Chapter 4: Magic?
1417 Words
The massive steel doors groaned open with a sound that shook the chamber. Dust and shattered stone fell from the ceiling, disturbed by some invisible weight pressing from beyond. Shidō Kagenori’s eyes narrowed as he stepped forward. His katana—the first real weapon gifted by the system—felt perfectly balanced in his hands. Every movement was measured, precise, and silent.
The room stretched farther than he had anticipated. It was a cathedral of death. Columns, shattered statues, and piles of rubble littered the floor. At the far end, the chamber opened into a vaulted expanse, and there he saw it.
A giant skeleton, towering at least thirty feet tall, knelt on one knee as if surveying the battlefield. In its bony hand glowed a massive crystal, deep purple with veins of flickering blue fire running across its surface. Its hollow eye sockets burned with an unnatural light. The air around it shimmered with heat and energy, and the smell of ozone and decay clawed at his senses.
Shidō’s grip on his katana tightened.
Magic.
It was his first real encounter. He’d fought physical beasts before—humans, ghouls, armored monsters—but something like this… this was new. Dangerous. And he would survive it.
The giant skeleton shifted suddenly, raising its crystal high. Before Shidō could react, a streak of blue fire shot from the crystal directly at him.
He dove to the side, the heat searing the stone where he had stood. Small shards of molten rock rained down, but Shidō rolled through them, letting the momentum carry him forward and under a ruined pillar.
The chamber’s light flickered with each pulse from the crystal. He could see the skeleton’s massive, clawed hand adjust the angle of the fire, tracking him with unnatural precision.
It’s fast.
Not for a skeleton—no. But the crystal gave it something… intelligence. Magic.
Shidō rolled to his feet and scanned the area. There were chunks of debris scattered around, some wide enough for cover, others narrow enough to use as foot leverage. He had no choice but to move constantly. Still, he couldn’t just dodge; the skeleton’s reach was enormous.
[ WARNING ]
Status Effect: Venomous Curse
Source: Floor 2 Boss – Giant Skeleton Crystal
Effect: HP degenerates over time, 5% per 10 seconds.
Shidō paused for the briefest moment. Venom? Poison? On a magical boss? Typical. He was a human in a monster’s world. A death sentence written in code.
And yet, he smiled faintly.
“Predictable,” he muttered. “You think this will stop me?”
He crouched low, analyzing the skeleton’s movement. Its crystal glowed brighter with every attack, energy pulsing outward like waves across the stone floor. Shidō noticed a pattern: after each blast, the skeleton paused briefly, as if drawing energy from the crystal before the next strike.
He could exploit that.
The skeleton swung one massive arm, smashing a column and sending debris flying. Shidō ducked under the swing, katana flashing as he sliced a jagged stone pillar into smaller fragments. He hurled one at the crystal in a precise arc. It bounced off harmlessly.
The skeleton roared, a deep, hollow sound that shook the chamber. From the crystal, a second streak of blue fire launched, but Shidō was ready. He rolled forward, narrowly avoiding the attack, and leapt toward the skeleton’s kneeling form.
Katana in hand, he struck at the gap between its ribs. The blade cut through brittle bone with a satisfying crunch, but the skeleton barely flinched. Blue light pulsed from the crystal, surging into its body and healing the fractured bones almost instantly.
Damn it.
Shidō pulled back. Each strike now needed careful calculation. One mistake—one opening misread—and he would be reduced to ash.
The skeleton raised the crystal high again, the veins of blue fire crackling ominously. Shidō crouched low and whispered, “No more testing.”
He charged.
A stream of fire erupted from the crystal. Shidō dodged left, rolling across the floor with a spray of dust and rubble following him. He reached the skeleton’s legs and slashed upward, aiming for the joint where the thigh met the pelvis. Bone shattered with a loud crack. The skeleton staggered backward but recovered instantly.
The poison in his veins was spreading. His body felt sluggish. Breath came in shallow, harsh gasps. Yet, his mind remained as sharp as ever.
[ HP 62 / 100 ]
[ STATUS EFFECT: Poison – Duration 60 seconds ]
He gritted his teeth.
No matter what, I survive.
Shidō observed the skeleton. Its attacks were strong, but every movement, every swing, revealed a subtle rhythm. He exploited it, ducking under strikes and slashing at weak points—joints, the skull’s base, the glowing crystal itself.
The crystal pulsed violently. Energy surged outward as if the boss sensed the damage. The chamber shook, sending shards of stone flying. Shidō rolled, avoiding one massive fist, and came up behind the skeleton, striking again at the spine.
This time, he felt a difference—the energy surged back, rebounding like electricity into his body. Pain shot through his arms and legs. He barely held onto consciousness.
[ HP 27 / 100 ]
The skeleton roared, swinging wildly now, frustrated. Shidō barely dodged the blows, rolling under molten shards and broken stone, blood dripping from his wounds, sweat burning his eyes.
The poison was making his vision blur, making each movement more taxing than the last.
He paused for a fraction of a second—long enough to take stock.
Strength… enough. Agility… still acceptable. Perception… sharpened.
He adjusted his grip on the katana.
Precision. Every strike counts. Every move calculated.
The skeleton charged again, lifting the crystal high. A massive blue fireball formed at the tip, crackling with energy. Shidō rolled forward, just barely avoiding the searing heat, and surged upward along the skeleton’s arm.
Now he was close. Close enough to end this.
He brought the katana down with every ounce of power left in his body, piercing the glowing crystal. The energy pulse shocked him violently, burning through his veins and poisoning his system even more. Pain engulfed him. His vision narrowed to a tunnel of violet light.
Then—silence.
The crystal cracked. A massive explosion of light and fire surged outward. Shidō shielded his eyes, feeling the pressure knock him back. When the light cleared, the skeleton’s body began to collapse, cracking and breaking apart. Its bones shattered, limbs snapping in unnatural directions.
Shidō landed on the floor, katana embedded in what remained of the crystal. Blood, dust, and energy swirled around him, yet he remained standing. Barely.
[ FLOOR 2 BOSS DEFEATED ]
EXP GAINED: MASSIVE +5000
[ LEVEL UP ]
Level: 12
Strength: 30
Agility: 35
Defense: 25
Perception: 32
Intelligence: 28
Skills:
Silent Step (Passive)
Precision Strike (Active)
Shadow Sense (Passive)
Magic Sight (Passive) – Detect magical sources
A new window appeared:
[ SYSTEM REWARD: NEW ABILITY UNLOCKED ]
Magic Control (Active)
Effect: Allows basic elemental manipulation for offensive and defensive combat
Shidō’s violet eyes widened slightly.
Magic.
He hadn’t expected this. A reward from the system, yes—but magic?
He opened the status window carefully.
[ STATUS WINDOW ]
Name: Shidō Kagenori
Level: 12
HP: 420 / 420
MP: 350 / 350
Strength: 30
Agility: 35
Defense: 25
Perception: 32
Intelligence: 28
Magic: 1 (Unlocked)
Skills:
Silent Step (Passive)
Precision Strike (Active)
Shadow Sense (Passive)
Magic Sight (Passive)
Magic Control (Active)
Inventory:
Beginner’s Katana (Rare)
Boss Crystal Fragment (Consumable – Mana Boost)
Status Effects: None
Shidō carefully examined each line, memorizing the new skill. Magic Control could be the key to surviving higher floors. He flexed his fingers, feeling raw energy coursing through him. He could sense the lingering poison from the boss—but it was weak now, almost negligible.
A faint smile crossed his lips.
“So,” he murmured. “They finally give me something interesting.”
He raised the katana and focused. Small sparks of blue fire danced across the blade’s edge, responding to his will. Shidō experimented cautiously, sending a small fireball toward a broken pillar. The fire ignited the stone fragments, burning cleanly and dissipating without harm.
It worked.
Magic… now this tower will finally learn something about fear.
He stepped toward the next corridor, the ruins of the skeleton boss behind him. Floor 3 awaited. A new threat. A new challenge. And now, a new power at his disposal.
Shidō Kagenori was ready.
- Writer
