Warlord of the Endless Hive

Takaviel's heart pounded as he stared at the new skill he had acquired. The blue light screen lingered before him, shimmering with information. A sense of power surged through his veins, yet, an unsettling curiosity gnawed at him. His broken spear lay at his feet, the black stone embedded in its crude shaft catching his eye. As he bent to repair his weapon, his hand grazed the stone once again, and instantly, the air before him shimmered with an unexpected blue light.

Another screen appeared, filled with cryptic data:

  *Name: Fragments of ?

  *Description:???

Takaviel's brows furrowed. "What... is this?" he muttered, confusion gripping him. He glanced back at the black stone embedded in his spear. The stone, despite its seemingly ordinary appearance, was no longer just a simple material ,it was far more mysterious than he had imagined.

He quickly realized that this stone was not something he could carelessly leave out in the open. But where would he hide it? Before he could answer his own question, another blue screen popped up:

  *Inventory

  *Total Slots: 10

  *Used Slots: 0

  *Remaining Slots: 10

The display was straightforward, almost like the rest of his system, except this wasn't a skill, it was a feature. An *inventory* system that could store items, but not living creatures. He read the details carefully, learning that at its current level, the inventory could only hold ten different items. But with every level gained, another ten slots would be added.

"Perfect," Takaviel whispered. He wasted no time. As he summoned the inventory's power, a small crack in space appeared, distorting reality around him. Takaviel tossed the black stone into the dimensional rift, watching as it was absorbed into the screen.

  Inventory:

  *Total Slots: 10

  *Used Slots: 1

  *Remaining Slots: 9

  1. Fragments of ?

Takaviel nodded in satisfaction. With the mysterious stone now stored safely, he left the castle ruins, his mind set on the hunt. He needed to grow stronger, and quickly.

---

The forest was eerily silent as Takaviel ventured deeper, scanning for his prey. His spear was ready, his senses sharp. It wasn't long before he spotted it, a massive creature, dark as night, prowling through the underbrush.

The *Black Wild Boar stood before him, its hide black and leathery, covered in jagged scars and rough, bristling fur. Its eyes gleamed red, and tusks as sharp as blades jutted from its enormous head. This was no ordinary boar; it was a monstrous creature, almost twice Takaviel's size.

Suddenly, a familiar blue light blinked in front of him, detailing the beast's stats:

  *Devil Wild Boar

  *Level: 5

   Core Stats:

  - Strength: 20

  - Agility: 5

  - Intelligence: 3

  *HP Bar: 300/300

  *Stamina Bar: 150/150

  *Skills: Sprint (Active Skills)

  *EXP Drop: 1500

Takaviel's eyes narrowed. The Boar had strength far surpassing his, but it lacked intelligence, and he had something it didn't—tactics.

The Devil Boar charged forward, its heavy hooves shaking the ground beneath him. But Takaviel was prepared. He darted to the side, narrowly avoiding the deadly tusks and landed behind a thick tree. The Boar slammed into the trunk with a deafening thud, its raw power splintering the wood.

Using his surroundings, Takaviel baited the Boar, weaving between trees, forcing it to expend its energy. Each time the Boar charged, it missed, slamming into obstacles that sapped its stamina. As it tired, Takaviel saw his chance.

"Berserk!" he roared, activating the skill that surged raw power through his body.

His muscles bulged, his vision tunneled into a singular focus, kill. He rushed at the Boar with newfound speed, dodging another reckless charge and delivering a brutal strike to its exposed flank. The spear pierced the beast's thick hide, and blood splattered across the forest floor.

The Boar screeched in pain, but Takaviel showed no mercy. With quick, precise strikes, he battered the creature relentlessly, exploiting every opening. He drove his spear deep into its neck, twisting the blade until the Boar's cries faded into gurgled silence.

The Devil Wild Boar collapsed, its HP bar dropping to zero.

Panting heavily, Takaviel stood over the slain monster, his hands still gripping the spear that was now soaked in blood. He wiped his brow, his breath misting in the cool air. "Brute strength isn't everything, beast."

Suddenly, his monstrous arm, covered in dark, grotesque markings, reacted. The mouths began to open, some wide and jagged, others smaller with rows of crooked teeth. The numerous eyes on his arm blinked in unison, some with one pupil, others with several concentric circles that glowed eerily white.

The *Devourer* skill activated. His arm stretched toward the Boar's corpse, tendrils of dark energy wrapping around the lifeless body, absorbing its essence. Takaviel, now accustomed to this macabre process, stood still as a deep, guttural voice resonated in his mind.

"Congratulations. You have gained a new ability."

Takaviel nodded, no longer disturbed by the twisted form of his arm. A new skill fragment materialized on the screen:

  *Fragment of Skill Gained: Sprint 1/10

  *Type:.Movement Skill (Active Skills)

He frowned slightly, disappointed. "Sprint… Not what I was hoping for, but useful, I suppose." He sighed, but a small grin spread across his face. His system displayed a leveling up notification.

  Level Up!

  500/1500 EXP

With the level-up, another message blinked into existence.

  "Congratulations. You have gained a new ability."

Takaviel's eyes widened as the details of the new skill were revealed:

 *Skill Name: Vermex Weaver

*Level: 1

 *Type: Summoning Skills (Active Skills) 

 *Summons: Insectoid Scout

 *Job: Resource gatherer and scout

 *Description:

A small insect-like creature used for scouting and gathering resources. Weak in combat, but excellent for locating hidden items and areas.

*Time to Hatch: 1 hour

*Mana Consumption: 20 MP

  *Core Stats:

  - Strength: 2

  - Agility: 5

  - Intelligence: 4

  *HP Bar:.50/50

  *Stamina Bar: 30/30

  *Mana Bar: 10/10

Takaviel stared at the screen in disbelief. "A summoning skill? I can summon a living creature?"

A chill ran down his spine, not out of fear, but from the excitement of possibilities. "This... this could change everything," he whispered to himself.

For the first time since his awakening, Takaviel could summon creatures to aid him. Although weak in combat, the insectoid could gather resources and scout, things that could prove invaluable in the near future.

As the night settled in, he took one last glance at the Boar's corpse before turning away. He ventured deeper into the forest, his mind racing with thoughts of what awaited him next.

With each battle, each skill, Takaviel grew stronger. And with this new ability, he was one step closer to understanding the depths of his power.