Chapter 35: 3rd Skill

Chapter 35: 3rd Skill

His sight first turned blinding white, then plunged into pitch darkness.

Emerging in a dimly illuminated chamber, he was encompassed by a vast array of books. Some emitted an eerie glow, others radiated with brilliant light, while some remained unremarkably plain. Standing there, a sense of eager anticipation coursed through him. Despite having just emerged from a perilous and monumental battle, his singular focus now was on acquiring a new skill.

"Give me good Skill," Dante murmured, his gaze scanning the books.

"Start selection?" The system interface materialized before him.

Without a moment's hesitation, Dante agreed.

"Randomizing..."

The books began to whirl around him in a clockwise motion, starting off leisurely before accelerating. Dante's vision blurred as the books spun faster.

He tightened his grip on his fist, recognizing that even though they were only support skills, they could prove invaluable in battle.

Initially, facing the soldier devil, confidence surged through him. However, as the battle wore on and he sustained more damage, a stark realization dawned: he was still far from strong. Despite leveling up and rapidly gaining power in a matter of days, simply engaging with the statue had nearly cost him his life.

"And judging by the statue's name, it doesn't seem all that imposing," Dante mused, considering the possibility that he'd faced a rather 'weak' statue.

In the midst of his contemplation, the spinning books surrounding him suddenly halted, the silence palpable.

Dante turned his head, his attention drawn to a specific book floating before him.

"It's emitting a bright white light," Dante observed. He remained uncertain about how the strength of a Skill corresponded to the intensity of its glow, having experienced it only once before, excluding the present moment. Perhaps they were merely special effects. Dante resolved to inquire about it from the system later.

The book, glowing white, stood resolutely in front of him.

With bated breath, Dante awaited the introduction to this new Skill.

"Congratulations! You have obtained Hasten!"

"Skill Description: Makes your target faster by 10%"

"Energy consumption: 25 Energy for 10 seconds."

Dante had to do a double take when he examined the newly acquired Skill. Soon, excitement surged within him.

"A Skill that can amplify my speed by 10%? If I factor in my Mask of Support, I'll gain a significance increased in speed!" Dante thought, his enthusiasm palpable. The Mask of Support granted its user a 50% increase in any support-related Skills.

Initially, upon reading the description, he had deemed the Skill to be merely average. However, after a careful calculation, he came to the conclusion that it was, in fact, a rather commendable Skill.

They continued walking for nearly an hour before they came across something that brought them to a sudden halt.

"Fireflies!" Mailey exclaimed.

"Fireflies in a dungeon?" Gijah muttered, then his eyes widened, and all attention turned to Dex. Realization dawned. Those who had encountered this phenomenon inside dungeons emerged with extraordinary strength, while others unearthed treasures of unparalleled power. Their tales became legendary, propelling them to fame.

However, this phenomenon was exceedingly rare, occurring at least once every five years, and typically within higher-tier dungeons.

"It's a treasure fly!" Dex declared, confirming their suspicions. Each of them took a deep breath, knowing one thing was certain - a valuable treasure lay ahead. This promise of immense worth ignited a spark of determination in Lance's heart.

"We must hurry! The other team may have already reached it!" Dex urged his team, his eyes glinting with avarice as he charged forward.

The others swiftly followed suit.

Dex harnessed his mana, further amplifying his speed.

The treasure flies in the air grew more agitated as the group sped past them. Although they eventually returned to their erratic movements, they remained stationary, unlike when Dante had encountered them, leading him to the stone slab.

As they progressed, they discussed their plan. Soon, the tunnel opened up into a circular cave, with an object standing prominently in the center. Dex slowed his pace, captivated by the sight before him.

"Check the surroundings," Dex instructed, this time addressing everyone.

"Alright!" they chorused, dispersing to scour the area for potential treasures. After a while, they returned, shaking their heads. Their gaze then settled on the solitary object in the cave.

"I only found another tunnel," Gijah reported.

"Some sort of relic?" Mailey ventured, her confusion evident. Dex and the others remained silent.

With a resonant step, Dex advanced. He scrutinized the engraving on the stone slab, focusing on the depiction of the sapling.

"Looks like a door," Lance observed, drawing the attention of the others. Usually, they might have dismissed him, but the notion of a door led them to consider this possibility.

Dex rapped on it a few times and ran his hand along the surface, searching for a button or mechanism that might trigger a response. He even used his Medal to scan the stone slab, but it yielded no information stored in the database.

"If it's truly a door, they might be on the other side," Dex speculated.

As their frustration mounted, a sudden creak emanated from the stone slab. Dex instinctively took a step back, meeting his teammates' eyes, which sparkled with anticipation. Lance positioned himself at the rear.

Lance drew a deep breath, steadying his pounding heart.

The stone slab pivoted open on one side, radiating a stream of white light. Gradually, a silhouette emerged.