Eldritch Assassin: Reincarnated With An SSS-Rank Devouring System
Chapter 51: Bone Constructs

Chapter 51: Bone Constructs

Kael stepped back, panting, his silver eyes blazing. "What’s the trick?"

A thought suddenly hit him. The journal, the bloodstone, his bloodline—maybe it wasn’t force, but linked to blood.

"Should be worth a shot," he muttered, slicing a shallow cut across his forearm with the dagger.

Crimson welled, dripping onto his fingers. He pressed a single drop onto the lotus crest, smearing it across the runes. The blood glistened, sinking into the metal, and Kael stepped back with his dagger raised, his heart pounding in anticipation.

Seconds passed by with only the silence of the room accompanying him. The door didn’t move an inch. Kael’s smirk faded, his patience breaking apart. "Are you kidding me?" he snapped, slamming his fist against the crest. "Open, you piece of—"

~Rumble!~

A low rumble cut him off, the ground trembling under his boots. The crest flared, blood-red light spilling from the lotus, the runes blazing. Kael stumbled back, his Predator’s Instincts giving warning signals.

The door groaned, metal and bone grinding. Then it slid open, revealing a massive hall beyond. Dust swirled, the air rushing out, cold and ancient, carrying whispers of power.

Kael’s eyes widened, his breath hitching. "How’s a hall this big even possible in a cave?" he muttered, stepping forward.

The hall stretched impossibly wide, its ceiling lost in the shadows. Its walls were lined with towering statues of red-robed figures, their faces hidden under hoods.

Runes pulsed along the floor, glowing faintly, leading to a distant altar. The primal energy was suffocating, pressing against his bloodline, his Devour Essence clawing at his control.

BANG!

The door slammed shut behind him, the sound echoing like a thunderclap. Kael spun with his dagger raised, but the door was sealed, its crest dark. "Great," he grumbled, his smirk returning, thin and defiant. "Guess I’m committed now."

He stepped forward, his boots silent on the rune-lit floor. The statues stood stiff, but their stone eyes seemed to follow him. His Night Predator trait kept his senses sharp, catching faint scratches on the floor and walls—Arveth’s team had been here as their marks were still fresh.

The altar ahead glowed, faint red lights pulsing from a pedestal. Something sat on it—five shards, maybe the bloodstone the bandit mentioned. Kael’s bloodline shook in excitement, urging him closer, but his gut feeling screamed caution.

He paused his steps, his silver eyes darting across the massive hall, scanning it once again but this time thoroughly. The air buzzed, thick with primal energy that made his bloodline hum like a plucked string. His Abyssal Fang Dagger felt heavy in his grip, its edge glinting in the faint rune-light.

A few paces ahead, a thin, shimmering film hung like a soap bubble. It was barely visible, stretching from wall to wall. Beyond it, the twenty hooded figures stood in eerie silence, their robes tattered, and their faces hidden.

Bone-white hands clutched rusted swords and spears. Their forms were unnaturally still, like puppets waiting for a string to pull.

Kael’s gut twisted, his Predator’s Instincts screaming danger. He didn’t need to be a genius to figure it out, and this most definitely wasn’t rocket science—crossing that film would wake those things, and he’d be staring down twenty enemies at once.

Sweat beads rolled down his brow, a cold chill snaking down his spine. "Not my brightest idea," he muttered, wiping his face with his sleeve. His heart pounded, but he forced his breathing to steady, his silver eyes scanning the hall again.

The statues loomed, their hooded gazes lifeless, and the altar’s red glow pulsed, tempting him forward.

He took a cautious step back, his boots silent on the rune-lit floor. The film shimmered faintly, its surface rippling like water. Kael’s lips twitched, a nervous smirk forming. "Yeah, let’s not rush this," he whispered, his mind racing for a plan.

Maybe he could skirt the edges and find another path to the altar. But before he could move, a sharp —ding— echoed in his head, and a translucent screen flared to life.

———

[DING!]

[Combat Quest Unlocked]

[Task: Defeat the 20 Bone Constructs at the Peak of the Pre-Awakening Stage.

Rewards: Abyssal Fang Dagger Enhancement, 10,000 Experience Points.

Penalty: -10% Health for 24 Hours]

———

Kael stared at the system prompt, his jaw dropping. "Twenty Lvl 18 Bone Constructs against a puny Lvl 11 like me?" he groaned, faking a teary eye, his voice dripping with mock despair. "System, you trying to kill me or what?"

"Sigh!" He sighed dramatically, his smirk widening as he pulled the Abyssal Fang from his waist, its blade humming faintly. "What I wouldn’t do for EXP’s," he muttered, spinning the dagger in his hand. "Quest accepted."

He stepped forward, his Bloodthread Mantle swaying, and crossed the shimmering film. The air shifted, a low hum vibrating the floor. The twenty bone constructs jerked to life, their movements fluid and almost graceful, a sharp contrast to their previous stiff posture as they snapped into a tight formation.

Rusted swords gleamed, spears leveled, and empty eye sockets glowed with faint red light. Kael’s smirk faded, his silver eyes narrowing. "Alright, let’s dance," he said, his voice low, his bloodline trembling with hunger.

The constructs charged, their bony feet clattering on the stone. Kael’s —Eclipse Step— kicked in, his form blurring as he dodged a spear thrust, reappearing behind the nearest construct.

His dagger slashed, severing its arm, bone shards flying. The construct spun, its sword swinging, but Kael ducked, his —Night Predator— trait sharpening his senses. He drove the Abyssal Fang into its chest, the blade biting through bone.

The construct shuddered, collapsing in a heap, a small blob of primal energy flowing from its body and into Kael’s. A faint —ding— sound followed: [EXP +300].

Although, the Devour Essence trait only worked for living beings and primal energy carriers, the constructs were made using primal stones which contained primal energy that could be converted into EXP.

Two more bone constructs lunged, their spears stabbing in unison. Kael rolled, the weapons grazing his mantle, sparks flashing. He hurled an obsidian knife, its poison sizzling as it embedded in a construct’s skull.

Though the poison couldn’t do them much harm, the force was strong enough to make the creature stagger, its movements slowing down, and Kael finished it with a quick slash—[EXP +300].

His breath came fast, his bloodline buzzing, the EXP kept piling up like coins in a vault and he loved the trill of it. But eighteen constructs remained, their formation tightening around him.