Val cast the Corpse Sacrifice skill on the lifeless bodies of the Luminous Scalebeasts.
Immediately, their remaining blood began to move on its own, like it was manipulated by an unseen force, forming a sacrificial circle underneath them.
The circle flared with a vibrant crimson light, swallowing the four carcasses whole, and then faded, leaving no trace of the beasts that once lay there.
In reality, these carcasses were transported to the Shrine of Evil. There, they were instantly digested by the Shrine itself and processed into undead creating power that was transferred to Val through the connection he shared with the shrine.
A system notification rang out in Val's mind.
[You have gained the power to create 4 level 2.5 undead or 1 level 3 undead.]
[What would you like to do?]
Val lowered his gaze.
Had someone else been the Devil God and Val had offered this sacrifice, they would have taken the majority of the power for themselves, leaving Val with a mere fraction. However, in this case, Val was sacrificing his kills to himself as he was the Devil God, meaning he was the beneficiary and the benefactor in the same scenario, and that led to a unique advantage.
"Use all of the undead-creating power to create 4 level 2 undead," Val said.
The ground around him began to crack open, forming four dark circles with intricate, horrifying lines that radiated a chilling aura.
From these circles, four undead creatures rose!
The bodies of these creatures were a sickly gray, their empty eye sockets glowed with a horrifying green light, and they had long limbs and elongated claws.
Not to mention, the air around them was thick with an evil aura, enough to send chills down anyone's spine.
Val looked at them and cast detect
Undead 1
Level 2.5
Strength: 25
Agility: 25
Stamina: 25.
Skills: 'Corrosive Claws', 'Nightmare Aura'.
Corrosive Claws: This skill allows the undead to release a potent, corrosive substance from its claws capable of melting iron upon contact. Not only does this increase the undead's offensive capabilities, but it also adds an element of area control and defense, as the corrosive substance can linger on surfaces, potentially damaging those who come into contact with it.
Nightmare Aura: Once activated, the undead emits an aura of fear that can penetrate into the minds of its target, causing vivid and terrifying hallucinations that can stun them momentarily.
The remaining three undead had the same stats and skills.
Val stored them in the shrine for later use.
Val cracked his knuckles as he said, "Now, let's go dungeon hunting."
In order to find a way to strengthen his bloodlines, he needed to gather dungeon cores to power up the door in the shrine. The Verdant Deepwood Forest, being immense and filled with mystery, should have some dungeon entrances hidden within its depths.
Finding a dungeon entrance in this vast forest would usually be a daunting task for anyone, but Val had a skill that could make this so much easier: Heavenly Eye.
With a small depletion in his soul power, he activated the skill.
The world around him changed; everything became see-through to his enhanced vision.
He scrutinized his surroundings, his gaze penetrating the dense undergrowth and the tall, ancient trees, in search of a dungeon entrance.
After a short while, he located one, but it was a level 2 dungeon.
Such dungeons were typically meant for level 2 bloodline users, not level 3 like himself.
Despite this, Val decided to head there anyway. He had a theory that he wanted to test.
The theory was quite simple but intriguing in its own right.
His main class was level 3, which classified him as a level 3 bloodline user. However, his innate class was at level 2. The question was, if he approached the dungeon entrance, would it recognize him as a level 2 user because of his innate class and allow him entry into the dungeon, or would it reject him because his main class was level 3?
It was common knowledge that dungeon entrances had some kind of mechanism that could determine the level of the user interacting with it, and subsequently allow or deny access based on that level and the level allowed inside the dungeon. Val wondered whether this system was sophisticated enough to discern between his main and innate classes, and which would take precedence.
As he headed toward the level 2 dungeon, he prepared to test this theory and find the answers to these intriguing questions.
Val had a clear advantage with the Heavenly Eye skill activated. His enhanced vision allowed him to see the beasts prowling around the forest, and he easily maneuvered around them.
After a while, he arrived at a small clearing that was encircled by towering rock formations. n0veLusb.c0m
At the center of the clearing was an Altar, a peculiar construct made of ancient stone. Etched into its surface was the Roman numeral 'II,' indicating its level.
With a determined look, Val approached the Altar and placed his hand in the palm-shaped indentation. Instantaneously, a portal materialized before him, swirling with vibrant, otherworldly energy of a blue color.
"Well, I'll be damned. My theory was right on the mark." Val remarked with a slight smirk on his face.
His theory had been correct: the dungeon entrance had recognized him based on his weakest class, not the strongest one, and thus allowed him entry into this level 2 dungeon.
With a small, satisfied smile, Val jumped into the portal.
A moment of disorientation followed as he was teleported to a completely different location. He found himself in what appeared to be a tunnel. Torches, mounted on the walls of the tunnels at regular intervals on either side of Val, illuminated the surroundings.
A system notification echoed in his mind:
"Welcome to the Labyrinth."
"Goal 1: Survive the dangers of the Labyrinth and locate the Labyrinth Heart."
"Goal 2: Utilize the Labyrinth Heart to deactivate the Labyrinth and reveal the true face of the dungeon."