Chapter 7: Chapter 7: Dungeon Raid(2)

[ Status ]

[ Name: Aengus Degaro(Ethan Smith) ]

[ Occupation: Hunter ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Level: 3 ]

[ Class: None ]

[ Age: 18 ]

[ Strength: 15 ]

[ Agility: 12 ]

[ Defense: 15 ]

[ Mana: 100 ]

[ Attribute points: 0 ]

[ Skills:

[ Active: Swift Sword Strike -2(F), Fire Toad's Leap -2(F)]

[ Passive: Fire Toad's Resilience (F) ]

Unique Skills:

- Basic: Appraisal

- Mythic: Skill Absorption

- Ultimate: Universal Synthesis

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After allocating his attribute points, Ethan felt a surge of power coursing through him. All his base stats had increased significantly, and he now possessed another passive skill. However, he still hadn't found any Mana orbs, which was a little disappointing.

His Mana was the real deal. With 100 points of Mana, he could run for 4-5 floors only. So if he wanted to clear this dungeon, he would need more Mana or have to consider joining a party.

But joining a party would mean risking his secret. Truly a dilemma.

The sixth floor of the dungeon was even more challenging. The heat was oppressive, and the monsters were stronger and more aggressive. Fire Toads were now accompanied by Flame Serpents, which slithered through the molten cracks in the ground, their scales shimmering with intense heat.

"Croak, Croak!

Hiss, Hiss!"

The serpents and toads writhed and hissed before falling lifeless to the ground.

[ Ding! Congratulations! You have leveled up ]

[ You have received 5 attribute points to distribute freely ]

Ethan moved forward to use Skill Absorption on them quickly. However, to his surprise, their bodies were nowhere to be seen. Instead, there were a few glowing skill books on the ground.

- Fire Toad's Leap (F) 2x

- Fire Toad's Resilience (F) 3x

- Flame Serpent's Breath (F) 2x

- Fire Toad's Breath (F) 1x

Fire Toad's Breath was similar to Flame Serpent's Breath, but with slight differences. In Fire Toad's Breath, they spat fireballs instead of breathing fire. Honestly, he thought it should be called [Fire Toad's Spittle] or something like that.

Still, he equipped [Fire Toad's Breath] and kept the rest in his cloth bag to sell them later.

Moving forward, Ethan stumbled upon a hidden chamber. The air inside was cooler, and the walls were lined with ancient, glowing runes. At the center of the room, a pedestal held a gleaming orb. His heart raced with excitement.

[ Appraisal ]

[ Mana Orb 1x ]

[ Quality: F ]

[ Mana Capacity Increase: 20 ]

Finally! He found a Mana Orb. He couldn't believe that he found it so quickly.

As he approached the pedestal, a shimmering barrier appeared, blocking his path. It was a protective ward, and he knew he had to disable it to claim the orb. He examined the runes closely and realized they formed a complex puzzle. His knowledge from Appraisal came in handy as he deciphered the symbols and figured out the sequence needed to deactivate the barrier.

With a final touch, the barrier dissipated, and he carefully picked up the Mana Orb. It pulsed with a soft blue light, and he could feel its energy radiating through him. Without hesitation, he absorbed the orb, feeling a surge of power as his Mana increased.

[ Ding! Your Mana capacity has increased by 20 points. Current Mana capacity: 120 ]

"Good!" Ethan now had 120 Mana points in total, a significant boost that would aid him greatly in his journey. He felt more prepared than ever to face the challenges ahead as it refilled his Mana to the brim.

Leaving the hidden chamber, he continued his descent into the dungeon. The seventh floor greeted him with a fiery inferno. Lava flowed through the cracks in the ground, and the air was thick with smoke. The heat was intense, but thanks to [Fire Toad's Resilience] and [Flame Serpent's Resistance], he was able to withstand it.

As he navigated the treacherous terrain, he encountered more powerful creatures. More Fire Serpents and Toads, towering and imposing, blocked his path. They were nearly double in size compared to the previous ones, and their fiery eyes glowed with malevolence. Ethan knew these foes would be a true test of his skills.