Asher reclined on the lobby floor, still recovering from an intense cardio session that had left him shaken. This experience served as a stark reminder that he needed to broaden his focus beyond mere defense. Gazing at his animate guardian, Asher observed its health gradually replenishing. This rejuvenation stemmed from a combination of the goblin's rejuvenator passive skill and the lobby's enhanced natural healing properties. Recalling a previous trial where he had been struck by a goblin's arrow in his right shoulder, Asher couldn't help but appreciate how swiftly the lobby had healed his wound.
"Did me focusing so much on keeping my minion alive actually make things worse for me?"
This trial had served as a wake-up call, highlighting the pitfalls of concentrating solely on one facet of a build to the detriment of others. His unwavering emphasis on his minion's defense had hindered its offensive capabilities and agility. By neglecting its offensive potential, he found himself ill-equipped to handle hordes of foes, and as he progressed through the trials, it became increasingly evident that he would also be lacking the necessary power to tackle individual targets effectively.
Moreover, his agility was sorely lacking, with his speed mirroring his own. Equipping more items had only exacerbated the problem, burdening his minion and slowing down both its movement and attack speed. This made it vulnerable to pursuing enemies and rendered its attacks sluggish, compromising its ability to defend him effectively or mount a swift escape.
"I've got no other option. I'll have to set aside my own progress and prioritize making my animate guardian more stable. The next floor is the fifth and the last one before going back to Earth. Failing on the upcoming floors means certain death, so I can't afford to keep doing things the way I used to."
Asher had a clear idea of how to move forward, based on his experiences on the fourth floor. What he needed most right now was an area-of-effect offensive skill. If he had possessed such a skill back then, his minion could have easily taken out all those spiders that swarmed him. They had low health and likely weak defenses, so he could have taken advantage of their numbers and gained a significant amount of experience points.
"I'm such an idiot!"
Currently at level 3, he knew he could have been at least level 5 if he had been more strategic about it. Another realization struck him: his overreliance on his guardian. He not only needed to acquire an offensive skill for his guardian but also a supportive skill to assist it in battle.
The likelihood of being outnumbered in the next trial was almost a certainty, especially considering he might have to face the area boss as well. Fueled by a determination to correct his past errors and enhance his odds of victory in the upcoming trials, Asher pressed on.
The first thing Asher did was take a close look at the reward he had received for completing the fourth trial: a random miscellaneous item he had been holding onto since arriving on this floor. He carefully examined the mysterious item, pondering whether it could provide any assistance in the upcoming challenge.
https://i.imgur.com/emWJDMX.png [https://i.imgur.com/emWJDMX.png]
Asher couldn't hide his disappointment as he gazed at his reward. He had hoped for something immediately useful, but what he had received was a map fragment. As the name suggested, it was just a piece of a larger puzzle. To create a complete map, he would need to collect all the required fragments. While it hinted at unexplored treasures and potential unknown adversaries, it seemed like this item wouldn't be of much use to him for quite some time if ever.
"Looks like the store is my best bet..."
At the moment, Asher had a total of 1105 points. Since he hadn't spent any of his points previously, plus the 400 points he earned for completing the trial, he now had a budget of over 1000 points. This gave him more flexibility in his choices. Initially, he had contemplated buying an expensive yet powerful item or skill, but he quickly dismissed the idea. Instead, he decided to explore the common and magic rank skills. This approach would allow him to diversify his character customization, addressing his weaknesses and giving him a broader range of abilities.
As he reviewed the available options in the filtered store, a sense of disappointment washed over him. Asher had noticed that most of the area-of-effect skills either demanded significant mana costs or relied on a specific weapon to be effective. He had hoped to find something with more versatility in its requirements. However, just when he was starting to lose hope, it was at that very moment that his prayers were answered.
"This!"
https://i.imgur.com/P43ntcR.png [https://i.imgur.com/P43ntcR.png]
While this skill didn't fit the exact definition of an "Area of Effect" skill, it still allowed him to target multiple enemies in succession. It had all the essential features he was looking for: the ability to strike multiple foes at once, a short cooldown, low mana cost, versatile and it was relatively inexpensive. It marked a significant step forward in enhancing his offensive capabilities.
Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.
"100 points, the same price as 'Provoke.' Common skills really offer great value for their cost. I'm glad I found something affordable early on, and it's already addressed one of my concerns. Now, let's search for a single-target skill, something that could come in handy against elites or bosses."
Asher knew that building a well-rounded set of abilities was crucial for his survival in the upcoming trials.
Asher began his search for a single-target skill, hoping to find something that would complement his current setup. As he scrolled through the options, he noticed that many of the skills required a main hand weapon, something he wasn't willing to invest in at the moment similarly to the AoE (Area of Effect) skills he was looking into.
Others demanded too much mana, making them impractical for repeated use in battle. He continued to sift through the choices, feeling a bit frustrated. be he knew he would eventually find something tailored for him, the choices provided to him was nearly infinite and almost by chance, he stumbled upon something that matched his needs once again - another shield-based skill.
A wave of relief swept over him as he delved into the skill description. This skill didn't demand a weapon and boasted a manageable mana cost. It appeared to be the perfect addition to enhance his offensive capabilities and render his guardian more fit to face against formidable adversaries. Notably, it offered not only a substantial base damage but also a crowd control (CC) advantage, all at an affordable price.
Without a moment's hesitation, he quickly confirmed the purchase. This decision infused him with renewed optimism, bolstering his confidence for the impending trials.
https://i.imgur.com/uLIXT03.png [https://i.imgur.com/uLIXT03.png]
"Okay, I think that's enough for the guardian. I've given him two new skills, one for handling groups and one for taking down single targets. Those should work for now. What I really gotta find is a support skill—something to mess up the enemy or help my allies out... What I really need is a healing skill!"
A healing skill was an essential for most necromancers, for a simple reason: the downfall of their summons often meant their own defeat was imminent. The fourth trial had made this painfully clear, as his guardian's health had plummeted close to zero. Consequently, Asher had made a deliberate decision to obtain a healing skill early on, no matter the cost.
As he filtered through the options, expecting to spend only around 100-300 points, Asher was taken aback to discover that the lowest-ranked healing skill available was a whopping rare rank. As expected, the price had skyrocketed from magic to rare, sitting at a minimum quadruple the price range. This meant that in order to obtain the most budget-friendly healing skill, he would have to part with all his remaining points.
"...I'll take the risk."
With a determined resolve, Asher decided to take the gamble. He knew the importance of having a healing skill in his arsenal, and the trials ahead demanded that he be prepared for any challenge. With a wave of his hand, he confirmed his choice, sacrificing his hard-earned points for the promise of greater survivability and adaptability in the trials to come.
https://i.imgur.com/gWQm5fd.png [https://i.imgur.com/gWQm5fd.png]
Having acquired the rare rank healing skill, Asher felt a mix of relief and anticipation. He had invested heavily in this ability, but he believed it was a necessary investment for his survival in the challenging trials.
Armed with a newfound confidence in his guardian's upgraded skills and his own healing abilities, Asher was ready to ventured forth to face the fifth floor, the final stage before returning to Earth.
The 'Fifth Floor' is about to open! Please prepare yourself to face the fifth part of the trial.
Transporting Asher Gray to the fifth floor!
Asher's head began to spin, and his vision blurred, leaving him feeling dizzy and disoriented. When the fog cleared, he realized he was standing before the very same place he had left earlier—the imposing metal gate adorned with intricate web-like designs.
Despite the imposing aura that emited behind that door, Asher still moved forward pushing open the gate and entering the door beyond, where even greater challenges awaited him.
As he stepped into the unknown, the atmosphere grew tense, and he could sense the presence of a formidable adversary lurking in the shadow.
As Asher ventured further into the fifth floor, his gaze fell upon a peculiar and unsettling sight. There, on the ground, lay a massive, obese spider. Its body was covered in a striking pattern of black and white hairy skin, and its face was predominantly white.
The spider's enormous frame seemed to be struggling under its own weight, making it appear almost immobile. Its legs twitched weakly as it attempted to lift itself, but it was clear that the creature was in a state of extreme exhaustion. The sheer size and unusual appearance of the spider sent shivers down Asher's spine, as he couldn't help but wonder what had led this formidable arachnid to such a weakened state.
As he cautiously approached the creature, he couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this encounter than met the eye, until beside The massive spider was surrounded by a swarm of smaller arachnids, each with gleaming red eyes that seemed to glow in the shadows. These smaller spiders, the very same he had encounter in the previous trial, exuded an eerie aura of malevolence as they moved about with unnerving coordination.
Trial Objective: Defeat 'The Broodmother'
The air grew thick with tension as Asher braced himself for whatever confrontation lay ahead in this eerie and dark place.
https://i.imgur.com/VDzIVLS.png [https://i.imgur.com/VDzIVLS.png]