Daryl leaned against the cracked wall, breathing hard as the aftermath settled in, the space eerily quiet now that the ghosts were gone, all forty of them reduced to nothing more than EXP and points.
He checked the system, eyes scanning the numbers as they appeared in his vision.
[Total EXP: 1,250 | Points: 5,500]
Not bad, better than he expected after this round of capture.
He pulled up the system menu again, bringing up Weapons, Utility, and Consumables, three categories arranged neatly with more than twenty items each, all displayed in clean grids of icons paired with point prices.
Everything beyond Level 1 was locked, and Level 2 required 10,000 EXP, an amount he simply didn't have and didn't have time to farm.
That meant he would have to make do with Level 1 items.
He clicked on Weapons first, and a long list of options appeared, each one accompanied by a name, description, and point cost, some ridiculous and others far more practical.
Silver Spirit Blade, enhanced against supernatural entities but heavier than standard.
Phantom Whip, flexible and long-range, ideal for capturing or controlling spirits.
Spirit Rifle, capable of firing concentrated energy bursts but demanding in both aim and stamina.
Iron Stake Launcher, a high-speed projectile weapon with limited ammunition.
Specter Hammer, heavy and blunt, capable of shattering spirit forms through sheer force.
Daryl scrolled slowly, weighing each option in his mind as he considered the limited points he had, because with only 5,500 available, and his every choice mattered.
Next, he checked Utility, and two items immediately caught his attention, standing out from the rest with their clear tactical advantages.
Phase Cloak offered short-term invisibility, allowing him to avoid detection for five seconds at a time.
Spirit Beacon could lure ghosts, redirecting attacks and creating diversions.
Both options were strong, but served different purposes, as the cloak could save him once in an emergency while the beacon offered control and manipulation.
He thought about the creature, about its speed and aggression, and about the forty ghosts he had already captured.
The beacon could buy time but It could also create chaos, and that gave him more of an edge.
Finally, he opened Consumables, and four items stood out almost immediately.
Adrenal Surge boosted strength and speed for thirty seconds.
Eagle Eye Drops enhanced vision and highlighted movement in darkness.
Spirit Tonic restored stamina and granted minor resistance.
Phantom Elixir reduced damage from ethereal attacks.
Daryl did the math quickly in his head, knowing he could afford one weapon, one utility item, and maybe two consumables if he was careful.
Anything beyond that was out of reach.
He returned to Weapons, narrowing his focus to three options, the Silver Spirit Blade, the Phantom Whip, and the Spirit Rifle.
The rifle was powerful but too demanding, the blade reliable but dangerously close-range, and the whip versatile, ranged, and adaptable.
The choice became clear.
The Phantom Whip.
1,800 points deducted.
Points remaining: 3,700.
Utility came next, and while the Phase Cloak offered a brief escape, the Spirit Beacon offered control, distraction, and strategy, which mattered far more in a domain like this.
He selected the beacon.
2,800 points deducted.
Points remaining: 900.
Consumables were last, and he wanted both Adrenal Surge and Eagle Eye Drops, knowing they were essential, but the math didn't work.
With only 900 points left, he would have to make do for now.
Daryl exhaled slowly as the final loadout settled into place.
Weapon: Phantom Whip.
Utility: Spirit Beacon.
Consumables: Adrenal Surge, Eagle Eye Drops.
He gripped the whip, slung the beacon onto his back, and tucked the consumables into his belt pouch.
He checked the system panel one last time, seeing that Level 1 items were ready while Level 2 remained frustratingly out of reach.
EXP stood at 1,250.
Points at 900.
Enough to survive, maybe, but not enough to guarantee victory.
He listened carefully as the silence deepened, until a faint but unmistakable sound cut through it.
A growl rang out.
Daryl's pulse spiked instantly, and though the system showed nothing about the creature's location, he didn't need confirmation.
He knew, It was close.
He activated the Eagle Eye Drops, and the darkness sharpened as shadows gained definition, faint movements flickering along the walls where nothing should have been.
The growl came again, louder and lower this time, close enough that he could feel the vibration through the floor.
The creature was coming.
Daryl activated the Spirit Beacon, and a soft, pulsating light radiated outward as the first ghosts he had captured began to drift toward it, swirling like moths around a flame.
The chat exploded in response.
[WHAT IS HE DOING?]
[IS THAT EVEN SAFE?!]
[LOOK AT THE GHOSTS!]
Daryl ignored them.
He had a plan.
He pulled the Phantom Whip free, its length unfurling like a living thing as every ghost that came near could be redirected, struck, or funneled exactly where he needed them.
The growl intensified, heavy footsteps pounding the floors above, and Daryl knew the creature was too fast for a direct confrontation.
He activated Adrenal Surge, feeling strength and speed flood his body as muscles tightened and his heart thundered in his chest.
He was ready.
He ran, moving through corridor after corridor with every step measured and every shadow checked, the ghosts circling the beacon in a loose protective ring.
It wasn't perfect nor was it enough, but it was something.
The growl split the silence again, no longer just a sound but a presence, a sign that the creature could sense him and was tracking his movement.
Daryl moved faster as the whip lashed out, ghosts absorbed into the beacon while every capture added to his total.
The chat didn't understand what they were seeing, mistaking strategy for madness and preparation for improvisation.
But Daryl knew exactly what he was doing.
A massive shadow fell over him, something enormous moving impossibly fast, and he swung the whip instinctively as ghosts scattered in every direction.
The creature hesitated, just for a fraction of a second.
That fraction was enough.
Daryl didn't stop or look back, because he couldn't afford to.
He had to farm, prepare, and survive, knowing that every ghost captured added points and every point brought him closer to the tools he needed.
Somewhere above, hidden in the darkness, the 废楼魇猿 Abandoned-Building Nightmare Ape watched and waited, patiently.
Daryl kept moving.
He had no other choice.