Unholy Player Chapter 7: Increasing [Physique]

Guided by the faint radiance of crystals embedded within the walls, Adyr pressed forward into the cramped corridor, his eyes locked onto the trail of footprints.

The deeper he ventured, the more the tracks multiplied. Among the chaos of prints, several were fresh, serving as a clear warning that an encounter with a skeleton was imminent.

His suspicion was soon confirmed.

Reaching the corridor's end, a subtle shadow flickered against the stone. Something was lurking just out of sight, positioned around the left-hand corner.

Uncertain of a skeleton's sensory range or its combat prowess, Adyr opted for extreme caution.

He slowed his pace to a crawl, muffling his movements to eliminate any noise and advancing with the silent grace of a predator.

As he finally reached the edge of the turn, he laid eyes on his target. The prey he had been stalking was finally exposed.

Standing no more than 1.40 meters tall, the creature was significantly smaller than Adyr, who stood at 1.70 meters.

Its skeletal frame deviated from human anatomy; the skull was strangely bulbous, and a short neck bone forced the head into a permanent forward lean. Furthermore, its limbs were disproportionately elongated.

Clutched in its right hand was a shattered, half-length spear.

Although the bones looked discolored and plagued by mold, the underlying structure appeared remarkably robust and sturdy.

"This won't be easy," Adyr thought.

Against a living foe, he could target vital organs, strike from the shadows, or apply a chokehold. However, this adversary was merely a pile of animated bones; total destruction was the only path to victory.

To make matters worse, his current equipment consisted only of his pajamas. He was barefoot and lacked any weapon, failing to find even a heavy stone to serve as a blunt instrument.

"I'll just have to use my hands," Adyr mused with a thin smile, already calculating the logistics of his first kill in this digital realm.

Maintaining absolute silence, he closed the gap. Like a spider closing in on a trapped fly, he narrowed the distance inch by inch.

Once within striking range—and certain the skeleton remained oblivious—he erupted into motion. He lunged, seizing the creature’s ribcage from behind and violently jerking it backward.

Blindsided by the sudden assault, the skeleton could not find its footing. It tumbled, losing all balance before slamming onto its back with a hollow, metallic clatter.

Adyr acted instantly, pinning the skeleton’s chest beneath his foot. In the same motion, he snatched the broken spear that had slipped from the monster's grasp.

The spearhead was corroded and ancient, mirroring the state of its former owner. Yet, beneath the rust, the metal remained solid—strong enough to shatter bone if driven with sufficient force.

Without a second's delay, Adyr hoisted the weapon and plunged the jagged tip directly into the struggling skeleton’s skull.

The strike connected, but the result was underwhelming. His physical strength proved insufficient, leaving nothing more than a prominent fracture across the bone.

Nevertheless, the impact dazed the creature, leaving it paralyzed for a fraction of a second—a window wide enough for a follow-up.

CRACK!

This time, the spear tore through. The resonant sound of splintering bone filled the air, immediately followed by the chime of system notifications:

[Talent Recognition: "Tracking(Lv1)" confirmed.]

- Talent has been identified based on following and interpreting environmental traces.

[Talent Recognition: "Stealth(Lv1)" confirmed.]

- Talent has been identified based on silent movement and successful ambush.

[Talent Recognition: "Tactics(Lv1)" confirmed.]

- Talent has been identified based on strategic engagement and enemy control.

- Proceed with registration to the Status Panel?

- Cost: 1 Energy per talent

- Reward: 1 Free Stat Point per talent

Adyr ensured the skeleton was truly neutralized—smashed beyond any hope of reanimation—before examining the messages.

"No loot or experience points?" he whispered, his tone laced with dissatisfaction.

He decided against registering [Tactics], mindful of his five-talent limit. Understanding the mechanics of talent progression, he chose to prioritize skills that would be easier to level up later.

Consequently, he sacrificed 2 [Energy] to acquire [Stealth] and [Tracking]. He felt a familiar pull as an internal reservoir was tapped, but he was compensated with 2 free stat points.

After a moment of deliberation, he allocated 1 free stat point into [Physique].

His failure to shatter the skull in one blow was a clear indication of a strength deficit. Since the nature of [Physique] was easy to surmise, he decided to upgrade it to witness the physical transformation firsthand.

As the stat point was applied, a wave of heat surged through his frame.

His muscles, tendons, and internal organs began to twitch and throb in a rhythmic spasm.

The sensation wasn't painful, merely jarring, and it quickly subsided to make way for a new feeling.

A torrential rush of power. It felt surreal.

He could feel his very fibers tightening and hardening, infused with a fresh, potent strength.

"Incredible..." he murmured, basking in the addictive sensation of growth.

[Physique]: 2 → 3 [Will]: 3 [Resilience]: 3 [Sense]: 2 [Energy]: 7 / 10 → 7 / 11 [Registered Talents]: 3/5 [Sparks]: Complete your first evolution to unlock. [Sanctuary]: Complete your first evolution to unlock. [Free Stat Points]: 2

Adyr pulled up his status panel to analyze the data and spotted a pattern immediately. As his [Physique] rose by 1, his maximum [Energy] cap increased by the exact same margin.

His earlier theory was now almost certainly proven: [Energy] was not an independent variable, but rather the cumulative total of his base attributes.

Turning back to the remains, he reached out to touch the cold, weathered bones.

There was no gore, no fading life in the eyes—just a heap of calcium. It was hard to believe this object had been a mobile threat moments ago.

However, a dark spark of clarity remained in Adyr's brown eyes.

"I have to admit... I actually enjoyed that."

He let out a sigh, looking at his meager spoils: a broken spear.

Refusing to leave empty-handed, he performed a more thorough search of the wreckage. Deep within the hollow of the skull, he discovered a prize: a tiny, faintly glowing purple crystal wedged into the bone.

It was nearly fused with the cranium. Using the spear's tip, Adyr delicately pried the gem loose.

The crystal was minuscule—smaller than a fingernail—and appeared quite plain.

Yet, it possessed a strange allure.

As he gripped it, a primal hunger stirred in his gut. For a split second, the stone looked appetizing, possessing an inexplicable, irresistible charm.

Intrigued by this bizarre reaction, he hesitated only briefly before bringing the crystal to his lips.

It was tasteless. However, the moment it touched his tongue, the craving intensified, causing his stomach to growl audibly.

"Well... what's the worst that could happen? It's only a game," Adyr muttered, shrugging.

Without further thought, he popped the crystal into his mouth.

He attempted to bite down, but the material was far too dense. Before he could reconsider, an instinctive reflex took over, and he swallowed the crystal whole.

He stood still, waiting for a reaction.

Then, the impact hit.

A sudden torrent of energy flooded his system. The feeling was familiar, yet inverted; while registering talents had drained his core, this sensation was replenishing it.

A green notification soon appeared:

[You have consumed an Energy Crystal (Lv.1). Your Energy has increased by 0.1.]

[Energy]: 7 / 11 → 7.1 / 11

With that, Adyr had found his first method for restoring [Energy].