=====
[Skeleton Mage Il-wol – Lv.48]
Strength: 199 Agility: 150
Health: 101 Wisdom: 140
Magic Power: 105 Resistance: 15
Sense: 48 Recovery: 23
Traits: Calm, Protection, Thievery, 96 Lives, Adhesion, Pain Resistance, Blessing of Ovez, Blessing of Irmana, Blessing of Pitp, Penetration
Skills: Stealth, Dagger Throwing, Acid Spray, Basic Transformation, Reckless Charge, Corrupted Breath, Skeleton Bomb, Warrior’s Roar, Flame Cut
Equipment: Wise Argen’s Guardian Dagger, Bone Armor (Grade 4)
Stats: 27
=====
As I stepped out of the Lizard Swamp dungeon, I felt that I wasn’t under the effect of Irmana’s blessing anymore, making the stat gains from my job change seem insignificant.
“Even if I pump all my stats, they don’t compare to just one blessing. That blessing is really something…”
I pondered if there was a way to keep the blessing active. If it’s a trait that applies when my body is wet, wouldn’t it be enough to just hold a jug over my head? Water dripping down from above.
“…… The visual would be pretty terrible. No matter how much of a skeleton I am, looks matter. Still, I gotta try it out, right?”
Or maybe I should just level up to the point where I can use water manipulation magic.
“That might take a while.”
At least I had obtained the achievement [Orc Competitor], so I should be much stronger when facing orcs now.
“Where should I put the stacked stats… Thanks to the Rune of Giants, my strength has increased, and considering that, I’ve really tried to spread the stats evenly.”
Usually, when you refer to a weak character, it’s someone whose development has gone horribly wrong, and by normal standards, I was in a seriously messed-up state.
But I had to change my mindset. I was planning to be an all-rounder, and the abilities I gained from my job change would allow me to do just that.
“Looking like this, my health and recovery are a bit low…”
Even if Irmana’s lake water refills my magic power three times, I still need a certain level of recovery to prepare for long battles. Not to mention, my health is shared with Yeon-hee.
In the end, I had to raise everything, but my top priority right now had to be magic power.
I thought for a long time, but my actions were immediate.
Hmm… let’s do it this way.
=====
[Skeleton Mage Il-wol – Lv.48]
Strength: 199 Agility: 150
Health: 123(+22) Wisdom: 149(+9)
Magic Power: 131(+26) Resistance: 15
Sense: 62(+14) Recovery: 45(+22)
=====
After finishing the stat distribution, I stared at the changes for a while.
“Glad to have more agility thanks to the bone armor.”
Having invested stats in the weaker areas, I stood up to adapt to my changed body.
“Hmm… my body feels strangely uncomfortable. Is this monster leather?”
The previously empty spaces between my bones seemed to be filled with something of a deep gray texture.
The sharp thorns that used to dig into my bones seemed to have left traces extending outside as well, spreading out through my arms and legs.
Thud—
“Huh, my face changed a bit too? Why is my mouth like this?!”
I hurriedly checked my face, wondering if my already scary visage had become even more hideous.
My empty eye sockets and nose had narrowed a bit but not by much, and the shape of my teeth was now like cheese that had been stretched out.
“Won’t Yeon-hee get creeped out by this?”
“Clap, Clap, Clap!”
Even when I tried to make the clapping sound, my teeth had naturally adapted their shape. They were sharp like blades.
“Hmm, good. Function is fine.”
Teeth weren’t really made just to make that ‘tap’ sound, but I was satisfied with that.
“…… Wait, is this really okay? Now that I think about it, did I sew my mouth shut as a way of saying I shouldn’t even dream of talking in the future?”
My emotions surged for a moment, but one must live positively if one wants to grow.
“Just staying quiet should balance things out.”
I pulled my hands away from my face and felt around the layer wrapped around my body, which was the gliding cloak I had always carried with me to escape the canyon with Yeon-hee, now draped around my neck like a massive scarf.
“If I cover my face, maybe I could be treated like a person inside the dungeon.”
I nodded and checked my revamped stats.
Let’s start with sense…
Voom—
“200… it must be somewhere around 210 meters. Efficiency has definitely improved.”
After practicing widening and narrowing my range a few times, I withdrew my sense and examined other aspects.
But the other numbers had already reached familiar territory, so there wasn’t much in terms of noticeable changes. Instead, I had other things to check.
“Great sword… no great sword to be found.”
In my disappointment, I pulled out a cheap spear dropped by one of the blue-eyed organization members who had been chasing us from my inventory.
Imagining a virtual man about my height, I cast [Flame Cut].
Hiss-!
……
“Once more.”
[Flame Cut]
Swish-!
……?
Even after trying to concentrate and swing it again, there were no visible effects. I was hoping for some spectacular flames to envelop the sword…
“Looks like I might need to actually hit something for the effect to show up…”
I shrugged it off as unimportant and made my way back to the door.
Flare—
“Huh?”
In that moment, I felt the backlight up slightly as I turned, but all I saw was darkness.
“Hmm… I haven’t confirmed the effect, but the fact that my magic power is draining means it’s certainly functioning… The real issue is that to trigger [Flame Explosion], I need [Fireball].”
How do I create a skill I don’t have? Especially one involving magic…
It is said that sorcerers possess an innate affinity for mana, allowing them to develop their magic branches without learning from anyone else.
Controlling the mana inside the body and external mana to convert it into magic power and manifesting it according to certain rules—it’s what magic is all about.
“Then what about me?”
It’s been stated that the possibility to wield fire and earth property magic has opened, but I just couldn’t figure out how to make that a reality.
It felt distinctly different from when I handled the skeleton bomb or low-rank fireballs.
“Is this what they mean by an altered path of a sorcerer?”
I only just now realized my sense of true magic was lagging behind. Having lived my entire life as a guide, it makes perfect sense, but I can’t be bound by such common sense— that’s something for when I was a person.
Is there any possibility for an undead?
It’s fundamentally different recognition altogether.
“Enough of that. Let’s visualize it.”
First, a burning sphere the size of a baseball… similar to a low-rank fireball…
Hah—
“Haah!!”
“Ya! Haah!!”
“Ooooh, is this the feeling of a sorcerer using Fireball magic?!”
Such bull! Forget that!
Despite using my magic several times while visualizing it, all I got back was profound silence.
(Hehehe…)
I could swear I heard laughter somewhere, as if mocking me…
“Are you not done yet? I’m being serious here!”
(………)
It’s clear that I’ve lost my marbles. The auditory hallucinations are getting worse. Life as a skeleton seems satisfying enough—why is this happening? Perhaps I was already a lunatic in my previous life?
“Should I go search for my current self in this world? Maybe revive some fragmented, faded memories… Why didn’t I think of that before? Surely, I could meet myself next year? But if I meet myself in this world, it could lead to other events. Might even receive some achievement if I’m lucky.”
I resolved to look into it when the opportunity arose and refocused on my training.
“A burning ball… spherical fire… does the fire come first or does the ball come first? Argh! This is truly overwhelming!”
Thud—
I collapsed onto the ground and surrendered my body to the darkness. This darkness, which I could no longer see an inch ahead in, felt strangely cozy like a warm blanket.
Given that I’m undead, that’s probably to be expected.
“Is this not it…”
In truth, swinging my sword had an odd thrill that made my heart race, despite it being merely repetitive—but this? This was just giving me a headache.
“Creating something new seems too challenging… The system claims I’m walking the path of sorcery, so clearly there’s a connection somewhere… Hmm—”
Skeleton Bomb, Blessing of Ovez, Low-Rank Fireball.
I’ve used three abilities related to fire. I should trust and give it a shot.
I quickly sat up and manufactured a skeleton bomb.
Snap, crack—
A rough skeleton bomb sprouted spikes here and there. Despite its appearance, I could tell it had a high degree of completion, which made me smile involuntarily.
I held the bomb in my hand and decided to detonate it.
Boom-!
“Hmmm—”
In that explosive moment, I thrust my face into the fray to observe. Since it was, after all, my skill, I wouldn’t suffer damage unless I intended to attack.
“Isn’t this somewhat a Fireball?”
As I observed the moment of explosion right before my eyes, the thought crossed my mind. I didn’t have to focus too much on maintaining a rounded shape, did I?
Whether the fire is round, square, or triangular, if it produces the desired effect, does anything else matter?
“Alright. For now, just the act of manifesting fire…”
Simplifying my task sparked newfound interest, and I brought my concentration back up, continuing my challenge.
* * *
“Oh dear—you know you don’t have to be so gloomy, right?”
Helen was sweating bullets trying to reassure Yeon-hee, who was enveloped in a sadness she hadn’t seen before.
Sizzle—
The grill was continuously releasing smoke, yet Yeon-hee hadn’t put a single morsel in her mouth.
“Sis, should we just close shop for today?”
Umiran, the owner of this barbecue joint and Helen’s younger sister, asked as she placed a plate piled high with omelet on the table.
Helen glanced around the place. There were only seven tables, and aside from her group, just one table had customers remaining. Those customers were preparing to leave soon as well.
“When those folks leave, let’s lower the shutter.”
Umiran nodded, drying her wet hands on her apron as she listened to Helen.
This was a food alley not too far from the Lizard Swamp dungeon. It was a place frequented by hunters and regular folks after dungeon raids due to its reputation for good food.
On a normal day, the street would be packed with guests, causing entire lines of people waiting outside, but today it felt eerily desolate.
“Maybe we should’ve just taken the day off…”
Umiran completed the last customer’s bill and walked towards the shop’s entrance.
“Hmm…”
The hunters seated at the table nodded softly, silently shoving meat into their mouths.
Whenever a major incident occurred in a dungeon, hunters tend to gather with teammates to chat, as it’s deemed a virtue to honor the fallen. It was often said that it was merely the old generation’s way of preserving the funeral culture because they dreaded having their feasting interrupted.
And today was also Helen and Yeon-hee’s last day together, and there was a desire to share a meal with comrades who had emerged unscathed.
Helen had brought everyone to her sister’s restaurant for various reasons, but seeing Yeon-hee so down made her feel guilty for being somewhat pushy.
There were six people sitting at the table, surprisingly including Noh Ha-yoon and Bae Joo-ah.
Moments later, Yeon-hee broke the long silence and opened her mouth.
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