"Kuh?!"
Thankfully, he was alert and was able to duck and dodge the incoming fist. The wild swing continued, hitting nothing but air—but the tree that was a few meters behind Aster ended up getting perforated instead!
Just imagining such an attack landing made him feel faint!
'But why did the skill fail in activating? Did I do something wrong?!'
Since it was an upgrade of the Mana Slash, he thought that activating it would follow the same procedure. He tried again, gathering mana for his sword, before slashing forward with a wide arc.
However, just like the previous one, the skill didn't activate, and the strike became nothing but a mana-imbued slash with no power to back it whatsoever.
As soon as he failed, he transitioned to dodging almost immediately. With the extra stat from his passive Boost, dodging was a lot easier compared to before. However, this doesn't change the fact that he couldn't attack.
"I'm missing something...!" He muttered, trying to think of another way. "Wait!" And suddenly, he had an epiphany.
The skill was now called Elemental Sword Slash, so that meant the slash should have an "element" attached. However, his method was no different than simply slashing with mana clad around the blade, way different than what the skill's name promised.
"Is it like this...?"
The third time's the charm! After cladding the sword with mana, he imagined the cold, frigid north. As he did, the mana started to fluctuate, and change in essence.
"...!"
A cold aura started to envelop the blade, releasing a cold mist! Seeing this, Aster didn't delay and attacked one more time. A simple diagonal slash, quick and straightforward. The rabbit tried to dodge, but the sword's tip still managed to graze its thick chest, opening a small laceration.
*CRACK!*
But it didn't stop at that. The cut wound started to freeze, spreading to about a radius of one foot! The rabbit's face turned blue as it grabbed its chest, right where its heart should be, and fell to its knees.
Then, without much fanfare, the powerful monster died just like that.
"... What?" Aster muttered, confused.
He just grazed the enemy, and it died!
---
Outside the dungeon, at the Dungeon's Entrance Portal.
Although the time was barely approaching midnight, people were still coming in and out, albeit sparsely. Some were in parties, returning after an arduous hunt, with smiles on their faces from their abundant loot.
Others were lone individuals who had a shadow of death over them, with barely any loot on hand, bloody and depressed. In this space, lit by nothing but the floodlights and the glowing portal, something eye-catching occurred.
The portal released a powerful glow, signifying that someone was about to exit, but the light was so intense that they thought daytime had arrived for a moment!
The gatekeeper, the Oni Uncle, as Cassy calls him, stared at the lone individual who came out. Of course, he was familiar with everyone entering the dungeon, so he didn't fail to recognize the person who was standing wobbly, covered in wounds, lacerations, and bruises.
"You... You're Kali from that youngster's party, right?" he asked, approaching her. "Where's the rest? Don't tell me..."
But before he could finish asking, Kali's reaction made him stiffen in surprise.
"H-Help us... Aster, Cassandra, Celestinya, Lizandrea, Lorelai... All of them are in danger!"
Her usual cold, cocky attitude was nowhere to be found as her eyes flickered with fear and a faint beam of hope.
"Please... They're teleported to a random floor below Floor 50. Please rescue them!"
As soon as she finished speaking, as if completing her mission, she immediately fainted. The Oni Uncle heard her words clearly and frowned.
.net
"Random teleport? Could it be starting already...?" He whispered, but nobody was close enough to hear him. "Although I think it's too early, well, this must be fate at work."
He pulled out his phone from his pocket and called somewhere.
"It's me. Send out personnel for all floors from 5 to 50. It's Code Zero."
A faint glint appeared in his eyes, but soon, worry replaced it.
'Young'un, you must return safely.'