The group approached the next door tension between them keeping everyone, even Cawthorn silent. She stood in front of the door stone cold silent. Jenora took a moment, glancing at both Victor then Emilie. “I don’t think we can defeat the enemies he told us were further along.”

Serena nodded. “You’re right. We could barely defeat the first skeletal ooze. We probably die down here.”

Victor leaned against the wall. “If you think we can go to sleep and wait until dawn, I promise you we’ll live.”

“It’s probably already dark outside.” Serena noted.

“It’s about 8 hours to dawn.” Emilie noted.

“They already know we are here and for some reason they haven’t come out. We could go to the entrance and wait there.” Victor noted.

“What skill would require us to wait until dawn?” Emilie tilted her head.

“I can’t tell you. It’s my curse.” Victor nodded.

The long silence as Emilie once again stepped forward to stare directly into his eyes. “What will it do?”

“Every one of us will survive tomorrow and make it out of here alive stronger than when we arrived.” Victor promised.

Serena tapped her shoulder. “He’s right I’ve seen what the skill can do. We have nothing else unless one of you two have some secret skill.”

Jenora turned to Emilie. “I know you’re enraged but we can’t make it out of here as we are now.”

Emilie sighed and started walking back to the trap room. “I hate it when you are right and I’m wrong Jenora. Let’s go back to the top and go outside if possible.” The group backtracked through the floors and the rooms they had already cleared. The air as they emerged felt almost unbelievably fresh emerging from the oppressive atmosphere of the lab. Moonlight and the crickets greeted them to the peace of the cave.

“I’ll stay up.” Serena nodded. “All of you have mana, if you stay up tomorrow your flow will be hindered.” She turned to Victor. “Just don’t argue with her. We can talk about it after we are safe.”

“I won’t.” Victor balled up his coat and turned toward the wall. “Goodnight.”

They woke up and began to get ready. Serena nudged Victor waking him up. “It’s dawn.” The light in the cave warm and inviting bid them escape but the barrier still stood strong.

Victor woke up with 14:32 ticking down next to the Luzuzal’s Promise skill. He activated it focusing hard on the thought ‘Every one of us will survive today and make it out of here alive stronger than when we arrived’. Turning to Serena only to notice her eyes, the deep dark bags under her eyes belied her status. “Are you alright?”

“I’ll have worse stamina from one night. I’ll still be just as fast. Today is on you.” She leaned in to kiss him grabbing the back of his head. “Don’t let that be the last one.” She stood, both of them stretching.

Emilie added. “You’re slow to wake too.”

Jenora looked at him fully armored. “Did it work?”

“We’re about to find out.” Victor began confidently walking into the dungeon. “I know you’re angry at me but if you use your buffs on me we will undoubtedly live today.”

“Wouldn’t it be better to buff you Jenora?” Emilie asked.

“No. There’s no possible way I can defeat those creatures with some small status buffs.” Jenora shook her head. “You’ll just have to help him for the day.”

“Fine I don’t have to like it though.” Emilie scoffed walking back in.

The group began to return once again finding themselves in the now slightly less oppressive atmosphere. The trek back down room by room silent until they reached the second floor until a scream echoed upward “PREPOSTEROUS!”

“Cawthorn hurry.” Victor asked. Cawthorn swooped down to see and caught the eye of a skeleton with one green sphere for an eye. A dirty black cape covering his back and golden rings on his hands lit up wreathed in flame, lobbing it at the crow fleeing immediately.

Cawthorn swirled evading it easily “CAW CAW HAH YOU ARE THE WORST MAGE IN ALL OF VERDAN AND THE GREATEST MAGE IS COMING FOR YOU!” Those words echoed through the hall. Another flame blasted the door behind him missing yet again. “RUN YOU PATHETIC MAGE! YOU CAN’T EVEN HIT THE GREATEST BIRD TO EVER LIVE! YOU DARE CHALLENGE THE GREATEST MAGE? YOU MUST FACE ME FIRST!” Cawthorn swooped around grabbing the cloak and wrapping it over the skeletal mage’s head. By this point the four of them had made their way to the ledge. A blast of flame hit the railing catching Cawthorn in the edge. His tail feathers on fire Cawthorn retreated up a floor. “HOT! FIRE HOT!”

Emilie gripped his tail feathers mid air. “Regenerate. Silence.”

Cawthorn silenced himself holding his wing to his mouth after allowing her to drop the spell. “Well, well. The intruders.” The raspy deep voice did not come into view but echoed from below them. “You did well to survive as long as you have. Flee now and I will not send my minions after you. You are a waste of my time.” A door could be heard slamming from below.

“We can leave?” Jenora asked. “We can’t go anywhere. Did he not know that?”

Emilie growled. “He’s a deceitful undead with powerful magic. The Golden Goddess bids us kill him. You want to make it up yesterday to me kill him.”

“Yeah there’s no way a skeleton mage would do that. He’s probably conjuring undead to send at us. That means he’s afraid of us.” Serena noted.

“I’m feeling invincible today. Every monster in this dungeon dies.” Victor stretched walking toward the stairs to the third floor. His cloak billowed despite there being no wind. He stepped down to the trap room impotently slashing at him and the three women. He kicked the door open on his way to the next one.

“Don’t get overconfident.”Serena put her hand on his shoulder. “No matter how powerful it is there are limits.”

“We aren’t anywhere near them.” Victor pushed open the door with Serena.

“Speed boost, strength boost.” Emilie added.

Victor used his own speed boost. The room overflowed with vegetation and the air seemed unusually clean. The sense of a jungle emerging from the room to them from the dry dank air of the lab washed over them all. A massive beast with six vines for arms and branches for legs stood up from the center of the mass of vines. Victor crossed the room in an instant jolting it as he slashed leaving a trail of lightning behind him. Another slash reducing it to four limbs in short order followed.

The creature thrashed at him only to find a blade buried in its back from Serena. Jenora rushed forward unable to land a hit “Barrier Shield!” Her shield blocked the thrashing tendrils knocking both of the girls back.

Another clean cut from Victor left it with only three limbs. He bounced off the landing spot and took a fourth limb. The fungal titan tried to thrash at them knocking back everyone but Victor. Lightning leapt through the air inches ahead of him making the limbs trivial to cut. The final tendril smashed at him only for him to slice it off mid air with his crackling weapon. “Dear if you would.” Serena buried her blades in its head again and again as it writhed in pain trying to reach with its lost tendrils before eventually cutting straight through the creature. Victor swung his sword mid air cleaning the green goo off it before sheathing his blade and turning back to them. “That felt incredible.”

“Who the hell are you?” Jenora asked.

“HE IS THE GREATEST MAGE IN ALL VERDAN!” Cawthorn declared.

“Well, someday Cawthorn but for now I’m the greatest mage in this dungeon.” Victor smiled. “Let’s go.”

“HE IS THE GREATEST MAGE IN THIS DUNGEON!” Cawthorn added.

Emilie finally closed her mouth and shook her head. “What the hell was that?”

“My skill.” Victor smiled.

Fungal Titan 14: Experience Increase 16.7%

Current Exp to Level 11 75.5%

“WHY WOULDN’T YOU USE THAT EARLIER! WE NEARLY DIED!” Emilie shouted.

“It’s a limited use skill. I only have 4 more uses of it in my entire lifetime and I can’t use it except at dawn.” Victor explained. “It will last all day.”

Emilie still couldn’t close her mouth absolutely stunned. Jenora grabbed Emilie and hugged her lifting her off the ground and spinning. “We’re saved! He can definitely do this.”

“I can’t believe he has a skill like that.” Emilie commented as Jenora set her down. She looked suddenly jealous as though something valuable had been ripped away from her. She looked down at her hands as her party filtered out of the room.

“Can you level up Serena?” Victor handed Swordie to her.

She opened it “Status Sheet.” She announced. “Scout.” Tapping on Swordie and handing it back while still open Victor could see the description of her class.

Scout – Improves rogue level for skills by 10. Your damage and precision throwing weapons and using ranged weapons increases greatly. You are slightly less likely to be noticed when hiding. When noticed your speed greatly increases for 10 seconds. When relaying information to someone you received while alone your recounting becomes much clearer to them.

Stats - +18 Speed, +18 Rigor, +1 Luck (Permanent)

Stats per level - +3 Speed, +3 Rigor

‘That seems really useful but I’m guessing it sucks against doors. Heh doors. I wonder where Gargrim is. I hope he’s alright. If he survived the drake attack he should be fine.’ Victor stretched his arms in the air cracking his fingers. “Round two might require a bit more help. Barriers.” He kicked in the door to a roar from another massive skeleton dripping in ooze. The undead lunged at them with three barriers going up in an instant. It cracked through them all scraping against Jenora’s shield Victor back flipped pressing his legs against its rib cage causing it to fly into the empty center of the lab. It screeched attempting to grab the chandelier getting three arms around it.

In the distance above a loud ‘Click’ was the last sound they could hear before a pillar of fire incinerated the creature and blackened the floor below.

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Giant Skeletal Ooze 13: Experience Increase 24.5%

Current Exp to Level 11 75.5%

Level 11 Reached

Tier 2 Reached

Human Racial bonus applied, Rank Up Points tripled.

6 Tier Rank Up Points Awarded.

Giant Skeletal Ooze 13: Experience Increase 14.4%

Current exp to Level 12 14.4%

Victor snapped up and opened his book eager to see what he had gotten. “Status sheet.”

Race Human: Victor Vance Vogal

Class, Specialization : Mage 9, Spellsword 2

Level : 11

Base Health : 190

Stamina : 15

Mana : 15

Vitality : 19

Speed : 20

Strength : 19

Prowess : 31

Endurance : 11

Rigor : 2

Willpower : 17

Flow : 47 (+50%)

Luck : -44

Resistance : None

Skills: Speed Reading Rank 2, Academic Rank 2, Familiar Rank 1, Speechless Spellcasting Rank 2, Improved Buffs Rank 2, Rogue Skills Rank 2, Fighter Skills Rank 2

Hidden Skills: Memory Retention , Luzuzal’s Delusion Rank 3 , Luzuzal’s Devout Rank 2, Luzuzal’s Promise Rank 7,

Spells: Barrier shield Rank 1, Jolt Rank 1, Speed Boost Rank 1, Magic Writing Rank 1, Vitality Boost Rank 1

Current Exp to Level 12 14.4 %

“Ooo I gained 10 vitality. What are rank up points?” Victor asked.

“When completing a tier vitality equal to 10 times the finished tier is added. A rank up point can be used at the rate of 1 per rank to upgrade a skill or spell to the next rank. They bypass the stat point system allowing you to improve some skills when you gain a tier. Most races gain 1 per tier, so 2 at tier 2 and 3 at tier 3 and so on. Human’s racial bonus is to gain 3 times that amount.” Swordie explained.

“Any spells or skills anyone recommends?” Victor sat up looking to the three of them.

“Is this young man clueless?” Jenora asked.

“Upgrade your stat boosting skills.” Emilie nodded. “Most specializations can’t use them effectively because they are cost prohibitive only yours and mine can. Yours on you and mine on anyone besides me, if you don’t have a boost skill you might use take it now. Rigor boost is really useful if you exhaust easily which you do. I can see your legs shaking.” She pointed to them

Victor gripped one leg to stop the shaking. The chill ran up his leg like a cat crawling on it. Exhausted undoubtedly so from that feat of strength he held Swordie. “I thought you didn’t like me after yesterday to be honest.”

“I don’t you jerk, but you’ve impressed me and we might get out of this alive. Your specialization skills and spells improve automatically so you don’t need to spend points on them.” Emilie noted.

“Sir in addition to the boost skills upgrading your Jolt skill is important. Once you reach tier 3, 6 or 9 on a skill it is able to be modified. I would also consider Fire Bolt to grant you access to a spell useful against these creatures.” Swordie noted.

“Thank you all let me look at this for a moment.” Victor brought up the skills

Jolt Rank 2

Requirements: Spend 2 stat point (Or rank up point) , Mage or Cleric Level 11

Instant Spell

Mana Cost: 2

Extend your hand, finger, or blade and lightning leaps from it a short distance. Damage is based on prowess and skill rank. Spellsword specialization is possessed. When cast from a blade the lightning does increased damage based on the strength of the weapon.

Speed Boost Rank 2

Requirements: Spend 6 stat points (Or rank up point), Mage or Cleric Level 11.

Sustained Spell

Mana Cost: 2 Mana Per Second

Increases speed by 60.

Vitality Boost Rank 2

Requirements: Spend 6 stat points (Or rank up point) , Mage or Cleric 11.

Sustained Spell

Mana Cost: 2 Mana Per Second

Increases Vitality by 60.

Rigor Boost Rank 2

Requirements: Spend 6 stat points (Or rank up point) , Mage or Cleric 11.

Sustained Spell

Mana Cost: 2 Mana Per Second

Increases Rigor by 60.

Prowess Boost Rank 2

Requirements: Spend 6 stat points (Or rank up point), Mage or Cleric 11.

Sustained Spell

Mana Cost: 2 Mana Per Second

Increases Prowess by 60.

“Can I do partial upgrades and then do the rest later?” Victor asked

“Yes sir.” Swordie noted.

“I’ll save the last one and my 10 stat points for when I have more time. Let’s go kill this guy.” Victor stood up and stretched.

“What skill makes you this powerful? It’s almost like you went from being a novice just figuring it out to someone with a thousand years of fighting experience in a night. Are you possessed?” Emilie asked.

“No. I’m confident I am not possessed.” Victor answered.

“That is what a possessed person would say.” Swordie noted.

“Thank you Swordie.” Victor rolled his eyes.

“I’m not possessed you literally can see my status sheet.” Victor glared at Swordie.

“I lack eyes.” Swordie noted.

“You can sense it!” Victor added extremely annoyed.

“It is unlikely you could hide the possession curse from me.” Swordie noted.

“See he agrees I am not possessed.” Victor looked at the three of them.

“NOTHING COULD POSSESS MY MAGE! HE IS A PARAGON OF FREEDOM!” Cawthorn proclaimed.

“I’m not possessed let’s move on. The skill is cursed and I can’t tell you about it.” Victor added.

Serena nodded with a glare extending into his soul. “I just go along with it. He’s not wrong about cursed skills. They can be horrible to learn about, either because the curse is horrific or because the curse tries to spread. Possibly both.”

Victor felt the piercing gaze harder than any strike he had felt in the past day. “Yeah please trust me and we will all get out of here unscathed.”

Jenora put her hand on Emilie. “I trust you, and she trusts me enough to accept that for now.”