Upon vanquishing the Widowblood, his mission was fulfilled. Consecutive notifications heralded his success, unveiling the much-anticipated rewards.
You have killed a 'Windowblood, The Blood-Born'. You have earned 300 EXP! EXP (527/300)
Congratulations for reaching Lv.4! You have acquired 5 Attribute points.
You have completed the 'Trial of Awakening' fifth trial!
You have gone past the required objective! Calculating reward...
You have earned 500 points for clearing the fifth trial!
You have earned an additional 200 points for killing an 'Champion' mob!
He'd just started getting notifications and had already gone up a full level. Plus, he was halfway to another level. He'd earned 700 points all at once. This meant he could buy 2 or 3 magic items. What really caught his attention was the mission reward. When he was sent to the area, he didn't have time to check out the reward for finishing the mission. So, he was hoping for a big boost to his power.
For clearing the fifth floor of the trial, you will be rewarded with a random Equipment...
You have gone past the required objective! Reward will be upgraded, matching your achievement...
For clearing the fifth floor of the trial, You've unlocked a title that reflects your achievement.
"A title?" This was Asher's first encounter with titles. On reflection, he remembered seeing a title section within his character window, but he hadn't paid it much attention. He wasn't sure about the benefits of a title, but given that it was a reward for surpassing an objective, he reckoned it was valuable.
Congratulations! You have earned the "Arachnid Slayer(Magic)" Title.
https://i.imgur.com/vtltjFn.png [https://i.imgur.com/vtltjFn.png]
"Attribute increase! It didn't just boost my attributes; it gave me the ones I needed the most" Asher read the title and was amazed by what it offered. It gave him 8 total attribute points: 4 in intelligence and 4 in vitality. This was almost like getting two level-ups just from a title. At his current level, this reward was way better than any magic items he had received so far. Plus, this boost was permanent. So, the more titles he got, the stronger he would become for good. It wasn't like equipment, where he had to keep changing things out to get better.
Having finished the fifth trial, you will be transported to the lobby.
As the surroundings blurred around him, Asher felt a momentary weightlessness. When his vision cleared, he was standing in the center of the familiar lobby room. He took a moment to steady himself, his chest rising and falling with deep breaths. The trials had been grueling, testing not only his physical prowess but his mental tenacity. Yet the rush of accomplishment was evident in his stance.
Before diving into preparations, Asher decided to check the community page. Wondering if there were any news about the way to return back to earth.
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"Since I haven't received any notification about returning to Earth, I should see what the community is saying."
Asher quickly scanned the live chat. Predictably, many were voicing their annoyance over the unclear process of returning to Earth. While they were aware that a return was possible after conquering the 5th floor, the actual procedure remained a mystery. Having exhausted their question vouchers, they couldn't seek clarity. Asher considered using his own remaining voucher to get answers. However, just as he was about to, a new message popped up, providing the long-awaited details.
CucumberConnoisseur - Guys! I found out how to return to earth! If you open the store page right now, you'll see that a new item had been added, shown in the very first page, called "Return Stone".
ZigZagZephyr - Are you serious?!
JellyBean - It can't be that simple, can it?
Asher quickly navigated to the store page, and sure enough, right at the top, a shimmering white stone was displayed. The "Return Stone" it was called, and its description read:
https://i.imgur.com/JdwpWKW.png [https://i.imgur.com/JdwpWKW.png]
"7 days? So if we don't return to the tower within that week, does that mean we can't go back at all, limiting our progress?"
This information was crucial. Asher was in the dark about the current state of Earth. He wondered: Did he still have access to the system there? Were monsters now roaming Earth, and if so, did they drop loot? Could he obtain quests? Everything he knew was tied to the tower, but he was unsure if the same rules applied on Earth. The tower, despite its risks, had offered him significant advantages. However, he needed to learn more about Earth's situation before drawing any conclusions.
Would you like to use "Return Stone"? (YES/NO)
"Before that, I need to use this." Asher held up the shimmering yellow gemstone — the crystallized heart of the Widowblood spider, a rarity among rarities. Trading this at the shop would guarantee him a rare skill from the Widowblood's pool of abilities. He promptly traded the gemstone, and to his surprise, obtained a skill he hadn't anticipated. He'd always been curious about how the Widowblood conjured its skills, especially when its description indicated it possessed zero mana. The new skill shed light on that very mystery.
https://i.imgur.com/b4jNZny.png [https://i.imgur.com/b4jNZny.png]
Asher stared at the skill's description in concern. The "Blood Mage" passive skill was undeniably powerful, offering a workaround in situations where his mana pool was depleted. It opened up a vast array of tactical options, allowing him to maintain a relentless assault even when traditionally he'd be rendered powerless.
Yet, the double-edged nature of the skill was evident. The prospect of tapping into his health as a resource was enticing. The conversion of mana regen mods to boost health regen further meant he could maintain his combat capabilities longer without relying on external mana sources. This could be a game-changer in prolonged battles. However, the potential drawbacks were clear. Removing mana points entirely would mean he'd rely solely on his health. Particularly noting the increased cost for the 'Healing' ability. This adjustment likely served as a measure to prevent individuals from exploiting healing skills to continuously replenish health and endlessly unleash other skills.
Asher recognized its potential immediately. In battles of attrition or encounters where mana regeneration was hampered, "Blood Mage" could be his trump card. It provided flexibility, ensuring he was never truly without options. Moreover, if paired with abilities or items that restored or buffered health quickly, he could potentially create devastating combos, leveraging the skill's unique mechanic.
However, a unique strategy began to form in Asher's mind. This skill seemed ideal for his guardian. Together, they could forge a powerful combination: the guardian would relentlessly use his skills, drawing from his health, while Asher would counteract the depletion with his Healing ability. Currently, Asher's limited mana reserves made this strategy less feasible, and the healing he could provide was modest. But as he leveled up and the skill improved, the potential for a dynamic synergy became clear. Additionally, this skill simplified his approach to attribute points. It strongly incentivized him to concentrate solely on enhancing his vitality, sidelining other attributes.
Deciding on his course of action, Asher imparted the passive skill to his guardian, adding a fresh capability to his repertoire.
Your 'Animate Guardian' has learned 'Blood Mage (Rare)'!
"Now, I'll hold onto my points until I return. I suppose it's time to head home."
Would you like to use "Return Stone"? (YES/NO)
"Yes!"