It was too painful. That was the only way Zev could describe the experience of using the Manifestation skill.
He had known there would be side effects—he wasn't naive. But nothing had prepared him for this. The agony had come so close to killing him that now, for the first time, a seed of fear had taken root in his mind. He couldn't afford to ignore it. If he wanted to keep using this skill, he needed to understand it better—learn how to control it, or risk being consumed by it.
A single drop of water struck his forehead.
Drip. Drip.
The cold sensation broke through the haze, nudging him toward consciousness. His eyes fluttered open slightly, the world blurry and dim, but he was still alive.
Barely.
Argh!
Zev groaned, the pain still pulsing through his body like aftershocks. But this time, he managed to endure it. Gritting his teeth, he slowly pushed himself into a seated position, his back pressing against the cold wall of the cave for support.
Anyone who saw him now would understand—he had been through hell.
For a few moments, Zev sat in silence, stunned. His mind raced, trying to process everything that had happened during the Manifestation. Fragments of sensations, memories, and knowledge swirled in his thoughts.
Then it hit him.
As the memories settled, Zev bit his lower lip in frustration. The truth stung—he had made a mistake. In his desperation to grow stronger, he had rushed headlong into danger without thinking it through.
If I had died... everything would have ended right there.
The weight of that realization sat heavy on his chest.
If he hadn't used every last drop of his spiritual energy at the final moment, Zev was certain—he would've died.
His body was a wreck. Worse, he could feel a blockage within his spiritual flow. Based on his own assessment, it would likely take at least a month to recover fully.
"This is really frustrating," he muttered, his voice low and hoarse.
He also noticed a subtle weakness in his internal organs—thankfully not a complete failure, but enough to slow him down. If the damage had been worse, it could've been fatal.
Taking a deep breath, Zev pushed himself to his feet. He staggered at first, his legs trembling beneath him, but eventually found his balance.
One thing left. He turned toward the heart of the cave, where the item he came for awaited. He was determined to finish what he started.
But before he could move another step, a new notification flickered to life before his eyes.
[You have successfully used the Manifestation skill]
Skill(s) Obtained:
Spider Web (Evolution 1): You can now generate and manipulate spider web threads. These threads are razor-sharp, nearly invisible, and possess exceptional durability.
Spider's Sense (Passive): Your awareness has been enhanced. You can now detect vibrations and minute movements in your surroundings with heightened precision.
Zev stared at the notification, wide-eyed. The Spider Web skill—it was more than just useful. It was deadly.
Unlike ordinary webs, this one was almost impossible to see, sharper than blades, and tough enough to slice through flesh and bone with ease. He remembered it clearly how several mutants had died gruesomely, running straight into the web without ever realizing it was there. Their bodies had been cut cleanly into pieces.
Now, that terrifying weapon was his to wield.
In his mind, Zev already envisioned the many ways this new power could be useful especially for setting deadly traps.
A malicious smile crept across his face. Maybe it was worth it, he thought, even if it nearly killed me.
Then his eyes fell on the second skill: Spider's Sense.
The moment he read the description, he began to feel the changes. His vision sharpened noticeably, details standing out with stunning clarity. His hearing became hyper-sensitive; he could pick up faint sounds echoing from deeper within the cave. Even more surprisingly, he could sense the presence of nearby life—like the small rat currently gnawing at the dead spider's remains.
A sudden wave of dizziness hit him. His head throbbed with pain, the influx of sensory data too much for his body to handle all at once. He clutched his temples, wincing.
I'm not used to this yet…
-
Several minutes passed, and the pain finally subsided. Without hesitation, Zev returned to the location where it had all started—where the Spider's attack had shattered part of the cave wall and, in doing so, revealed something hidden.
That moment of destruction had led him to a mystery. Now, he intended to uncover it.
He stood before the damaged section of the wall, took a deep breath, and summoned what little strength he had left. Gripping his blade tightly, he swung with all his might.
Boom!
A muffled explosion echoed through the cave as rock and dust scattered. When the debris settled, he had carved an opening—just large enough to squeeze through.
Beyond it lay a narrow passage, dim and tight, barely wide enough for his lean frame.
"I should go," he muttered to himself, determination burning in his eyes.
Zev dropped to his hands and knees and began to crawl. The jagged stone scraped his arms and legs, sending jolts of pain through his already exhausted body. But he pressed on, crawling for nearly fifteen minutes through the claustrophobic tunnel.
Every ache, every sting, he endured it all.
Because whatever lay ahead, it had better be worth the price he'd paid.
Finally, Zev reached the end of the passage.
He pulled himself upright, his breath ragged, and his gaze locked on the object ahead.
"Zendrake," he whispered.
The name alone stirred memories. Zendrake—the blade he once wielded. The very reason he'd returned to this cursed cave.
Before him stood a sword, its edge gleaming with a cold blue light. It radiated power, a palpable spiritual energy so intense that even Zev, despite everything he had endured, felt a flicker of hesitation.
Back in his previous life, the first time he found Zendrake, he had been barely clinging to life. His body was broken, his spirit exhausted. Trapped in this very place for over ten days, he had been desperate, both from his injuries and the knowledge that even if monsters didn't kill him, starvation eventually would.
It had been decided—there was no other choice. The only option left to him was to fight the monster, no matter how vast the difference in their strength. What else could he do? Death awaited him either way.
Driven by desperation, Zev charged at the Metallic Spider with everything he had. But reality was merciless. His strength alone was no match for the beast.
Sharp strands of web sliced through him as he moved, leaving his body covered in bloody wounds. The cave reeked of blood and despair. Eventually, he collapsed, his strength drained and his hope extinguished.
Lying on the cold, stone floor, he stared blankly at the darkness above. "So this is how far I go…?" he muttered before losing consciousness.
When Zev finally opened his eyes, the scene had changed. The Spider was dead—its massive body split cleanly in half, a pool of green blood spreading beneath it.
Staggering to his feet in disbelief, he frantically looked around, searching for the person—or people—who had saved him from certain death.
There was no one.
No footsteps. No traces.
Just silence… and a single sword lying beside him.
-
Despite the pain and exhaustion gnawing at him, Zev gathered what little spiritual energy he had left and reached for the sword. As his fingers closed around the hilt, the blade trembled—responding to his touch. The soft blue hue surrounding it began to intensify, glowing brighter and more vibrant with each second.
It was only then that he realized the truth.
The sword—Zendrake—was the one that had saved him. It had acted on its own, responding to the desperation in his heart. Only now, after learning to control his spiritual energy, could he truly understand its power.
"Welcome back, Zendrake," Zev said softly, a broad smile spreading across his battered face. It was like reuniting with an old friend after a long, painful separation.
Once, Zev had been considered the weakest among the Quellen Family. His failure during the Awakening had made him a disgrace in the eyes of many. But everything changed when he left the main mansion. It was out there, far from the sneers of his kin, that he first unlocked his spiritual energy—thanks to Yuga Dane, his master.
Yuga had shown him how to survive in a cruel world… and had introduced him to Zendrake, the sword that would one day stand beside him in his darkest hour.
Zev owed everything to Yuga Dane—the man who had repaired his broken body and even shared a portion of his own spiritual energy to save him.
"You still remember what the true power of Zendrake is, don't you?" Yuga asked, his voice calm but laced with meaning.
Zev glanced down at the sword in his hand and gave a solemn nod. "Yes, Master Yuga."
Without another word, Yuga took the blade from him and channeled his spiritual energy into it.
"This," he said, "is a living sword."
Zwing!
In an instant, Zendrake surged with raw power. Spiritual energy poured from the blade like a storm, and its size began to grow—inch by inch—each second more overwhelming than the last. The force that radiated from the weapon sent a pulse through the room, rattling the air itself.
Zev's eyes widened in disbelief. "Is this… really my sword?" he murmured, as if staring at a mythical relic from legend.
Nevertheless, Yuga couldn't wield Zendrake's full power for very long, and there was a good reason for that.
"The reason I can use it at all is because I have a large reserve of spiritual energy," he explained, "but even then, I can't maintain it for too long. The sword constantly drains my energy. Do you know why?"
Seeing Zev's confused expression, Yuga continued, "Zendrake is a living item, one of those mysterious artifacts that appeared alongside the monsters when they came into this world. No one really knows where they originate from. But here's the key: Zendrake doesn't recognize me as its true owner. If someone other than its rightful master tries to wield it, the sword will drain their power until they're completely exhausted."
He paused before adding, "The sword's power is tied to its owner's strength. If you're weak, the sword's power is weak. But if you grow strong, Zendrake will become the greatest weapon you can imagine."
At that moment, Zev understood everything that had happened. He grabbed the sword and released the spiritual energy coursing through his body.
"Welcome back, Zendrake," Zev said, clutching the blade tightly.
As he drew closer, the spiritual energy enveloping the sword pulled him toward the ground just like before. Despite the force, Zev smiled confidently, managing to hold on and claim the sword once again.
"Finally, we are united again."
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind. [You! How do you know my name?!]