LICH.

"Let's test this out," Ren mumbled, activating his Innate ability. Dark blue energy flowed from his hand and entered the man's head.

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[DING...]

[SUCCESSFULLY EXTRACTED! YOU HAVE EXTRACTED THE BODY OF A LEVEL 5 CLIMBER AND RECEIVED SOME OF HIS STATS, ABILITIES, AND THE RECENT MEMORIES.]

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Right after he read the message, an unfamiliar memory entered his mind. In this memory, he witnessed the events involving the man.

"This man's name was James. He's someone who finished the tutorial in HARD mode and also awakened a strong assassin-type innate ability. Thanks to his ability, he got recruited by the 'BLOOD MOON ASSASSIN GUILD,' a first-tier guild within the tower. His mission was to assassinate me, as ordered by his boss," Ren recollected the brief memory.

"Hmm, even he doesn't know why his boss wanted me dead. I'll probably find out soon," Ren mumbled, a wicked grin forming on his face.

"Now that his body has vanished, there's no evidence linking me to his death. Let's try out my ability now. It's the first time using it," Ren muttered. Suddenly, his face began to shift and took on the appearance of the man he had just killed.

"It seems I can transform into him without any issues. My next goal is to reach LV:10. His boss is at LV:10, and the guild has several LV:8 and 9 members. Going there now would be suicidal," Ren thought. He leaped off the building and landed on the ground soundlessly, akin to a cat.

"This skill of mine is really handy," Ren muttered as he walked across an open field, the darkness of midnight concealing his movements. He even used invisibility to hide his whole body.

"I had hoped for a moment's rest, but I can't afford that luxury now," Ren muttered. He left the city while remaining invisible. Once outside, he reverted to his original form and headed towards a forest inhabited by monsters ranging from LV:1 to 10.

____________

FIRST FLOOR INSIDE THE FOREST - MIDNIGHT

"Ugh, walking for half an hour to escape the city and enter the forest was tiresome. I've been burning mana to maintain not only that man's face but also my invisibility. I had to do that just in case someone saw through my invisibility and got a glimpse of my real face, which would've been a dead giveaway," Ren muttered as he ventured deeper into the forest, heading in the opposite direction of this floor's advancing trail.

Ren moved cautiously through the thick forest, his weapon ready and his senses alert. The air was heavy with tension as he sought out the elusive creature that would boost his level. But to his surprise, the forest remained eerily quiet, void of any signs of life.

As he delved further, an unsettling feeling crawled up his spine. Ahead, in a clearing, a horde of ghastly monsters that appeared both dead and not dead had gathered, their gaze fixed upon a figure shrouded in darkness—a Lich.

Bony fingers clutched a staff, emanating a malevolent aura that sent shivers through Ren because of how hideous it looked.

The Lich's voice resonated like a chilling whisper, its words dripping with malice. "My devoted minions," it croaked, "tomorrow, we shall descend upon the unsuspecting city, sowing chaos and despair. Some other Level 8 and 9 monsters will also join us, and together, we shall reign over this realm."

Fear gripped Ren as he retreated silently, grasping the gravity of the situation. But a twig underfoot betrayed his presence with a snap. The Lich's hollow sockets fixated on him, its voice now venomous. "Intruder," it hissed, "reveal yourself."

Panic surged within Ren, and he stumbled, a guttural sound escaping his lips. The monsters turned toward him, their grotesque forms snarling. The Lich's bony hand raised, fingers curling as it commanded, "Kill him."

"Crap, why did I come here alone?" Ren cursed under his breath, unsheathing his dagger and assuming a stance. The monsters charged at him.

"Fortunately, all these monsters are LV:5 or below. But that Lich is the issue. Liches usually can be found on the 10th floor, so finding it here is quite the rarity."

"Although they usually have very high mana, their strength is quite weak, and since it's on the first floor, its level can't be higher than LV:10, but still, I doubt I can take it on with this many of his minions, and even if I defeat them, I believe he will just summon some more." Ren pondered. He swung his dagger, beheading one monster in a swift motion. To his astonishment, the monster didn't die and continued its advance.

"What's going on? Why won't they die?" Ren wondered in frustration, slashing at the monsters surrounding him.

The Lich's voice cut through the air, "You can't escape, mortal. They're my undead minions; they can't be killed as long as I am alive. And no matter what, you wouldn't be able to come near me with this many monsters in front of you. So you are as good as dead, Mortal."

Dread settled over Ren as he grasped the dire situation.

"Forget it. Let's try chaos and see what happens." Ren muttered. The clear night sky turned cloudy, and chaos permeated the atmosphere.

Dark Gray energy enveloped him, and his dagger glowed. He felt power surge within him. Activating his BERSERKER RAMPANT, he grew to a towering 2.5 meters, chaos amplifying his strength. His appearance, now monstrous, was more fitting for a beast than a human.

Ren charged at the monsters, crushing them with his bare hands. Though still mobile, they lacked the stability to withstand his onslaught, and with the influence of chaos, their regeneration was no longer in effect.

As Ren's transformation and the halted regeneration of the minions became evident, the Lich's concern deepened. The Lich attempted spells, and a purple magic circle appeared, summoning zombies, skeletons, and other undead creatures. They converged on Ren.

"HAHAHA, letting me go would have been smarter, baldy. You're facing the consequences now," Ren jeered, a manic laugh escaping him.

**********(TO BE CONTINUED)**********