As blood sprayed violently into the air like a macabre fountain, there was a sharp, sickening beauty in the moment. It painted the scene with a grotesque kind of artistry—glistening droplets suspended briefly in sunlight before falling like crimson rain.
And there he stood—Baron, a once-proud Raider, now cleaved nearly in two.
A jagged sword had carved mercilessly through him, from the nape of his neck down toward his abdomen.
The slash hadn't severed him completely in half, but it had cut deep—deep enough. His body twitched once as blood frothed from his nostrils and mouth, splattering down the front of his now-shredded armor. His eyes rolled back into his skull, and then he dropped like a felled tree, collapsing onto the cold stone ground with a dull, echoing thud. No resistance.
No words. Just silence.
The Willful Living Armour stood there motionless, looming over the lifeless body of the human it had just slain. Its blade remained embedded in Baron's torso, as if the sword itself refused to leave the kill unfinished.
The Living Armour didn't move—not out of hesitation, but confusion. It tilted its helmeted head slightly, staring down at the oddly shaped flesh-being sprawled beneath it. This creature—this human—had perished. And the Living Armour didn't know why.
Warm, dark blood clung to the Armour's plated fingers, dripping from its metal fingertips in thick, syrupy droplets. The red liquid pooled beneath its feet, soaking into the cracks between the weathered stones.
[ Ding!! ]
The system chimed mechanically, indifferent to the brutality it observed.
[ DEFEATED A HUMAN RAIDER ]
[ GAINED 127 EXP ]
[ GAINED '30' WILL ]
[ LEVEL UP!! ]
Suddenly, a faint glow surrounded the Living Armour—a strange, almost divine neon-purple light that shimmered like heat rising off stone.
The air around it thickened, heavy with a newfound weight. Its armor began to shift subtly, hardening and thickening at the molecular level. Although the scars and scratches from prior battles still marred its surface, there was an undeniable density—an invisible force now etched into its being.
The purple hue gradually faded, replaced by the familiar transparent blue of the system panel, floating before its vision like a ghostly reflection.
Name: ____
Race: Living Armour
Level: 3
Active Skills: None
Passive Skills: None
Talents: Sturdy Body, Thy Will Be Done
The Willful Living Armour stared blankly at the screen, the flickering numbers and letters making little sense to its developing mind. From deep within its chest cavity, something stirred. A vibration, rough and primal, emerged.
"Kraagh~"The sound was low and gravelly—raw, like the first cry of an infant beast.
Meanwhile, far across the ruined castle, high atop the outer wall, Tina stood with poise and precision. In one hand she held a thin, razor-sharp blade that gleamed under the light. At her feet lay two crumpled Living Armours, riddled with puncture wounds—clean, efficient holes in their helms and chests where her strikes had found purchase.
"Piercing damage works well against these no-brain monsters," she muttered, eyes narrowing. Her gaze shifted toward the rear section of the stronghold.
"That Baron should be following the plan too," she added with a scoff. "He's probably way ahead of me by now."
She resumed her steady pace toward the back of the castle walls, unaware of what had just unfolded.
At the same time, in the castle courtyard, the others had already begun their assault.
Ben, Fiona, and..Evan were engaged in battle, surrounded by the creaking, clanging hulks of Living Armours.
Fiona, elegant and lethal, slid her sword into the crevice of one enemy's helmet. Her lips parted, releasing a soft incantation:"Ice Backlash."
Instantly, icy spikes burst outward from within the creature's head, erupting in every direction like a frozen explosion. The Living Armour stumbled once before collapsing in a heap, lifeless.
Ben was more brutish in his approach. He used the hilt of his sword like a warhammer, battering enemies backward before using the side of his sword as blunt force. A sharp grunt escaped him as he smashed another into submission. Glancing back at Fiona, his thoughts stirred.
'She's using a skill? Damn, we've struck gold here.'
'Skills in this world... they only come from dungeon rewards. The higher the dungeon's rank, the better the chances of them dropping. That's why the government and those big families control the stronger Dungeons.'
'It was worth separating Us from Baron and Tina, to lower her guard' Ben thought
As Fiona unleashed another chilling attack, Evan stood frozen for a moment, mesmerized."Amazing..." he whispered. "So that's a skill."
'I've been a porter and worked across for over a dozen teams', he thought, 'but I've never seen someone actually use a skill'. Her background must be deep.
Ben glanced at Evan. His expression was unreadable, but his mind was sharp.'It should be soon…'
However skilled or smart the Raiders were, they could not foresee the incoming calamity on their whole squad
A creature that learns.
A creature that remembers.
A creature that grows