I tapped it, and the screen didn't load instantly like the others. Instead, the interface glitched. Then the offer burned into place, black text on a pale void, devoid of animation or fanfare.
[ Astral Patron 'Caelum Nihil, the Unseen Sovereign' offers you a Vassal Pact ]
Domain: Nullification, Silence, Equilibrium
Reputation: The Empty Crown. An Astral Patron whose name was struck from the Codex long ago.
Perks:
– Absolute Dissonance: All magical effects within 5 meters of you are weakened by 30%. Passive. Cannot be turned off.
– Null Directive: Once per combat, nullify a single spell or skill cast by an enemy—regardless of rank or source.
– Equilibrium Chain: The higher your enemy's power, the stronger you become. Up to +25% across all stats against overwhelming foes.
– Exclusive Skill:Blank Protocol [Locked] : (Unlocks upon acceptance. Description hidden.)
I stared at the screen, and for a second, the world felt quieter. Like everything had paused.
'Caelum Nihil had finally reached out to me, and his perks were nothing short of insane.'
Looking at his name made me realize that this was the one I had regressed for. The one Patron who could strip Ignil bare, remove every divine cheat he wrapped himself in, and face him almost equal to equal.
[You have been chosen to become the Unseen Sovereign's Vassal. Accept? Y/N]
I didn't hesitate.
[Offer Accepted.]
After I accepted the offer, like ink poured across glass, the system darkened, and everything vanished for a heartbeat.
And in that void, a voice spoke.
"You seek balance in a broken world. Then you shall be my weight."
Then, the Codex flared back to life with one line of code scrawled in searing white:
-
[ VASSAL TITLE UNLOCKED: THE BLANK VASSAL ]
Caelum Nihil recognizes your resistance to fate. You stand unbound.
– Blank Protocol [Unlock] : (Passive + Active Hybrid)
— Passive Effect: You are immune to all identification, scan, appraisal, or observation effects—regardless of tier, class, or Astral origin.
— Active Trigger:Erasure Pulse(Cooldown: 24 Hours) Unleash a reality backlash that nullifies all active magical effects, enchantments, or status modifiers in a 20-meter radius. Field-wide silence for 5 seconds. Astral effects included.
'These perks were insane, but using them publicly would cause a commotion, so I'd keep this skill hidden for now. Just you wait, bastard Ignil.'
I looked at my status screen.
-
[ Name: Nile Santos ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ Astral Patron: Caelum Nihil, the Unseen Sovereign ]
[ Title: The Blank Vassal (Exclusive Title) Pioneer of the Depths, Breaker of Balance ]
[ Clear Progress: 3rd floor of the labyrinth ]
[ Credits: 9,000 ]
[ Achievements ]
First to Clear the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Floor.
[ Exclusive Skills ]
Blank Protocol
[ Learned Skills ]
None
[ Stats ]
Strength: 21 / Penetration: 18
Durability: 13 / Intelligence: 12
Vitality: 15 / Mana: 25
Regeneration: 13 / Resistance: 15
-
I dismissed the stat screen and let the silence hang in the air. And opened the inventory for the first time in this timeline.
"Inventory," I muttered, flicking my finger upward.
The translucent grid opened mid-air, clean and minimal. The system auto-sorted items based on category and rarity.
I scrolled through the few things I'd stashed during the last three floors—and now, seeing them again with a clearer mind, I noticed what I'd missed before.
-
> Inventory – Nile Santos <
『Bracers of the Mad Fang』[Uncommon+]
Reinforced hide and jagged plating once worn by a Hobgoblin Alpha. Built for brutality and bloodletting.
– +15% Unarmed Damage
– Reduces self-inflicted hand damage by 40%
– Passive Effect – [Rip & Tear]: 5% chance on hit to apply Bleed
『Core Shard: Hobgoblin Variant』[???] A volatile, dungeon-born fragment harvested from an unnatural entity. It hums faintly—like it knows you.
– Use: ???
– Note: "A strange reaction may occur near certain dungeon nodes, Vassal Altars, or forge sites."
『Dungeoneer's Charm』[Common, Rank C]
A lightweight charm favored by those who survive the grind. Simple, reliable, not to be underestimated.
– +5% Stamina Regeneration in the Labyrinth
– -10% Recovery Time from healing items
『Skill Book – Feral Brutality: Hobgoblin Grapple Arts』[Rare, Rank B]
Derived from the savage clash of hobgoblin warlords—grip, twist, crush, and slam.
– Learn: [Feral Grappling – Bonebind Technique Lv.1]
– Unlocks brutal, unarmed and improvised combat techniques
– Joint-locks, slams, bone-snaps
– Passive: [Pain Ignorance] during grapple sequences
– Scales with STR and DEX
『Skill Book – Flamebrand: Emberfang Style』[Rare, Rank B+]
Legacy of the Ashen Pyre monks—flame forged into martial grace.
– Learn: [Flamebrand – Emberfang Style Lv.1]
– Grants a fire-based martial skill tree
– Ignite melee attacks with mana
– Applies stacking [Burn] on consecutive strikes
– Scales with STR and INT
I looked at the two skill books sitting in my inventory.
I tapped on the books, one after the other. As soon as I did, pain hit me like a wave. My body shook. My arms felt like they were on fire, and my spine felt like something was crushing it.
´I still remember how it stung people whenever they trying to learn new skill through skill books´
[ System Notification ]
[Skill Acquired: Flamebrand – Emberfang Style Lv.1]
[Skill Acquired: Feral Grappling – Bonebind Technique Lv.1]
[ Name: Nile Santos ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ Astral Patron: Caelum Nihil, the Unseen Sovereign ]
[ Title: The Blank Vassal (Exclusive Title) Pioneer of the Depths, Breaker of Balance ]
[ Clear Progress: 3rd floor of the labyrinth ]
[ Credits: 9,000 ]
[ Achievements ]
First to Clear the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Floor.
[ Exclusive Skills ]
Blank Protocol
[ Learned Skills ]
Flamebrand – Emberfang Style Lv.1
Feral Grappling – Bonebind Technique Lv.1
[ Stats ]
Strength: 21 / Penetration: 18
Durability: 13 / Intelligence: 12
Vitality: 15 / Mana: 25
Regeneration: 13 / Resistance: 15
-
I took a deep breath and clenched my fists. "I should test these out… no point in waiting."
I opened the system and checked the next floor access.
[ Time until Rift reentry: 15 minutes, 14 seconds ]
´Tch. Figures.´
I sat down near the edge of the crimson rift, and I rolled my shoulders and stretched my neck. My body still aches from learning both styles at once, but the pain was already fading into something sharper.
Then, the countdown finally ticked down to zero.
[ Time until Rift reentry: 00 minutes, 00 seconds ]
[Rift entry Unlocked.]
[You may now enter the Labyrinth.]
I stood up, and I didn't hesitate. One step forward, and the transfer began. The world blurred around me, swallowed by the familiar pulse of energy that marked each new descent.
When my feet hit solid ground again, the air felt heavier. The smell of damp stone, mixed with the faint crackle of distant energy, made my skin crawl.
[You have entered the 4th Floor of the Labyrinth.]
[ Quest Type: Extermination ]
[ Requirement: None ]
[ Objective: Eliminate 50 Scaled Devourers ]
[You cannot exit this floor until the objective is complete.]