Jo Gi-man doesn’t know what his clone did. And at the moment, he doesn’t care about us. So, there’s really no need to make a fuss about leaving the guild.
If it were up to me, I’d set up a guild right away and take care of my companions properly, but the situation isn’t quite right.
“I wonder how the kids are doing?”
For now, I suggested to my companions that until we contact them, each should take some time to train.
We can only move once we confirm the danger has passed.
In fact, instead of going into the dungeon daily, it might be helpful for growth to have such times periodically.
Since, realistically, there are hardly any beings who grow just by fighting day and night like I do.
Hunters typically overcome numerous adversities and hardships to achieve a mental “enlightenment” that allows them to rise to a new level.
“Alright… So what’s next?”
The next dungeon our party will challenge is the “City of the Fallen Moon,” where Werewolves are the main focus, and a B-rank lower dungeon.
Of course, these dungeons won’t be easy for us, who have grown rapidly, but for me, it’s an unmissable opportunity to gain skills and grow.
Next, we should go to the hidden dungeon of Ilseom Guild that we couldn’t explore properly last time. We need to catch ‘Frizkana’ to gather materials.
However, I heard just yesterday that the hidden dungeon managed by Ilseom was also becoming chaotic lately.
It seems something went wrong when Jo Gi-man’s clone, which transformed into a two-headed dragon, unleashed its breath and swept through the gate of the hidden dungeon.
Still, with Ilseom’s level, they should be able to handle things on their end. They certainly have the capability.
“I’ll go to the blacksmith tomorrow to make equipment requests… and buy a small orb of ‘Hamari-shu’…”
I recalled several tasks, but the most important one is to take revenge on the Lizardman that killed me.
“Can I do that with my current power?”
I’m about to put that to the test.
Focusing my mind, messages long buried began to surface.
– The aura of emptiness has been detected.
– Would you like to retry the hidden quest?
Since it was a space I had connected to before, there was no need to go via the Golden Pastiche dungeon.
– Reattempting “The First Fragment of the Seeker Corrupted by Chaos.”
The phrase “reattempt” kept bothering me. I need to clear this once and for all.
Whoosh—
Soon, I felt my body being sucked into somewhere.
Thud—
“Ah, it’s been a while.”
I entered a foggy space.
I was back in the area where I faced the Lizardman for my job change quest.
It wasn’t that long ago, but it felt like ages since I had been here.
However, the sensation of moving around this space was still vividly imprinted in my memory.
“This way.”
I headed straight for the cave filled with numerous stone pillars.
“Wow, was it this close?”
The aura of the Lizardman, which I hadn’t felt back then, was now strongly resonating even as I approached the cave.
It might also be due to my enhanced sensory stats, but for some reason, the Lizardman seemed to be in an incredibly agitated state, not even bothering to hide its aura.
“Is it still brooding over the ‘trace’ I left behind last time?”
Or maybe someone else besides me had already visited.
“I’m here.”
The cave I arrived at didn’t seem to have changed at all.
But the vivid signs of battle remaining clearly indicated that something had happened here just a little while ago.
“It’s definitely not a system that resets. It continues from the last time I was here.”
In other dimensions, time often flows differently than my world, but this place seems to have a linear timeline.
I took my position and activated the newly acquired trait, “Dreadful Land of Chaos,” which I obtained by merging [Gray Fungal Toxin] and [Corrupted Breath].
It felt more like a natural ability unfolding rather than using a skill.
As soon as I activated it, a circular wave visible only to my eyes spread from my body, filling the surrounding area.
[Dreadful Land of Chaos]
– Applies poison/paralysis/slow effects within a 50m radius centered on the caster.
“Wow… it really is quite extensive.”
I could feel a deadly something filling up the 50-meter area.
“It’s being filled up much faster than [Corrupted Breath]. The particles seem much denser too. Not bad.”
I just need to increase the concentration a little more and then summon it—
A roar that shook the cave echoed—
“Clap…”
The Lizardman suddenly sprang to its feet and began sprinting toward me.
“It’s coming to me on its own. But how did it know I was here?”
I hadn’t activated stealth, but I thought I had entered pretty cautiously. It didn’t seem like it set any traps, but this guy was on high alert.
“Snarl— Grrr!”
It didn’t take long for the Lizardman to appear at the entrance of the cave.
It was frantically scanning the area, searching for me.
It had already stepped into the area I had activated, starting to receive debuffs, but it merely snorted a few times, not caring much about the changes happening to its body.
“Okay, you want to kill me, huh?”
The crazed look I first saw was long gone.
What stood before me now was just a monster filled with a desire to destroy.
I hid behind a massive pillar, waiting for the right moment, then slightly extended my arm to line up for a clean shot.
[Flame Shot]
A Flame Shot packed with an immense 1,000 magic power.
Any more power than that would likely leak out and alert the monster. This was its limit.
Boom—
“Kurgh—?!!”
The Lizardman took the full force of the [Flame Shot] and was sent flying far outside the entrance.
“Wow— Even in that moment, it concentrated its magic to reduce the damage? Even if it lost its mind, does its body react instinctively?”
Though it looked like a monster, it actually had the ability to apply magic well, just like a hunter.
However, no matter how much it reduced the damage, it had just been hit by the [Flame Shot] that had blown off the heads of the lower numbers of Escalon.
“Roar—!!”
With its back heavily damaged, the Lizardman started leaking its insides.
It staggered, unable to stand properly.
But just as I was about to leap in without giving it a chance, I felt an eerie sensation and quickly took three steps back.
Whoosh—
“Clap, Clap, Clap!!”
The Lizardman’s massive tail swiped violently across the path I was about to charge.
It was just a tail swipe, but it felt powerful enough to smash my skull.
“Wow— Damn, that was close to shattering my skull. Is this guy insane?”
The greatest danger in a battle is also an opportunity, and this guy knew that very well.
“Roaaar!!”
The staggering Lizardman straightened up and charged at me again.
However, with the debuffs I had spread and the serious injuries it had sustained, its movements were definitely sluggish.
“It’s still fast, but it seems something is interfering with its movements. The new trait seems to be working quite well!”
The tough scales surrounding its body started to stain and corrode, like they were rusting away.
The newly acquired [Dreadful Land of Chaos] was proving itself just as effective as [Blood Extraction].
“Krraah?! Ughhhrrr…”
The Lizardman suddenly came to a halt mid-charge.
It had instinctively realized something was wrong.
Receiving poison, paralysis, and slow effects all at once, it couldn’t be doing well.
“I’ve really grown a lot during this time. Even [Misaligned Rage] isn’t activating anymore.”
The incredible achievement that always compensated for my lacking attack power against strong opponents was now no longer helping me.
While that doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve surpassed it, I’m at least in a state where I can win, as though daring it to show me what it’s got.
“This level of power disparity is something I can overcome!”
Boom!
Just as the Lizardman momentarily paused, it unleashed its ‘Regenesis’ ability to start recovering and leaped high toward the cave ceiling.
“Roarrrrrr!!”
The Lizardman performed a powerful smash, obliterating the spot I had just occupied, signaling the start of a serious battle.
Swoosh—
[Root Bind]
There’s no need to directly confront that monster.
Whoosh—
From behind it, I extended the roots of bones to continuously bombard it.
Blocking its charge with a binding as it came at me.
[Corrupted Green Bind]
“Rooaaar?!”
The [Chain of Flame] wasn’t very effective against the water-element Lizardman, but it seemed unable to handle the nature-rooted vine.
“See, I’m glad I didn’t fuse them. I can use this more.”
[Blood Frenzy]
– Tattoos the Berserker symbol on the body, significantly increasing physical abilities temporarily.
– Afterwards, enters a powerful state of exhaustion.
“Let’s go!”
I had an instinct that I could finish this sooner than expected, so I ramped up my momentum.
As the red tattoos etched on my body, my physical abilities surged up to their limits.
While it was hard to gauge beforehand, now that I’m fighting, I can tell.
“Overall, I’m stronger.”
There was a significant power difference between us that couldn’t be measured solely by physical abilities.
Wham—
As the Lizardman swung its front paw at me, I counterattacked, smashing its jaw with a hit.
Boom—!!
The Lizardman slammed into the cave wall.
[Thunderhorn]
Sizzle—
“Kuwaaarrrr!!”
As I struck it with lightning, the Lizardman trembled and writhed in agony.
“Now, what were your stats again?”
In terms of physical abilities, I’d say even after dozens of level-ups, I wouldn’t reach this level of growth.
Coupling that with various traits and skills stronger than the ones I acquired early on showed amazing results.
Crash! Bam!!
I lunged at the Lizardman, who had crashed into the wall and showed no sign of getting up, unleashing a flurry of punches.
“Grahhh!!”
It seemed the Lizardman had something to say and was opening its mouth, but I didn’t want to give any openings to a monster that almost dealt serious damage to me with a feint.
Thud—
“Is it knocked out?”
The Lizardman was nearing death for sure.
If I cut its throat now, it would all be over, but—
[Blood Extraction]
“I can’t let this opportunity slip by.”
I pierced its body with needles to suck its blood.
Slurp— Slurp—
“Hah… this, this actually feels pretty nice once you get used to it…”
The sensation of fire coursing through my whole body, paired with an electrifying thrill, was undeniable. I couldn’t help but be bewildered at being consumed by this feeling while sucking its blood.
“Ughhh… it’s getting heated! My desire to destroy is skyrocketing…! This is dangerous…!”
[Calm]
[Calm]
[Calm]
As the Calm trait activated, it took quite some effort for me to suppress my desires. This was definitely dangerous.
“Ah— It’s driving me insane. Growing is great, but this is definitely a system-acquired ability that questions whether to accept it.”
[Black Flame Sorcerer – Seer of Black Flames, Follower of the Goddess of Tears Lv.96]
Strength: 840(+7) Agility: 668(+7) Health: 1163(+3) Wisdom: 645(+2) Magic Power: 2755(+5) Resistance: 181(+1) Sense: 342(+6) Recovery: 191(+2)
Excluding the ability stats gained from leveling up, a boost of 24 stats had been recorded.
Unlike when I absorbed Jo Gi-man’s clone, there wasn’t a huge spike in growth, but I was still pretty satisfied.
And shortly after…
A message I had been waiting for finally appeared.
– You have recovered a fragment of the ‘Seeker Corrupted by Chaos.’ (1/3)
– You recover two lives!
[79 Lives]
“Oh…?! Two lives recovered! That’s better than the residue of chaos. Nice!”
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