“Ding!”
“Congratulations! You have leveled up.”
“You have received 5 attribute points to distribute freely.”
Current Level: 14
Ethan’s heart raced as the familiar notification chimed in his mind. Another level gained, another step closer to clearing the dungeon. It had taken them another grueling day to clear floor 11th to 15th, but they had finally finished off the last of the Lava Giants. The heat of battle had been intense, but the spoils were worth the effort.
As the group gathered around the scattered loot, Ethan’s attention was elsewhere. His eyes glinted with focus as he mentally reviewed the new skills he had acquired from the Lava Giants: “Molten Punch (E), Lava Explosion (E), Heat Aura (E), and Magma Armor (E).”
He could feel the potential within these skills, the raw power just waiting to be unleashed. Without hesitation, he initiated the process to synchronize them, aiming to enhance their power.
“Ding!”
[ Congratulations! Your skill synthesis was successful.]
[ Your skills have evolved into: Lava Juggernaut (D).]
A rush of power surged through Ethan as the new skill took form within him.
—
[ Lava Juggernaut (D-Rank) ]
[ Type: Offensive/Defensive]
[ Description: Lava Juggernaut transforms the user into an unstoppable force of molten rock and fire, granting immense power and resistance. This skill is perfect for charging through enemies and overwhelming them with sheer force.]
[ Abilities:]
[Juggernaut’s Charge: The user’s Molten Punch evolves into a full-body charge. Covered in molten lava, the user can break through enemy lines, scattering opponents with sheer impact.]
[ Explosive Rampage: With each step, the user triggers a Lava Explosion beneath their feet, leaving a trail of molten destruction.]
[ Molten Juggernaut Armor: A dense layer of Magma Armor and Heat Aura surrounds the user, making their defense much tougher. The armor deflects physical attacks and burns anything that comes into contact with it.]
[ Volcanic Impact: The user can release all stored energy in a massive, ground-shaking stomp, creating a wave of molten lava that knocks back enemies and deals severe damage.]
[ Weakness: Lava Juggernaut excels in overwhelming force but lacks finesse and precision. The skill rapidly drains Mana and makes the user a large target for ranged attacks. It is also vulnerable to being cooled or solidified by water or ice-based skills, which can trap the user mid-charge.]
—
“Whoa! A transformation skill? Nice!” Ethan thought, grinning inwardly. The new skill was a game-changer, offering both offensive and defensive capabilities, but it came at a cost. The Mana consumption was significant, and he would need to work on increasing his Mana reserves after they exited the dungeon.
However, Ethan knew he couldn’t reveal the full extent of his new abilities to his party members. Having four D-Rank skills would make anyone suspicious, perhaps even afraid of him. For now, he decided to keep his new power a secret, continuing to use only three skills openly: Inferno Leap (D), Azula Sword Strike (E), and Paralyzing Breath (E), though the latter was used sparingly due to its limited utility.
There was also his Berserker’s Might skill, a powerful but risky ability that left him vulnerable after use. He hadn’t yet found a situation dire enough to justify using it.
After distributing his attribute points, Ethan and the others packed their loot-filled backpacks and headed for the exit to the 16th floor. Their spirits were lifted by the substantial rewards they had collected.
From the 16th to the 19th floor, the group faced a relentless onslaught of Stone Golems, Earth Golems, and more Lava Giants. The sheer number of enemies, each with their own unique abilities, made the battles arduous.
They took frequent breaks, rationing their supplies carefully as they fought their way through. By the time they cleared the 19th floor, their potions were depleted, and exhaustion was setting in, but they had managed to avoid any catastrophic situations.
In the midst of these battles, Ethan leveled up again, reaching level 15 and was already halfway to level 16. As he checked his status, a sense of accomplishment washed over him.
—
[ Status ]
[ Name: Aengus Degaro (Ethan Smith)]
[ Occupation: Hunter ]
[ Race: Human ]
[ Level: 15 ]
[ Class: None ]
[ Age: 18 ]
[ Strength: 34 ]
[ Agility: 33 ]
[ Defense: 30 ]
[ Mana: 2980/8,070 ]
[ Attribute Points: 0 ]
[ Skills:]
[ Active: Inferno Leap – 34 (D), Berserker’s Might- 5 (D) Earth Manipulation -2 (D), Lava Juggernaut (D), Azula Sword Strike – 30 (E), Paralyzing Breath -7 (E)]
[ Passive: Blaze Guard-5 (E), Fire Serpent’s Digestion-2 (E), Predator’s Instinct-6 (E)]
[ Special Skills: Monster Breeding (Level-1), Blood Regeneration (Level-1)]
[Unique Skills: Appraisal (Basic), Skill Absorption (Mythic), Universal Synthesis (Ultimate)]
[Equipment: Holy Dragonian-blade (C)]
—
Finally, they reached the 20th floor, where the ominous exit loomed before them. The air was thick with tension as they approached the final challenge, the sense of foreboding growing with each step.
“Cedric, do you know what’s waiting for us on the other side?” Ethan asked, his voice low as they moved cautiously toward the entrance to the 20th floor.
Cedric scratched his head, his brow furrowed in thought.
“Honestly, I don’t know. There’s no information about it on the market. My guess is, no one has cleared this floor before. If we manage to do it, we’ll be making history.” His voice held a hint of excitement, though it was tinged with uncertainty.
Lenora, ever the voice of caution, quickly intervened. “Cedric, don’t get ahead of yourself. We don’t know what kind of monstrosity is waiting for us. We can’t rely solely on Ethan’s strength alone. We all need to do our part.”
Marcus and the others nodded in agreement, their faces set with determination as they prepared for the unknown.
Ethan and his party descended into the 20th floor of the dungeon. The temperature climbed steadily, and a deep rumbling reverberated through the ground beneath their feet.
Each step felt like walking into the heart of a volcano, the heat almost unbearable, but the party pressed on, knowing that this final challenge would be their greatest test yet.
The tunnel eventually opened up into an enormous cavern, its ceiling lost in the darkness above. The walls glowed with a dull red hue, magma flowing like rivers along the rocky surfaces.
The sheer size of the chamber was daunting, and a sense of foreboding settled heavily on them as they stepped forward, their eyes scanning for any sign of the threat that awaited.
Then they saw it.
At the far end of the cavern, partially embedded in the stone, stood a colossal figure, its massive form towering over them like a mountain. The creature was nearly twenty meters tall, its body a terrifying fusion of earth and molten rock.
Huge slabs of stone formed its core, while rivers of lava pulsed through the cracks, giving it a living, breathing appearance. Its eyes glowed like twin suns, burning with an ancient fury that sent shivers down their spines.
“Oh my god. It’s… huge,” Lenora whispered, her voice barely audible over the crackling of the molten rivers around them.
Cedric swallowed hard, his earlier excitement drained away, replaced by the cold grip of fear. “That thing is a Rock Titan… and it’s infused with lava. This is way beyond anything we’ve faced before.”
Ethan’s gaze remained fixed on the titan. His heart pounded, but he forced himself to stay calm. He had faced powerful foes before, but nothing like this. Still, there was no turning back now.
[ Appraisal ]
[ Rock Titan (Elite) ]
[ Power Level: 25 ]
[ Health: 20,000 ]
[ Abilities ]
[ 1. Molten Core: The Rock Titan’s body is fused with lava, granting it immense heat-based attacks and high resistance to fire and physical damage. The core generates heat that can melt most metals and scorch the ground beneath it.]
[ 2. Lava Wave: The Rock Titan can release a devastating wave of molten lava from its core, flooding the battlefield with intense heat and molten rock. This attack is both long-range and covers a wide area, making it difficult to avoid.]
[ 3. Earthquake Stomp: With its massive size, the Rock Titan can cause localized earthquakes by stomping the ground.]
[ 4. Magma Burst: The Titan can create geysers of molten rock erupting from the ground at will, targeting enemies from below.]
[ 5. Lava Shield: The Titan can encase itself in a protective barrier of molten lava, greatly increasing its defense and burning anything that comes into contact with it.]
[ 6. Rage of the Titan: When the Rock Titan’s health drops below a certain threshold, it enters a berserk state, increasing its power and speed significantly while also becoming more reckless.]
—
The realization of what they were up against settled in. This was no ordinary boss; it was a true force of nature. They would have to use every ounce of their strength, strategy, and teamwork to survive this battle.
Ethan tightened his grip on his sword, feeling the threat it posed.
