Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat - Chapter 48

Chapter 48: The Underworld

Ethan didn’t bother paying attention to the battle between the two figures—it wasn’t something he could interfere with.

Keeping low, he crawled forward under the cover of the chaos, inching closer to the bridge on the other side.

A quick glance at his skill cooldowns showed Charge would be ready in three seconds.

As the timer hit zero, he shifted. Bear Form.

He charged again, targeting the farthest NPC within range.

Swoosh.

The massive form of his bear avatar became a blur as it bolted across the bridge, landing on the opposite side.

But just as his paws hit the ground—

BOOM!

A fiery explosion blasted Ethan off his feet, the force sending his hulking form flying through the air.

-3,549!

A massive damage number floated above his head. Ethan’s health had plummeted, leaving him with just 201 HP.

His heart raced as he realized how close he had come to death. If it hadn’t been for the additional health and defense Bear Form provided, boosting his health to 3,750, he would’ve been one-shot.

The bridge was now eerily empty, all the wandering NPCs obliterated into fine powder. A gray mist lingered in the air, casting a ghostly haze over the area.

The bridge itself, however, remained intact, swaying violently for a moment before settling into stillness.

At the center of the bridge stood the fiery red-haired woman, her left arm now completely gone.

In contrast, the hulking man, remained unscathed. The only sign of damage was the dimming glow of the chains and massive hook he wielded.

Ethan noticed something strange. As the NPCs disintegrated, the gray mist that remained was flowing toward the man’s weapon, as if being absorbed.

Unbeknownst to Ethan, the emblem on his chest was also drawing in the mist, though the effect was subtle, nearly imperceptible.

The red-haired woman was in bad shape. After taking that hit, she turned and bolted, heading straight for the massive doors they had entered through.

But just as she reached the threshold, the monstrous man’s chains extended once more, surging forward like a serpent.

With a sickening thud, the hook pierced through her body just as she was about to escape. Her scream was bloodcurdling, and in an instant, her body withered away, collapsing into a gray vapor that the hook devoured greedily.

The man retracted his chain, turning his gaze toward Ethan.

“Oh, hell no,” Ethan muttered, turning on his heel. He broke into a full sprint, knowing full well he didn’t stand a chance against something that had crushed the red-haired woman so easily.

He made it across the bridge, where the wandering NPCs were noticeably fewer. Shifting into Stag Form, he galloped away as fast as his legs could carry him.

As he ran, thoughts raced through his mind. What kind of trial was this? There were no quest prompts, no objectives to follow. Aside from those two absurdly strong figures, all he’d encountered were Level 1 NPCs.

Earlier, he had done some tests by taking out a couple of NPCs, but there were no quest updates or rewards. Using his Appraisal skill, he learned they were all Level 1, though their health varied. Those with higher HP left behind thicker clouds of gray mist when killed.

The lack of clarity left Ethan frustrated, but he had no choice but to press on.

As he pushed forward, weaving past the NPCs, he found himself at the edge of a pitch-black lake. The water was thick and inky, like liquid tar, hiding whatever lay beneath its surface.

Ethan studied the scene. A series of floating logs stretched across the lake, forming a precarious path to the other side.

But he hesitated. The NPCs attempting to cross were frequently attacked by silver-scaled fish that leapt from the water.

Walking closer to the shore, Ethan crouched and inspected the lake. The moment one of the fish dragged an NPC into the water, the dark liquid didn’t simply swallow them whole. It corroded them. Dissolved them.

The NPCs opened their mouths in silent screams, their agony palpable, though no sound escaped.

A shiver ran down Ethan’s spine as he backed away from the water’s edge.

After observing the silver fish for a while, he realized their attacks weren’t particularly strong. Even the defenseless Level 1 NPCs weren’t killed outright. The fish’s true goal was clear, they aimed to knock their prey into the lake.

The real danger wasn’t the silver-scaled fish leaping from the water, it was the tiny black ones beneath the surface.

When NPCs fell in, they were instantly swarmed.

At first, Ethan assumed the lake water itself was corrosive.

But after closer observation, he realized it was these black fish, each no bigger than a fingernail, that devoured the NPCs.

The black water and the black fish blended together, making them nearly impossible to notice at first glance. But once Ethan spotted them, the sheer density of the swarm sent a shudder down his spine. Anyone with a fear of clusters would have passed out on the spot.

Unlike the aimless NPCs, Ethan wasn’t about to let himself get knocked into the water by the silver-scaled fish. Deciding to take the initiative, he shifted into Panther Form and leapt onto the first floating log.

His movements were agile, a series of quick leaps and dodges as he navigated the unstable path. Several times, the silver fish lunged at him, but he managed to evade every attack.

Midway across, curiosity got the better of him. He slashed at one of the fish, sinking his claws into its body.

-1,632!

No critical hit.

The fish lost about one percent of its health.

That meant it had nearly 160,000 HP.

The lack of defense surprised him, but before he could finish the creature off, it disappeared back into the water, leaving him no chance to land another hit.

Ethan sighed in frustration, wondering how much experience he would have gained from killing one of them. With that much health, its level was bound to be high. The thought of taking one down was tantalizing.

As he lingered on the log, several NPCs arrived behind him. They wandered aimlessly, bumping into one another and making the log wobble dangerously.

Cursing under his breath, Ethan jumped to the next log. The NPCs he left behind weren’t as lucky.

Splash. Splash. Splash.

One by one, they tumbled into the water. Ethan glanced back and gave a sheepish shrug before turning away.

But the silver-scaled fish weren’t done with him. A cluster of them darted toward him, their attacks growing more relentless. Oddly enough, the NPCs behind him weren’t targeted anymore.

“These little bastards hold grudges? What are you, bees?” Ethan muttered under his breath, dodging another strike.

Not daring to slow down, he quickened his pace, his panther form darting from log to log with precision.

Finally, he reached the stone platform on the other side of the lake.

Carved into the stone was an ominous message:

“Path of Souls.”

Ethan frowned, muttering the words aloud. Despite the eerie symbols not resembling any language he knew, he somehow understood them.

Necrotic Domain, Blood Abyss Bridge, Path of Souls.

“Is this… the Underworld?” Ethan wondered. The world of Ethereal seemed to have thought of everything.

Looking back at the wandering NPCs, a thought struck him. Were these the souls of the dead, their spirits drawn to the Underworld?

And if he kept moving forward… would he reach some version of the Gates of the hell? And beyond that…

His imagination ran wild.

At this point, Ethan hardly cared about the trial itself. The curiosity gnawed at him, pulling him forward.

Oddly enough, he realized that, apart from the mindless NPCs, this Underworld wasn’t as dangerous as it seemed. The terrifying demons, ghostly guards, and nightmarish creatures from mythology were nowhere to be seen.

Then he thought back to the hulking figure from the Blood Abyss Bridge, the one with the massive hook and chains. He resembled the grim reaper spoken of in legends, the ones tasked with dragging souls into the afterlife.