For a moment, nothing moved.
Lucien wiped blood from his blade and glanced at the system readout.
▒░ [Total Essence Collected]
4,870 EP ░▒▓
"That's enough to keep us alive for a while," he said, voice lighter than it should have been.
Lyra drifted in a slow circle around him, sharing the same thrill. The fear had burned away, replaced by something sharper and almost intoxicating.
"We're really doing this," Lucien said with a crooked smile. "And we're winning."
He shook his head. "Careful. That's how people get stupid."
Lyra pulsed, unrepentant.
Lucien let out a breath and looked down at the fallen beasts. Then he remembered.
The quest.
"Right," he muttered. "Inventory."
He knelt and began working.
It was messy and slow and unpleasant. He harvested cores, claws, and hardened hide, forcing himself to feel the weight of every piece. The smell clung to him, metallic and heavy. His hands trembled slightly by the time he finished.
He slung the materials over his shoulder and strapped them tight.
The burden was real.
His body felt it immediately.
Then the system responded.
▒░ [Quest Complete] ░▒▓
▓▒░ [Chain Quest — Path of the Binder (4)] ░▒▓
Quest Name: Weight of the Hunt
Status: Completed
▒░ [Reward Granted] ░▒▓
System Inventory — Unlocked
Inventory Capacity: Limited (Hunter Grade)
Passive Effect: Reduced burden awareness when carrying loot
The weight eased, not disappearing, but dulling enough to breathe again.
Lucien closed his eyes for a second and smiled.
"About time," he said.
Lyra hovered close, sharing his satisfaction.
Lucien stood and looked ahead, senses stretching outward.
He could still fight.
And if he had to, he would.
Just as the last system window faded from his vision, Lucien felt it.
The pressure.
It wasn't sudden, nor was it loud. It was the kind that crept in slowly, like the air growing heavier before a storm. He looked up from the bloodied ground and saw it.
The D rank beast was still approaching.
Slow. Deliberate. Confident.
Lucien straightened and rolled his shoulders once, loosening the tension there. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as he watched the creature close the distance at its own pace.
"So you still followed," he said, voice calm, almost amused. "Guess you came all this way just to offer your life."
The beast let out a low growl, scraping claws against stone.
Lucien smirked. Typical.
He had time. More than he expected, actually, and he used it well. The earlier rush of fighting had settled into something steadier now, something controlled. His breathing evened out as he glanced at the system again, curiosity tugging at him despite the threat ahead.
The numbers made his brows lift slightly.
He hadn't imagined it would go this far.
▒░ [Essence System]
Total Stored Essence Points: 4,870 EP ░▒▓
Lucien let out a soft whistle.
"That's… more than I imagined to collect ," he muttered.
For a Rift exercise, this was absurd. He'd expected scraps, maybe enough to scrape by or test a function or two. Not this. Not a pool large enough to actually plan around.
But then again, things had stopped being normal the moment he decided not to walk away.
"The more the better," he said, mostly to himself.
Lyra hovered close, her glow brighter than before, almost buzzing with energy. She could feel it too. Essence didn't just sit quietly. It pressed, waited, begged to be used.
Lucien didn't hesitate.
"Let's spend it."
The menu shifted as he opened the Essence System again, fingers brushing through the air as if the interface were physical. His gaze went straight to Lyra's skill list.
Phantom Rush.
That one had carried them through more tight spots than he could count.
He selected it.
▒░ [Essence System Active]
Stored EP: 4,870
Compatible Target: Summon – Lyra
Skill Upgrade Available: Phantom Rush (Adept → Expert)
Cost: 700 EP. ░▒▓
Lucien exhaled slowly. "Worth it."
He confirmed the upgrade.
The system pulsed.
▒░ [Upgrade Complete]
Skill: Phantom Rush (Expert)
Effect: Speed burst increased by 15%. Cooldown reduced to 20 seconds.
Additional Effect: Improved control during rapid movement. ░▒▓
Lyra flickered, her form blurring for just a moment before stabilizing again. She darted forward instinctively, stopping herself mid motion, then zipped back to Lucien's side.
She was faster.
Noticeably.
Lucien's smile widened. "Yeah. That's going to hurt someone."
Lyra seemed pleased with that assessment.
He didn't linger. There was still more to do.
Next was Earthen Pulse.
It wasn't flashy, but Lucien had learned to respect skills like that. Anything that controlled footing, timing, or space was never truly weak.
He brought it up.
▒░ [Essence System Active]
Stored EP: 4,170
Compatible Target: Summon – Lyra
Skill Upgrade Available: Earthen Pulse (Novice → Adept)
Cost: 300 EP ░▒▓
Lucien nodded once. "Let's get this one up too."
Confirmation.
The ground beneath his feet vibrated faintly as the upgrade settled.
▒░ [Upgrade Complete]
Skill: Earthen Pulse (Adept)
Effect: Generates a focused kinetic shockwave upon ground contact.
Additional Effect: Increased disruption radius and brief stagger chance. ░▒▓
Lucien crouched and pressed his palm to the ground experimentally. The stone answered him with a dull tremor.
"That's solid," he said. "You can work with that."
Lyra dipped in agreement, already adjusting, already learning.
Then came the last one.
Static Arc.
Lucien paused on it longer than the others.
"That lizard really saved us," he muttered, remembering the fight. "Didn't think I'd be thanking a Rift beast."
Lyra's glow rippled, amused.
He selected the skill.
▒░ [Essence System Active]
Stored EP: 3,870
Compatible Target: Summon – Lyra
Skill Upgrade Available: Static Arc (Adept → Expert)
Cost: 700 EP ░▒▓
Lucien hesitated for half a second.
Then he smiled.
"Future us will thank me."
He confirmed.
Lightning cracked softly in the air, crawling along Lyra's form before sinking into her core.
▒░ [Upgrade Complete]
Skill: Static Arc (Expert)
Effect: Chained lightning strike with improved stability and extended jump range.
Additional Effect: Sustained damage increased. Reduced energy loss between targets. ░▒▓
Lyra hummed, a sound Lucien felt more than heard. Electricity danced faintly around her, sharper now, more disciplined.
Lucien let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
"That changes things," he said quietly. "A lot."