In about 10 minutes, our party was more or less complete. Three more Players who met the dungeon requirements had stepped up, and we quickly came up with roles for our squad.
[Name: Yulton Hill | Level: 428]
[Title: Mark of the Predator (A)]
[Health: 1245 | Strength: 305]
[Speed: 405 | Magic: 300]
[Risk: 0 | Stat Points: 0]
[Experience: 87%]
[Name: Carrie Gin | Level: 444]
[Title: Sorceress Reckoning (A)]
[Health: 1200 | Strength: 305]
[Speed: 305 | Magic: 525]
[Risk: 0 | Stat Points: 0]
[Experience: 29%]
[Name: Bryant Viney | Level: 439]
[Title: Wrathful Butcher (A)]
[Health: 1300 | Strength: 405]
[Speed: 405 | Magic: 200]
[Risk: 0 | Stat Points: 0]
[Experience: 31%]
Krion and Celine were in charge of healing and buffing. Carrie and Tessa were our ranged magical damage while Yulton would provide ranged physical damage with his bow. Bryant would lead the front lines alongside me, much to the shock of Krion.
In fact, Tessa had jokingly stated that I could be the squad party's tank, earning a dirty look from me. Besides Tessa and Celine, everyone thought that the former was sadistic, sending in a minimum 1000 Health to the frontlines.
While Krion lamented over how we definitely needed more Players, no one else was willing to step up, given the already dwindling remaining clear time. It seemed as though many of them were preparing themselves in the event that we failed. Not that I felt like we would.
"Everyone ready?" Tessa asked us. We all nodded. "Then let's go, and remember, stay cautious."
The seven of us stepped up to the giant green portal, its center swirling with living tendrils of darkness that seemed even darker than the night.
[System alert: Party Leader Tessa Iskra has chosen to enter the dungeon.]
[System alert: Assessing each Player...]
[All party members are eligible. Opening dungeon access...]
"Good luck, everyone," Tessa quietly said to us as we stepped through.
----------------------------------------
With a name like Mountain of the Unforgiving, the dungeon was definitely as unforgiving as it seemed. The air was thick with an ominous atmosphere, the ground was covered in a fine layer of ash, and the trees were adorned with the twisted, charred remains of those who had once stood where we did. The moment we stepped through the portal, we were all hit with the dungeon's unique scent: a mix of burning wood, charred flesh, and a faint metallic tang that seemed to make the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end.
The ground was burning with red embers, the sparks floating up into the sky and creating a hellish glow against the obsidian darkness above. The heat was almost unbearable, causing us to perspire. The trees were twisted and gnarled, their branches reaching out like skeletal fingers, and their leaves, long since turned to ash, rustled in the hot wind.
Behind us, the portal crackled, then turned black, as if it were signaling to us that it was closed. Up ahead, a large white screen popped up in front of the group. As everyone reacted to the message, I figured that it was something we all could see.
[Mountain of the Unforgiving]
[Quest 1/2: Defeat the swarms of the Regretful.]
[Time Remaining: 00:01:28]
"Shoot," Tessa muttered. "A two-part quest? And with less than an hour and 30 minutes left."
"Well," Yulton shrugged, "we can take it one step at a time. Let's focus on the first part for now. Defeat the swarms of the Regretful. I'm guessing that means we've got to kill some monsters?"
A chorus of haunting cries echoed across the mountain, pulling our attention forward. From the top of the burning tip, I could see a mass of swarming shadows rushing down towards us like an avalanche.
[Name: Tormented Soul | Level: 28]
[Health: 2800 | Strength: 600]
[Speed: 300 | Magic: 0]
[Name: Spiteful Wraith | Level: 28]
[Health: 1800 | Strength: 550]
[Speed: 400 | Magic: 200]
[Name: Cursed Revenant | Level: 28]
[Health: 3400 | Strength: 900]
[Speed: 220 | Magic: 0]
[Name: Ravenous Husk | Level: 28]
[Health: 2500 | Strength: 420]
[Speed: 450 | Magic: 360]
"Wait... what the hell?" Krion whispered, his voice shaking. "There's so many of them... and they're incredibly strong."
The swarming mass of shadowy figures charged down the mountain, closing in on us swiftly. They seemed to move with a terrible grace, almost as if they were part of some unholy dance. The Tormented Souls led the charge, their ghostly forms flapping in the heat, their cries echoing through the burning trees. Beside them, the Spiteful Wraiths floated just above the ground, their ethereal forms twisting and writhing, their red eyes fixed on us. Behind them, the Cursed Revenants lumbered forward, their features contorted in anger, their bodies twisted and scarred, as if they had been through some terrible torment in their past lives. And finally, the Ravenous Husks, the fastest of the bunch, darting in and out between the other monsters, their jagged teeth bared in a feral snarl.
"Everyone! Fall into position!" Tessa shouted at us. "We need to form a defensive so that they won't–"
I stepped forward, pulling out my Silver Serpent. My heart thudded in my chest with excitement and nervousness. A blue message box flashed before me.
[System alert: Dungeon level exceeds user level. Reassessing...]
[Dungeon has been determined to be sufficient to user's strength. User will be able to gain minimal experience and rewards.]
I smiled softly to myself. This was going to be good. Finally, my chance had arrived.
"Luquier?! What are you doing?!" Tessa shouted at me. "Get back here!"
"Sorry, ma'am," I glanced back at her, "But I need to do this."
"Wait, even if your Stats are high, there's still so many of them! You can't possibly take on so many at once!" Tessa protested. The other Players were looking at me in confusion. Even Celine seemed a bit concerned.
"I'm not sure what's going on, but I think you should listen to our Party Leader, Luquier," Yulton said, stepping forward. "She knows what she's doing." The other Players exchanged glances, their uncertainty clear.
"Yeah, what can you even do?" Krion muttered, his voice wavering. "I mean, even if you could take them all on, there's just too many of them..."
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As the monsters drew closer, I took a step back from the group.
"Just... trust me on this," I smiled wryly. "If things go bad, I'll... deal with it."
"But why?" Celine spoke up next, her voice soft but firm. "Why would you risk your life like this? We could all be in danger if you're not careful."
"I... you'll see," I turned back to face the monsters. "Please, just focus on maintaining the group."
As the last words left my lips, the swarm of shadows and spirits closed in on us. I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of their hatred pressing down on me, the power of their unholy union. I raised my Silver Serpent, its glow flickering in the darkness.
[System alert: 'Untouchable.' Achievement triggered.]
[Level difference: 11]
[Speed: 4205 (+11) -> 4216]
[Number of opponents: 1456]
[Speed: 4216 (+1456) -> 5672]
Hell yeah. I was already quick before, but this brought a whole new level of speed. I gripped my Silver Serpent, eager to tear into the monsters.
[System alert: Hand of Thanatos is trembling in your inventory.]
Huh? The Hand of Thanatos? I opened my Inventory, shocked to see its icon glowing a brilliant blue.
[What the heck? Does it want you to equip it or something?]
"I don't know..." I murmured back to Sephera. "But... that doesn't seem like a bad idea. It's far stronger than my Silver Serpent, for sure, but I finally got the chance to use my Skills."
There was no time to think. The monsters were already about to reach us. Without another thought, I swapped out my Silver Serpent for the scythe, immediately feeling a different surge of power course through me.
[Hand of Thanatos equipped. User's skills will be locked. Titles and Achievements will still apply.]
A trance-like focus overtook me as I began to slaughter the monsters, easily avoiding all of their attacks.
[You have gained 1 (x43.1) experience points.]
[...]
[Level up!]
[...]
My vision was filled with crimson and cerulean colors from the blood and system messages as I mindlessly hacked and slashed away. In the back of my mind, I lamented how I missed the opportunity to use my Skills, but since there was a second part of the quest, I figured I'd be able to use them then.
With such an absurd boost to my Speed stat, I was able to prevent the monsters from even getting past me as the rest of the Players watched in awe and fear. I felt a slight buff hit me, probably from one of the supporters.
[You have gained 1 (x43.1) experience points.]
[Level up!]
[Hand of Thanatos bonus damage: +998]
[System alert: The Hand of Thanatos is shivering greatly.]
That was kinda creepy. I felt a slight sense of apprehension as the Hand of Thanatos seemed to become more and more... life-like. I wondered if it was some sort of magical artifact with a mind of its own. The thought made me shiver, but at the same time, it was kind of thrilling.
[You have gained 1 (x43.1) experience points.]
[Hand of Thanatos bonus damage: +999]
[System alert: The Hand of Thanatos is violently shaking.]
For a split second, I paused, almost getting hit by a wave of rot from one of the Ravenous Husks. A part of me wanted to get the final point to reach 1000, but another part of me was wary of what was happening. The Hand of Thanatos was practically vibrating in my grasp, and I could feel its energy coursing through me. It was both exhilarating and unsettling.
"Fuck it." I threw caution to the wind, cleaving the Ravenous Husk in two swipes.
[You have gained 1 (x43.1) experience points.]
[Level up!]
[Hand of Thanatos bonus damage: +1000]
[System alert: The Hand of Thanatos is evolving.]
The scythe in my hand began to glow with an ethereal blue light, changing its shape. It became longer and the curved blade straightened as it grew in length. The staff of the scythe shortened to accommodate the longer blade, transforming into a hilt that fit perfectly in my grip. An archaic pattern of glowing blue runes decorated the stainless steel, and a leathery cloth was wrapped around the hilt. The Hand of Thanatos had evolved into a sword.
[Name: Soultaker]
[Damage: 1300]
[Traits: Bound | Shrouded | Restrictive | Sacrifice]
[Description: An ominous scythe that turned into a blade, the Soultaker is the evolved form of the Hand of Thanatos. The runes that coat the blade enable the sword to absorb souls, increasing its damage, or preventing it. Neither malicious nor good, the Soultaker serves its master loyally.]
[Bound: Cannot be removed from user's possession unless willingly relinquished. All damage user receives is directed towards weapon (user will still feel pain). If weapon does not have sufficient damage stats to nullify, the weapon will break & drain all Health from user, resulting in death.]
[Shrouded: Passively hides/changes user's information at will.]
[Restrictive: No longer seals off user's abilities. Instead, enables user to exert influence over the Undead & auto Reap.]
[Sacrifice: If target[s] are slain by the Soultaker, add to damage stat. Also enables user to invest Risk points into weapon damage.]
I stared at the newly formed blade in my hand in utter disbelief. It was more ridiculous than I could ever imagine. A sword that could absorb souls? What kind of power did it have? And the runes...they seemed to dance with an inner light, as if they were alive.
As soon as the Soultaker had finished transforming, the remaining mass of monsters immediately paused, as if struck by fear. Could the undead even feel fear?
I shook myself out of my stupor, realizing that I could now use my Skills alongside my new weapon. However, that thought was replaced by a curiosity as I found myself staring at a new system message.
[System alert: Soultaker's Restrictive trait triggered.]
[Would you like to reap all Undead?]
[Yes | No]
"Fuck yeah," I breathed in awe, hitting the Yes button. Immediately, multiple spears of darkness violently burst forth from the Soultaker, striking down slews of the undead monsters.
[You have gained 1 (x43.1) experience points.]
[...]
[Level up!]
[...]
[Soultaker damage has increased.]
[System alert: No new skills have been found.]
[‘Untouchable.’ bonus has ended.]
In a matter of minutes, the entire army of monsters was dusted to oblivion, leaving only a light layer of ash and a blanket of glowing green monster cores. The Soultaker hummed contentedly in my hand, as if it was satisfied with its work. I felt a strange sense of power surging through me, as if I was no longer just a human wielding a sword.
"Luquier... what the fuck did you do...?" Tessa broke the silence in a tiny voice.
I turned to face her, still unable to believe it myself over what had just happened. "This," I said, holding up the Soultaker, "is what I did."
[Total experience gained: 62753.6%]
[Rounding experience to nearest tenth...]
[Rounding level to nearest tenth...]
[Rounding accumulated Stat Points to nearest tenth...]
[Soultaker damage: 2413]
Brushing aside the shock from the other members of the party, I opened up my Status Window.
"Oh." [!!!]
[Name: Luquier Vaunt | Level: 628]
[Title: Reckless Immortal (A)]
[Health: 10000 | Strength: 4305]
[Speed: 4205 | Magic: 4310]
[Risk: 2075 | Stat Points: 1283311]
[Experience: 6%]
"What the–"
"Are you serious?!"
"I've never seen anything like this before!"
The other party members gazed at my stats in shock, the Shrouded effect apparently wearing off after the Soultaker evolved. Tessa had a weak smile, a mixture of pride and bewilderment, as if she hadn't expected me to grow this much. Not that I blamed her. I wasn't expecting this either.
However, the only one who didn't have an expression of surprise was Celine. Her red eyes were devoid of the indifferent calmness I had grown accustomed to, replaced by a look of slight horror and perturbation.
"That's why you had such an oppressive aura of death," she said quietly. "It wasn't just your sword... It was you. The lives of everything you've killed reside within you."
Her words hung in the air for a moment, drawing everyone's attention to her. Even Tessa seemed surprised by Celine's insight.
"Wait, are you seeing something we can't?" Tessa asked, drawing closer to Celine. She gave me an inquisitive glance.
Celine's gaze on me was unyielding. I felt as if she were looking at a dangerous beast. "I can't explain it, but I've noticed that the Reckless Immortal's aura of death has two distinct energies within it. One is from all of the monsters he just killed- he's probably slain more, but the other energy, I can't quite put my finger on."
[... >_< She's... really perceptive, Luquier.]
"Then what does that mean?" Krion finally spoke up, pointing an accusing finger at me. "Does that other energy mean he's killed other Players?"
"Wait, hold on–" I tried to protest, but a white screen suddenly popped up in front of us.
[System alert: Quest 1 of 2 has been cleared.]
[Quest 2/2: Survive the Grudge of the Fallen in remaining time.]
I blinked in surprise. Survive? Not kill? Did the system or dungeon think we couldn't kill this 'Grudge of the Fallen' or whatever? A bad feeling began to wash over me as I realized I might've fucked us over.
A low, unearthly growl resonated across the desolate mountain, causing the air to tremble. The ground began to shake violently, and I felt a primal fear creep up my spine. Even Celine, who had been so composed until now, seemed to sense the impending danger. The other party members exchanged worried glances as they realized what was happening.
Our attention turned to the top of the mountain, where an oozing darkness began to float up into the air. It solidified into a massive, misshapen figure that seemed to have been formed from the very shadows themselves. Its features were distorted and inhuman, twisted into a mask of pure hate and rage. Its body was covered in jagged, crimson flesh, as if it had been carved from the heart of Hell itself.
[Name: Grudge of the Fallen | Level: 628]
[Health: 50000 (???) | Strength: 50000]
[Speed: 1000 | Magic: 20000]
[Description: An amalgamation of all the regrets, hatred, and despair that washed over the countless souls who died on these mountains. It takes on the influence of the strongest Player in order to unleash the agonies of the damned.]
[Time Remaining: 00:01:16]
****
[Name: Luquier Vaunt | Level: 628]
[Title: Reckless Immortal (A)]
[Health: 10000 | Strength: 4305]
[Speed: 4205 | Magic: 4310]
[Risk: 2075 | Stat Points: 1283311]
[Experience: 6%]
[Skills]
[Divinity (Passive)]
[Holy Element 628/628]
[Death’s Shadow 628/628]
[Reap 628/628]
[Final Gambit 628/628]
[Death Match 1/?]
[Achievements]
[Even Death Can't Stop Me!]
[Pick On Someone Your Own Strength.]
[Untouchable.]
[New Beginnings.]
[Bullying the Weak!]
[Items]
[Silver Serpent]
[Soultaker (2413)]
[Warp Cube (x1)]