Bro, I'm not an Undead!

Skullius had been slowly mastering [Evil Darkness], beginning with a method to avoid wasting darkness as he usually did when trying to maximise the stat benefits he was granted!

The way he found most effective while keeping the massive boost effect was to shape the darkness into a fixed shape that didn’t leak any excess.

It had taken some time for him to find out which shape was most suitable, but after looking at the space he spent his time in, the cell, he finally made a decision.

A cube would be best.

He practised by trying to fill the entire cell with the darkness and maintaining the shape as the darkness conformed to the structure of the cell.

With the continuous practise and the use of [Advanced Evil Weaving], Skullius finally forged, the skill, [Perfect Night Domain].

Frankly, this wasn’t a name he chose but one that was recommended by Oliviana when he asked a hypothetical question that used the traits of the domain as content.

Of course, due to the nature of the way he created this skill, Skullius was given the option to name the skill himself which he hiddenly delegated.

Within the dark domain, every little detail about all events within would be fed to him along with  additional, insane boons.

He was about to demonstrate these at this moment.

‘To think these creatures can actually cut up… the surroundings and…wear them like clothes,’ Skullius thought as he analysed the tricky skill that these monsters possessed.

When the third Ghoul had appeared, its cover disappearing, the exact details of what had happened had been transferred to his mind.

Unfortunately, the Ghoul couldn’t ‘wear’ the surroundings in the [Perfect Night Domain] and Skullius wagered that it was because of the effect that [Evil Darkness] now had on its immediate surroundings!_.

Now, this Ghoul and its mates were actually stuck in the heavy atmosphere of the darkness where they saw nothing, heard nothing, felt nothing and smelled nothing!

Strangely, even the once brimming energy around them, glowing with a purple hue had been suppressed to mere light bursts of less than an inch long!

Everything within the Domain was up to Skullius to decide.

(A/N: Not to be confused with ‘Majestic Territory).

The bodies of the Ghouls felt extremely heavy as movement was possible but only at a very dismal level!

“Pretty weird, but now…” Skullius said before he dashed towards the Ghouls!

With the 80% amplification on his stats within the darkness, Skullius blasted forward like a divine arrow, the darkness feeling like home, as it propelled him even further, with little resistance!

Within less than the blink of an eye, Skullius was right before the first Ghoul which he had been pummelling before, his fist brightening up as he coated it in ‘Radiant Awakening’ and smashed the creature in the centre of its face!

Silence!

No sound was emitted but the cracking of the creature’s face in Skullius’ vision was more than satisfactory!

He could sense all the sound effects within the [Perfect Night Domain] but didn’t share them.

He watched the Ghoul fly backwards, sinking further into the darkness as it wailed soundlessly, his attention turning to the others that heard nothing while turning their heads this way and that in panic!

They even tried to swipe at the air to tear up the space but it was to no avail!

The Discount Human wiggled his fingers in the silent darkness as right in front of him, a large and long simplistic spear appeared, its build comprising entirely of darkness that only he could distinguish from the rest!

He pulled back and hurled the spear which bolted towards one the Ghouls, aiming directly at one of the many orifices on its face and successfully penetrating it!

Red blood spewed, flying messily as the spear entered and exited out the back of the Ghoul’s head, the creature screeching in pain as it trembled, falling back!

This wasn’t enough to end it unfortunately.

Skullius noticed this and zoomed ahead, appearing right above the creature, his hands blazing with the light of many skills as he then launched a flurry of purposeful punches that hammered into the creatures’ head at full strength!

Had they not been in a still space that didn’t quake from the impact, the noise from the thunderous strikes would have been horrendous!

Within seven seconds, the Ghoul that had been punished with dozens upon dozens of fists stopped moving, its bloody face showing the toothy orifices around it to be twitching their last.

[You have killed (IV) LV35 Obscene Stalker Ghoul. 605,000 Exp awarded]

[Your prey emits the Essence of Null Life. Would you like to extract it? Remaining time 59 seconds]

Skullius immediately extracted the essence, the figure which came from the extraction and into his status panel being…

100!

A 100 Null Life Essence points!

This caused a shock to Skullius who immediately  stored the dead body in his spatial storage and drew back.

This was a large number that he had yet to see even from the largest of monsters he had faced.

How was this creature different?

Skullius’ mind immediately pointed towards the tag that he had seen in front of all the stats of the Ghouls.

<Empowered>.

Once again, what he had analysed before the fight came to mind.

The dark purple energy that encased these monsters was peculiar and it reminded him of the energy from Clusters.

Could it be that they were being strengthened by a Deity’s power?

Pawns of the Evenfall that had their abilities augmented by unnatural powers!

While in the middle of his thoughts, Skullius felt a shift in the distance, his head turning as he saw and felt some changes on the Ghoul he had knocked away before!

It soundlessly screeched as its spherical head bobbed, the centre protruding as if something was about to pop out!

With one sudden motion, the hard flesh on the creature split, something appearing at the front of its head!

An eye!

A dark eye with a light purple iris which had glittering spots of white like stars!

Skullius sensed from the information he received, the power of this eye starting to part his solid darkness, vibrant waves of the dark purple energy surging into the air as the Ghoul passively got stronger, pushing away the Discount Human’s advantageous area skill!

The eye widened as liquid ooze flowed from the sides of the creature’s eye, dull sounds starting to reach Skullius as the monster screeched, waves of energy pulsating from it!

In the next moment, a beam of purple energy rose from the creature like a pillar, rupturing the surrounding darkness without much resistance as it headed into the sky!

A reverberation was heard and seen, ploughing through the [Perfect Night Domain] in an outwards motion while seeking to completely destroy it!

Half of the domain was obliterated in an instant, Skullius grinning at this show of power, as his advanced senses told him that this wild power was not the creature’s own!

The Discount Human clasped his hands together once more, the other half of the [Perfect Night Domain] that had begun to break apart as well, solidifying!

The Ghoul that was now free screeched loudly as it pulsed with strength, probably having used its trump card!

Billows of purple darkness shuddered around it as it bulged, getting bigger in size.

Skullius looked on at this with nothing but a calm visage however.

His rage had been somewhat abated, but he wasn’t done.

He smirked next as while in the cover of darkness, he extended his right hand, his index pointing ahead with his palm open, facing upwards.

The Discount Human revealed his remaining card in the [Evil Darkness] deck.

“It’s too late to use your hidden cards now…” he said softly, as the [Evil Darkness] around him trembled and then pulled itself onto Skullius’ finger!

The [Perfect Night Domain] collapsed onto itself, all the darkness rushing to fit above Skullius’ index finger as a small orb of darkness the size of a fist emerged!

The remaining Ghoul that had been left inside the [Perfect Night Domain], appeared once again in the recognisable space and was visibly happy to be free, but an ominous sensation caused it to pause!

Skullius focused on the powering up Ghoul before him as the mass of darkness above his palm readied.

It was the new skill he held, [Bead of Malevolence]!

VWUUP!

Before anyone could marvel at the scenes they could now see, a dark trail appeared for a fraction of a fraction of second from Skullius to the edging Ghoul!

No sound came out to signal the instant defeat but those who had been watching were awed.

From a good view, one could see a perfect circular hole in the head of the Tier 4 Obscene Stalker Ghoul as blood then started to leak out, its body falling to the ground as the energy around it disappeared.

At the same time, the same dark trail suddenly appeared near Skullius, revolving around him like an orbiting moon…