harden the gel to resist the stab from his knife.

But when he used his other hand to hold onto the spear lodged in its body, the slime focused too much on that and exposed its weakness.

With a sharp plop, the cold blade pierced the gel and destroyed the core.

When the slime's core was destroyed, the surrounding gel lost its elastic shape and became a mushy mess.

"… If there were more of them, the gel might be able to recombine."

But it wasn't a big issue right now. A larger body would require a larger core.

Sooner or later, he would need to think of a way to deal with a giant slime.

Just as he was about to leave, he wanted to check something. He gathered the remaining gel and tried to set it on fire.

It burned very well and was potentially useful as fuel for a long time.

'Hmm, if only I could ignite it right away.'

'If I could do that, I'd just burn the slime and run somewhere else when I face it.'

In his mind, he imagined a flame, a small spark to ignite hope in this endless dungeon.

Ding!

The system finally popped up, confirming the discovery of something new. A notification flashed before him, and a new skill appeared:

Skill point spent: 2

"Skill Gained: Fire Spark."

The description of the skill was clear:

"Allows the user to create a small spark of fire. Can be used to ignite flammable materials or trigger combustion."

A sense of satisfaction washed over him. 'Finally, something useful,' he thought.

It felt like a small, yet significant step. The ability to ignite fire, no matter how small, would be valuable in this dark and dangerous environment. His mind raced with possibilities—he could now use the slime's gel for fuel or ignite other materials to his advantage.

'With this, maybe I can make some progress in this dungeon,' he mused, eyes scanning the dark expanse around him.

'But wait, why did I gain it at this moment?'

The timing didn't feel right. It wasn't a moment of great need or danger. It just... happened.

"System!" He snapped, his voice sharp in the silence, as if demanding an answer.

A notification immediately popped up in front of him:

SYSTEM NOTIFICATION:

Status Update

Name: Unknown

Class: Survivor

Level: 5

HP: 280/300

MP: 5/5

Strength: 10

Agility: 12

Endurance: 10

Skill: Survival Instinct

Skill: Fire Spark

Ability: Unknown Mutation, Skill Ascended.

Skill Points: 4

Skill Ascended's notice: Please refrain from actively requesting abilities. They will automatically unlock when deemed necessary. if you choose to do so, be careful, it might not be optimized.

Unknown stared at the message, the last line catching his attention.

'So, I asked for the ability to ignite and it unlocked for me…'

'But generally, it would just unlock a skill when it was needed?'

"Huh, interesting."

He frowned, not entirely sure what to make of it. The system was growing more unpredictable by the day, its cryptic rules leaving him with more questions than answers.

***

On his journey to this point, Unknown had faced countless types of monsters—giant spiders, skeletons, slimes, and zombie goblins. 

The Undead had been the most challenging. To defeat them, you had to completely destroy their heads or sever their bodies, which wasn't always easy. Still, none of them had been too difficult to deal with in the end.

At first, his vision had been nearly useless in the thick, oppressive darkness. But after gaining the ability to use magic, things had changed. 

Despite the continued darkness, the environment now seemed oddly clearer. The shadows were still there, but it was as if the world had adjusted to his new senses, revealing more than before.

That was when he noticed the huge columns rising from the ground, scattered throughout the dungeon. They weren't just random formations—they seemed deliberate, almost like a framework, towering upward. 

The ceiling itself stretched higher than he'd ever imagined. If he looked from the right angle, the columns almost seemed to form a formation, enclosing a vast area in the distance, as if guarding something far beyond view.

"Oh, finally, something resembling a structure," he muttered to himself, his curiosity piqued. Without thinking, his feet began moving toward the area.

Rustle... rustle...

The sound broke through his thoughts, sudden and sharp. His senses, honed by the dungeon's dangers, immediately recognized it.

"That sound... it's the sound of a stream!" He couldn't be mistaken. The unmistakable rush of water echoed ahead, clearer with each step he took.

'In a place like this, lacking water, a stream would attract all kinds of creatures.' His mind quickly shifted into alert mode. 'And the area around it is surrounded by those huge stone columns... that's more than a little worrying.'

He hesitated for a moment, weighing the risk. If he didn't press forward, he might be stuck here forever.

The thought of being trapped in this dungeon was unbearable, especially since he hadn't had a proper bath since he arrived. The small puddles of water from the crystal tips had barely been enough to quench his thirst.

Tch... alright. Let's go. Worst case, I can just run.

With a quiet resolve, he moved forward, his every step cautious. The closer he got, the more the sound of the stream became a constant in his ears, making the air feel fresher, cooler. But when he reached the center of the area, his hopes deflated.

There was nothing. No monsters, no ruins, no structures. Only a small, open-air pond sat in the center of the area, its waters still and uninviting.

He stared at it for a moment, the quiet disappointment settling over him. Nothing here. Just another dead end.

But something about the eerie silence of the place made him uneasy. Why would the dungeon lead me here?

"No, something's wrong," Unknown muttered to himself, his instincts kicking into overdrive. Why is there no sign of creatures near the pond? This place is crawling with monsters, but nothing dares approach here?

A sinking feeling spread through his chest as he pieced it together. It's a trap.

Before he could react, the air shimmered with a faint green hue, and a transparent barrier materialized, stretching out in a perfect circle.

It covered a radius of about 50 meters from the center of the pond, effectively trapping him within.

"Damn it!" he hissed, reaching for his knife. Without hesitation, he slashed at the barrier, desperate to find a way out.

"What the hell?!" His knife clanged off the barrier with a shockwave of energy that sent him stumbling backward. The counterattack grazed his arm, but he was quick enough to avoid a more severe injury.

'That was too close. At least I'm just stuck here... for now.'

But before he could fully process his thoughts, the air around him began to shift again, this time in a far more sinister way.

A suffocating, dark energy gathered, coalescing in the center of the area, as if something was taking form. The air itself grew thick with tension, and the "flow" of mana felt disturbingly wrong.

"Ugh…" Unknown's stomach lurched as the dark aura engulfed him, chilling him to the bone. Every hair on his body stood on end, his heart pounded in his chest, and his breath quickened, the weight of dread pressing on him like a physical force.

A low, guttural growl echoed from the darkness, sending a wave of unease through him.

"'Growmm..."

The light around the area began to flicker and fade, revealing something that made his blood run cold.

The creature before him was a towering nightmare, blackened and charred like a piece of burning wood. A dark purple glow radiated from its form, as if it was an embodiment of decay.

Its armor was heavy and rusted, creaking and clinking with each movement, while the stench of death and rot hung in the air.

Its face—if it could even be called that—was a hollow, skeletal structure, devoid of eyes, nose, or organs. From a distance, it looked less like a living creature and more like an ancient suit of armor animated by dark magic.

No, Unknown thought bitterly, this thing isn't alive. It's just a blackened skeleton encased in burning armor.

A laugh of disbelief escaped him as he took a defensive stance. His instincts screamed at him to run, but he knew better. If I turn my back, I'll be dead before I can take three steps.

Alright then, he thought, swallowing the lump in his throat. I'll fight. Worst case, I die.

With a sudden roar, the creature—identified by the system as a Death Knight—gathered a terrifying amount of energy. In the blink of an eye, it shot forward, faster than anything that size should have been capable of.

Just three seconds ago, it had been 75 meters away, but now, it was in front of him.

The knight's sword swung with an almost unnatural speed, a deadly arc aimed directly at Unknown's neck. If that connects, my head will be gone in an instant.

For a split second, the blow felt almost predictable—its movements were clumsy for something so powerful. But just because he could see it coming didn't mean he could dodge.

The sword collided with his right bicep with sickening force, cutting deep into his flesh, despite his desperate attempt to evade the strike.

The force of the blow sent pain shooting up his arm, but he pushed through it, his body locking into fight-or-die mode.

His senses exploded into overdrive. His reflexes were heightened, his mind sharp, and time seemed to slow.

It's too fast. I can't do anything except dodge.

Just as he had barely avoided the first strike, the knight followed up with a second, even faster blow. The sword slashed across his chest, the edge sinking deep into the flesh.

The cut wasn't fatal, but it tore a jagged wound open, and the force of the strike knocked him off balance. He slid backward, desperately trying to regain his footing.

Think, think, think!

His heart hammered in his chest as he scrambled to plan his next move. The Death Knight was relentless, and with the barrier locking him in, there was nowhere to run.

The Death Knight charged toward the spot where Unknown had fallen, its heavy sword raised high. With barely enough time to react, Unknown rolled across the ground, narrowly avoiding the deadly swing.

The power gap is too huge, he thought, his heart pounding in his chest. Even if I predict its strike and block it, I'll just get knocked back.

"Damn it!"

With no time to waste, he scrambled back to his feet and quickly threw everything he had at the Death Knight—every item he'd scavenged, every scrap of his resources. The Death Knight didn't even flinch. The thick spider silk barely slowed it, the stone spear was useless, and even the slime clung to its armor without hindering its relentless advance.

Tch.

He clicked his tongue in frustration. Well, I have no choice.

For a split second, he stopped, his breath heavy in his chest. Then, with an almost reckless resolve, he decided to face the creature head-on. The Death Knight, as always, was mindlessly swinging its sword in blind fury, falling right into Unknown's trap.

When the rusted sword was raised high, Unknown immediately rolled toward it, charging straight at it. As he did, he whispered the incantation for his newly acquired skill—[Fire Spark].

The spark ignited the slime on the ground, and before long, a spreading fire engulfed the Death Knight's body. Flames danced across its charred skeleton, and the acrid smell of burning metal and decay filled the air.

"I was really stupid to think that would work," Unknown muttered, watching as the fire consumed the knight's form.

But to his surprise, the Death Knight showed no signs of slowing down. It continued its charge, unfazed by the flames. Now, it wasn't just a blackened skeleton—it was a flaming skeleton, and it swung its fiery sword in every direction, the heat of the blaze making the air around it shimmer.

Exhausted and battered, Unknown struggled to keep up with the onslaught of attacks. His body was covered in cuts, both deep and shallow, each blow weakening him further. But despite the pain, a strange feeling took hold of him. It wasn't fear. It was the thrill of battle, the exhilaration of survival.

"Cough… cough…" He gasped, his breath ragged as he barely avoided another swing.

A thought flashed through his mind. If I could manipulate the "flow" of magic, maybe I could create enough fire to burn my entire body!

Ding!

Not enough skill points.

Analysing risk…

A boost in power is needed.

5 Skill points spent.

"Skill Gained: Accel."

Penalty for in dept: reduced the number of skill points gained when leveling up for 10 levels.