CHAPTER 40: WRAITHS

Two hundred enemies. Two field bosses. And he was standing in the middle of an ancient dungeon without a weapon.

’System,’ Jack thought, forcing his voice to remain steady despite the hammering of his heart. ’Please tell me you have some good news about our situation.’

[Analyzing...]

[Bad news: You have no weapons. Lightning Shock and Lightning Embrace are unavailable without a spear.]

[Good news: Your remaining skills are all magic-based and don’t require weapons.]

[Additional bad news: Limited mana pool means you will need to be resourceful.]

[Additional good news: You have 60 unallocated stat points that could significantly improve your survival chances.]

Jack let out a shaky breath, but underneath the fear, he felt something else stirring. He’d survived the dragon attack and he could survive this too.

’Alright, let’s talk about strategy. I need to allocate these stat points intelligently. What do you recommend?’

[Given your weaponless state and magic-only combat options, I recommend prioritizing Magic stat for damage output. Your current Magic stat is 53, but against Terror and Dread rank enemies, you’ll need every advantage.]

[Suggested allocation: +20 Magic, +20 Stamina, +10 Vitality, +10 Endurance.]

Jack considered the recommendation, his mind racing through the implications. More magic meant higher damage with his lightning spells. More stamina and vitality would keep him alive longer.

’Do it. Allocate the points.’

[Stat points allocated.]

[Status Update.]

[Jack Kaiser: Level 18 (19,630/27,500)]

[Class: Lightning Mage Rank 7 (8,240/50,000)]

[Strength: 30 (+35)]

[Stamina: 30 (+25)]

[Agility: 30 (+25)]

[Vitality: 40 (+25)]

[Endurance: 30 (+25)]

[Magic: 73 (+25)]

[Mana: 300]

[HP: 630]

[Skill Points: 200]

[Stat Points: 0]

Jack felt the change immediately. It was like someone had turned up the volume on every sensation in his body. His mind felt sharper, more attuned to the magical energies flowing through the Spire. But most importantly, he could feel the lightning in his chest responding to his magical power, crackling with eager anticipation.

’Much better. Now, let’s review the mana cost and skills.

[Available Skills without weapon:]

[Thundershock: 20 mana | 1,029 damage.]

[Thunder Clap: 25 mana | 294 damage.]

[Thunder Stomp: 50 mana | 588 Damage.]

The math was actually encouraging. With his magic stat at 73, his basic Thundershock would deal 1,029 damage per hit. Thunder Stomp could deal 588 damage. Against wretch-rank enemies that had anywhere between 400-800 HP, he could be lethal even without weapons.

’I need to understand this floor before I start fighting. Let me explore carefully.’

Jack began moving deeper into the chamber, his new senses picking up details he’d missed in his initial shock. The phosphorescent fungi on the walls weren’t just providing light.

They were growing in patterns, almost like they’d been cultivated. The smell of decay was stronger in some areas than others.

But it was the architecture that told the real story. This wasn’t just a natural cavern or even a constructed dungeon. This was a prison.

Massive iron bars stretched from floor to ceiling in regular intervals, creating cells that could hold creatures much larger than humans. Some of the bars were bent or broken, their metal blackened as if by incredible heat or corrosive substances. Others remained intact, though their cell doors hung open like hungry mouths.

Ancient chains hung from the ceiling and walls, some still bearing shackles large enough to restrain giants. The floor was worn smooth between paths of the cells, as if countless feet had walked the same routes for centuries.

Guard posts were built into the walls at strategic intervals, now empty but still bearing the remnants of weapons racks and horns.

This had been someone’s job. Someone had lived here, worked here, and kept prisoners here. Jack had a sinking feeling about what kinds of prisoners this place had been designed to hold.

A low moan echoed through the chamber, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. The sound was wrong in a way that made Jack’s teeth ache and his skin crawl. It wasn’t the cry of any animal he knew.

’System, any idea what that was?’

[Energy signature suggests a wraith-type entity. Incorporeal, likely immune to physical damage, vulnerable to magical attacks.]

As if summoned by their conversation, a shape began to coalesce near one of the broken cells. It started as a wisp of darkness, no more substantial than smoke. But as Jack watched, it gained definition and malevolent purpose.

The wraith that formed was a nightmare of tattered shadows and burning hatred. It had once been humanoid, but death and centuries of imprisonment had stripped away everything recognizable.

Its form flickered between solid and ethereal, with empty eye sockets that burned with cold fire. Spectral chains wrapped around its torso, and when it opened its mouth, the same bone-chilling moan filled the air.

[Enemy Detected: Tormented Wraith]

[Rank: Wretch]

[Level: 22]

[HP: 450]

[Immunities: Physical damage]

[Weaknesses: Lightning, Holy magic]

[Warning: This appears to be a spawned entity. Source unknown.]

The wraith noticed Jack immediately, its burning gaze fixing on him with predatory hunger. It began to glide forward, its movement eerily silent despite the chains that seemed to be part of its form.

Jack raised his hand, lightning already crackling between his fingers. Let’s test these new stats. Thundershock!’

Purple electricity erupted from his palm, striking the wraith center mass. The creature shrieked as the lightning tore through its spectral form, its shape flickering and wavering like a candle flame in the wind.

[-1029 HP]

[Tormented Wraith slain]

[Reward: 150 EXP, Wretch Core]

[Congratulations on slaying your first Wretch enemy.]

[Reward: 1,000 EXP | 1 stat point.]

The wraith dissolved with a final wail, leaving behind only a small skull-shaped token that clattered to the floor. Jack picked it up, examining the intricate carving on it.

[75 death tokens acquired.]

’Well, that wasn’t too bad. If they’re all that easy...’

Another moan echoed through the chamber. Then another. And another.

Jack’s heart sank as he realized what was happening. New wisps of darkness were forming near several of the cells, coalescing into fresh wraiths with the same malevolent hunger. The first wraith hadn’t been a lone guardian, it was a scout.

’System, please tell me these things aren’t going to keep spawning indefinitely.’

[Scanning... Detecting multiple points of necrotic energy throughout the chamber. These appear to be anchor points that generate wraith entities at regular intervals.]

[Recommendation: Locate and destroy anchor points to stop spawning.]

’Of course it’s not that simple.’ Jack counted at least six new wraiths forming, with more wisps of darkness gathering near other cells. ’How many anchor points are we talking about?’

[Preliminary scan suggests 5-7 major anchor points distributed throughout the floor.]

[Warning: Anchor points will likely be defended.]

The wraiths finished materializing and immediately began gliding toward Jack with disturbing coordination. Their chains clinked softly as they moved, creating an eerie percussion that seemed to echo from the walls themselves.

Jack backpedaled, keeping his distance while he assessed the threat. Six wraiths meant potential overkill damage with his Thundershock, but each one would cost him 20 mana. Using Thunder Clap would be more efficient for groups, though the damage was lower.

’Thunder Clap should be more efficient for groups.’

CLAP!!!

When he brought his palms together, thunder boomed through the chamber as a wave of electrical energy exploded outward in a three-meter radius.

The result was less spectacular than expected. All six wraiths were caught in the blast, but the damage was lower than his single-target attacks. Still, it was enough to eliminate most of them.

[-294 damage to each target]

[4 Tormented Wraiths defeated.]

[Reward: 600 EXP gained]

[Reward: 300 Death Tokens acquired]

Jack finished off the remaining wraiths with another Thunder Clap. Then paused to assess his situation.

Not bad for his first real combat test in the Spire. But the wraiths were already respawning near their anchor points, and he could hear other sounds in the distance.

Growling, snarling sounds that suggested the wraiths weren’t the only inhabitants of this floor.

’I need to find the anchor points, clear any defenders, and destroy the source. Repeat this until the floor is secured.’

Jack began moving toward the nearest source of necrotic energy. His map popped up when he thought about it and could see a bunch of red dots, two purple dots, and a number of yellow dots.

The prison complex was larger than he’d initially realized, with multiple wings branching off from the central chamber. Each wing seemed to house different size prisoners. Some were filled with smaller cells for human-sized prisoners, while others contained massive chambers that could have held giants or dragons.

It was in one of the giant-sized cells that Jack found his first anchor point.

The necrotic energy source was a grotesque fusion of bone, shadow, and corrupted magic. It looked like someone had tried to create a fountain, but instead of water, it flowed with liquid darkness that pooled on the floor before evaporating into the wisps that became wraiths.

Ancient runes covered its surface, pulsing with malevolent energy.

But the anchor wasn’t unguarded.

Sprawled around the corrupted fountain were three creatures that made Jack’s blood run cold. They looked like wolves, but were the size of horses. Their teeth were too long and razor sharp. Their claws scored grooves in the stone floor.

Then, he heard a bone chilling howl...

AWWWOOOO!!!!