[0 hours: 0 minutes: 54 seconds]

 

“It seems like my time is up. It's a shame I couldn't get my hand on another astral wisp before I leave.” Said Bane with a regretful expression on his face.

 

Even though he was looking forward to hunting another astral wisp, he knew that the chance of encountering another one in such a short time frame was very slim.

 

Nonetheless, he still wanted to take his chances. It’s not like he had something to lose.

 

“Well, can’t be too greedy.” He added as he sat crossed legs within the void, enjoying the magical view one last time while waiting for the system to take him back to the real world.

 

Beyond—above and below him—lay an endless silvery void with clouds of brightly-colored dust and pinpricks of stars.

 

Those stars and the luminous nebulae provided the only light, casting everything in an otherworldly glow. It was very magical.

 

“What a beautiful view.”He mumbled to himself.

Thinking back on how he felt when first entered the astral plane, Bane couldn't help but chuckle a little.

 

He was extremely nervous as he was insured of what he might find and the danger he might encounter in this place.

 

However, after spending three months venturing into the astral plane, his nervousness has lessened as he began to enjoy this journey into the unknown.

 

“What the hell is this?” As Bane was looking around, he suddenly noticed a thick black fog within silvery bright-colored clouds like dust in the distance.

 

This thick black fog looked completely out of place within the silvery clouds and the shimmering lights.

 

Bane gazed at the thick black fog in the distance once more in an investigative manner as he used his appraisal skill to get an idea about it.

 

However, he came up with nothing as he couldn’t identify the characteristic of the black fog with his appraisal skill.

 

“That’s a first.” He himself became startled and murmured. This skill has never failed him before.

 

“Maybe it’s because I’m too far away from it.” He added.

 

Looking at the black fog in the distance, Bane had an uneasy feeling as if the most frightening fiend was hiding within it.

 

Bane's instinct was always spot on and it was also the main reason why he was able to elude the authority for many years after committing many evil crimes back in his days on Earth. It was like having a six sense.

 

A sense of danger beckoned him but ultimately, curiosity won as he decided to approach the black fog in the distance despite his instinct screaming not to.

 

With a serious expression, Bane took a deep breath as he flew toward the black fog. It didn’t take long before he made it far enough to be stopped by a towering peak of thick black fog.

 

Upon closer inspection, Bane realized that the giant thick black fog was actually a squatting monster. Its sheer size made it look like a mountain from far away.

 

[Primordial Black Dragon- Lvl???????]

 

“What the fuck!” Bane blurted out in horror.

 

“Pop!”

 

Meanwhile, as if the creature could feel Bane’s presence, the sleeping monster suddenly snapped his eyes open, seemingly adding two giant red suns to the endless void as they were glowing like hot embers. The light coming from them even illuminated the area.

 

It was quite intimidating. Even a psycho like Bane couldn’t help but feel his legs giving in as he was unable to stand straight. The monster’s eyes could drain someone’s soul away.

 

In the next second, the monster stopped coiling and spread out its full form, revealing its true unimaginable size - big enough to compete with a giant mountain.

 

At this moment, Bane regretted not listening to his Instinct and let his curiosity get the best of him.

 

‘FUCK!!!’ He screamed internally.

 

He could already smell the stench of his own fear. And if he could smell it, the monster before him could smell it as well.

 

The monstrous creature looked like the blackest night brought to life by his worst nightmares.

 

Scales as big as roof tiles, claws like the scimitars of giants, and wings so big they could shroud a castle—dragon seemed too small a word for this terror.

 

“Rumble!” The monster began looking down at Bane with his cold and emotionless eyes.

 

“Xshh…” At the same time, a hissing sound could be heard as the monstrous head of the colossal beast started moving closer toward Bane.

 

‘I’m dead.’ Bane inwardly thought. He had the feeling that even if he were to run to the end of the astral plane, he wouldn’t be able to escape the clutch of that monster.

 

He was simply petrified. Fear pierced his gut like the cold steel of a blade as he watched the monstrous beast’s head approaching him while he froze solid.

 

Cold sweat beaded on his brow as realization crept up his spine, whispering in his ear like a tortured specter: This is your end.

 

As the creature’s head was getting closer to Bane who looked like a little bug in front of him, it suddenly opened his giant mouth which resembled the opening of the gate of hell.

 

His maw was massive, large enough to swallow a giant whale whole. It resembled the largest black hole in existence.

 

Its rows of teeth were as long as swords as if to ensure that whatever went down that gullet would not do so in one piece.

 

“Holy shit!” At this moment, Bane could already smell the stench of death all around him.

 

He wanted to move but couldn’t as the monster’s gaze stupefied him and short-circuited his brain as he couldn’t think straight.

 

He was so messed up that he tried to use his legs to run as though he was in the real world instead of the astral plane.

 

As Bane was struggling with all his might to get away from the colossal gaping jaw of the monstrous beast, the cold mechanical voice of the system suddenly rang out in his mind.

 

[Congratulations, you have successfully passed the first tutorial]

 

[Mission reward: Akhrṓmatos Vision]

 

[Ding: The system will now transport the host’s consciousness to his main body in the real world in 10 seconds]

 

[Commencing countdown………10…….9……8………7……6………5…….]

 

“Shut the fuck up and take me back quickly. Don’t you see I’m going to get killed?” Yelled out Bane in anger as the system was taking his sweet time counting the second.

 

Meanwhile, before the countdown could even get to zero, Bane’s entire being was already engulfed by the colossal gaping jaw of the monster as his entire world fell into total darkness.

 

It was so dark that he couldn’t even see his own fingers. It didn’t take a genius to figure out that he was already within the monster’s mouth, waiting to be swallowed or chewed to death.

 

“That damn fucking system.” He screamed out within the endless darkness. His voice was filled with anger as if he would choke the life out of the system if he ever encountered him one day.

 

[………2…………1………….0]