Ajax was focusing on his healing and holy magic as the guards surrounded him looking ready to move on.
“I don’t know which part is more unbelievable: that you are seventeen and you brought down a level seventy-four or that you are only level thirty-six and did the same thing.” One of the guards said as he looked over the dead mini-boss.
Ajax was surprised to see a flashing system icon in the bottom right of his vision. While keeping up his healing spell to mend his ribs from where the centipede crushed him Ajax opened it up.
Achievement : Pick on someone your own size
Solo kill a dungeon mini-boss that is more than twice your level without using the environment or a temporary boosting consumable (At least a thirty level difference)
Requires no Discoveries
Pick a skill to gain : [Aura Immunity] [Enigma] [Inspectors Eye] [Pain Immunity] [Truth Sense]
Cost : For the next twenty levels (reaching level 56) combat with enemies twenty levels above you or less grants vastly reduced experience
Ajax was shocked reading what the rewards for his Achievement was, it was clear all those skills were Legendary ones and the cost that came with getting them wasn’t all that high for him, the only question was which one should he get?
“Let's get moving.” The three boosters started herding Ajax towards the arch the centipede was protecting.
Ajax hesitated for a moment before he decided to make his decision. While all of the skills seemed very good there was one that would always be useful to him and he had little hope of unlocking on his own.
Before he went through the arch to the sixth floor Ajax made sure to change back into his regular gear and give the borrowed one back to the boosters. With nothing else to do on the floor they all passed through the arch.
Once on the sixth floor Ajax wasted no time dismissing the +1 to all stats notification before heading back straight back through the arch and out of the dungeon. Unlike last time since Ajax came out of the dungeon on schedule he found quite a few Kingdom personnel waiting for him, not only that but he didn’t even blink when the Empire demanded to check his spacial ring he had something much more important to check.
Name : Ajax
Level :35
Experience : 67890/68500
Traits: Divine Witness, Baron
Health: 1000/2600
Mana: 530/2630
Stamina :615/2030
Vitality : 260
Strength :219
Endurance :203
Dexterity : 219
Intellect : 263
Wisdom : 263
Mind : 263
Perception : 203
Stat Points : 0
Skills :
* Common :[Mathematics Lvl 30] [Stealth Lvl 40][Drawing Lvl 35][Athleticism Lvl 40] [Running Lvl 40][Reading Lvl 24][Writing Lvl 24][Cooking Lvl 30][Sewing Lvl 20] [Cleaning Lvl 20][Haggling Lvl 23][Gardening Lvl 30][Axes Lvl 48][Hammers Lvl 48 [Deception Lvl 31][Sword Lvl 48][Shield Lvl 48][Bow Lvl 48][Spear Lvl 46][Throwing Lvl 38][Persuasion Lvl 23][Unarmed Combat Lvl 38][Knives Lvl 46][Skinning Lvl 40][Tanning Lvl 20][Dismantle Lvl 44][Climbing Lvl 31][Tracking Lvl 35][Heat Resistance Lvl 23] [Poison Resistance Lvl 29][Pain Resistance Lvl 28][Trapping Lvl 26][Cold Resistance Lvl 20][Conversationalist Lvl 9]
* Uncommon :[Meditation Lvl 52][Sense Mana Lvl 52][Expel Mana Lvl 52][Sprinting Lvl 40][Mining Lvl 21][Lumberjack Lvl 10][Smelting Lvl 15][Blacksmithing Lvl 10] [Chanting Lvl 11][Mana Farming Lvl 31][Increase Price Lvl 15][Lower Price Lvl 15][Danger Sense Lvl 35][Leatherworking Lvl 25][Alchemy Lvl 45][Mana Milling Lvl 35][Precise Cut Lvl 40][Precise Blow Lvl 40][Judge Threat Lvl 34][ Piercing Shot Lvl 40] [Berserker Lvl 20][Cooperation Lvl 30][Berserker Style Lvl 20][Unnatural Balance Lvl 3][Feigned Interest Lvl 1][Illusion Resistance Lvl 1][Focused Aim Lvl 2]
* Rare : [Manipulate Mana Lvl 45][Water Aspect Mana Lvl 46][Fire Aspect Mana Lvl 46] [Air Aspect Mana Lvl 46][Earth Aspect Mana Lvl 46][Inject Mana Lvl 45][Spot Weakness Lvl 33][Residue Recognition Lvl 23] [Light Aspect Mana Lvl 46][Shadow Aspect Mana Lvl 46][Mana Skin Lvl 28][Teamwork Lvl 23][Beekeeping Trailblazer Lvl 9][Curse Resistance Lvl 19][Dungeon Crafter Lvl 23][Battlemage Style Lvl 11] [Impervious Senses Lvl 3][Alchemist’s Examination Lvl 15][Stabilize Mixture Lvl 5][Mass Production Lvl 3]
* Epic : [Mana Augmentation Lvl 36][Mana Conjuration Lvl 31][Lightning Aspect Mana Lvl 29][Metal Aspect Mana Lvl 29][Ice Aspect Mana Lvl 29][Magma Aspect Mana Lvl 29][Holy Aspect Mana Lvl 27][Void Aspect Mana Lvl 29][Curse Slash Lvl 13]
* Legendary : [Mana Syphon Lvl 30][Enigma Lvl 15][Inspector’s eye Lvl 1]
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
New :
Focused Aim 0 -> 2
Stabilize mixture 0 -> 5
Mass Production 0 -> 3
Inspector’s eye 0 -> 1
Upgrades:
Stealth 38 -> 40
Athleticism 39 -> 40
Running 39 ->40
Gardening 27 -> 30
Axes 46 -> 48
Hammers 46 -> 48
Deception 30 -> 31
Swords 46 -> 48
Shield 46 -> 48
Bow 46 -> 48
Skinning 39 -> 40
Dismantle 43 -> 44
Pain Resistance 26 -> 28
Cold Resistance 18 -> 20
Conversationalist 6 -> 9
Meditation 51 -> 52
Sense Mana 51 -> 52
Expel Mana 51 -> 52
Mana farming 23 -> 31
Danger Sense 34 -> 35
Alchemy 34 -> 45
Mana Milling 24 -> 35
Precise Cut 37 -> 40
Precise Blow 38 -> 40
Judge Threat 33 -> 34
Piercing Shot 39 -> 40
Berserker 17 -> 20
Cooperation 28 -> 30
Berserker Style 19 -> 20
Manipulate Mana 42 -> 45
Inject Mana 42 -> 45
Spot Weakness 32 -> 33
Mana Skin 27 -> 28
Teamwork 21 -> 23
Mana Conjuration 27 -> 29
Water Aspect Mana 41 -> 46
Fire Aspect Mana 41 -> 46
Air Aspect Mana 41 -> 46
Earth Aspect Mana 41 -> 46
Shadow Aspect Mana 41 -> 46
Light Aspect Mana 41 -> 46
Lightning Aspect Mana 24 -> 29
Metal Aspect Mana 24 -> 29
Ice Aspect Mana 24 -> 29
Magma Aspect Mana 24 -> 29
Holy Aspect Mana 20 -> 27
Void Aspect Mana 23 -> 27
Mana Syphon 29 -> 30
Enigma 12 -> 15
Mana Augmentation 31 -> 36
Mana Conjuration 27 -> 31
Battlemage Style 9 -> 11
Dungeon Crafter 10 -> 23
Illusion Resistance 0 -> 1
Impervious senses 2 -> 3
Alchemist’s Examination 5 -> 15
His status had made great strides since the last time he checked it. His level had been barely a couple thousand experience points into level thirty-five and after only two delves he was almost level thirty-six.
His resources showed just how difficult the fight against the centipede had been but his stats showed the biggest change and the prize he had come here for, after two delves all of his stats grew by nine points just from the floor clearance bonus.
The battle with centipede could be seen in the increase to his physical combat skills while his research into different applications of mana could be seen in the leap all of his mana skills made. The biggest winner by far had to be [Alchemy] and the related skills. The week-long extended trip was clearly showing its worth as the skills progressed by leaps and bounds.
When he was given back the ring Ajax noticed that the skin from the monster he killed on the second floor was missing. Ajax didn’t know how they knew which one belonged to the monster he killed but he knew they would be analyzing it to try to find out more about it but decided not to make a fuss about it here.
Once he got back to their compound Ajax found himself taken straight to the crown prince, not only that but this time nobody else was taken along with him.
“Yes, your highness?” Ajax asked once he was brought in.
The crown prince waited until they were left alone in the room before he took out an amulet to create a privacy screen around them. “What were the rewards like?” his voice giddy with anticipation.
“I’m sorry?” Ajax sounded confused.
“We know that killing a dungeon boss that is twice your level on your own grants you your pick from a selection or Rare skills. Doing so without making use of a boosting potion or the environment grants you an Epic skill, the cost of taking that skill however is too high as most are unable to keep on leveling at a steady pace unless they are crafters. Does doing so without either grant you a Legendary skill?”
Ajax was shocked to have that question brought straight up. “Ehh… It…”
“So it does!” The prince exclaimed. “Not only that but if a social skill is part of the selection you clearly didn’t take it.”
“Yes, it does grant that offer .” Ajax admitted once he saw the crown prince already put it together.
“That is all I wanted to know.” The royal cut him off before Ajax could tell him any more. “My father may ask you more about the options you were given but not even my privacy screen is secure enough that I would go into detail about what you may have selected while inside the Empire capital. I will say congratulations.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Ajax nodded. “I would like to mention that the empire did take the skin from the monster I killed on the second floor after I came out of the dungeon.”
“That is quite unfortunate.” the prince frowned at that new, his excitement gone replaced by a calculating look like flipping a switch. “Ideally you wouldn’t have brought that particular skin out with you even if it would have looked suspicious.”
“Nevermind, what’s done is done.” The frown only showed on his face for an instant before it was replaced with a smirk. “That little overextension actually gives us the perfect excuse to have you miss tonight's party on account of you being tired.”
Ajax was over the moon at the news that he wouldn’t have to attend another party with the Empire’s nobility. “I really am tired.” Ajax dropped any pretense of hiding his exhaustion after the fight and even played it up with his few social skills.
“You better get a good night's rest since we are leaving tomorrow at noon,” the crown prince said before he dismissed Ajax.