Next day, as dawn broke, Alaric stretched by the window of his modest room. The sunlight glinted off his new sword, which lay on the desk beside him. Its gleaming surface reflected the subtle patterns of the Broodmother’s essence, now permanently infused and radiating an otherworldly aura. The sword felt alive in his hands—a stark contrast to the mundane iron blade he’d used before.

“This is my chance,” Alaric thought, his fingers brushing the weapon's hilt. “To test my new skills, my new sword, and see how far I can go.”

He glanced at his status window, now updated with his new skill and recent stat gains.

Status Window

Name: Alaric Solis

Class: Essence Sage

Level: 12

Stats:

* HP: 750/750

* MP: 580/580

* Strength: 25

* Agility: 20

* Intelligence: 29

* Defense: 20

Skills:

* Essence Extraction (E): Extract essences from creatures, objects, and skills. Chance of gaining extracted skills: 1%.

* Essence Infusion (E): Temporarily imbue an essence’s attributes into an object or being.

* Permanency (D): Make temporary infusions permanent at a reduced efficiency.

* Sword Mastery (Beginner) (E): Increases proficiency with swords, granting better control, faster strikes, and minor critical hit chances.

* Slime Regeneration (E): Slowly regenerates HP over time by mimicking the slime’s innate resilience

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Alaric decided to test his abilities in the Steel Wolf Dungeon, a renowned E-rank dungeon known for its packs of ferocious wolves. The dungeon was carved into the side of a rocky hillside, its entrance surrounded by claw marks on jagged stone. The air inside was cool and damp, carrying the faint metallic tang of the wolves that inhabited it.

The wolves themselves were famed for their steel-like fur, which provided natural armor, and their sharp claws capable of rending through iron. Alaric knew this would be a challenge, but it was precisely the type of trial he needed.

As he entered the dimly lit tunnels, Alaric gripped his new sword tightly. The weapon felt perfectly balanced in his hand, its blade shimmering faintly with regenerative coating—a unique property left behind by the Broodmother’s essence.

The sword's attributes provided clear advantages:

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* Durability: Near unbreakable due to the regenerative coating.

* Special Effect: Increased resistance to physical damage while wielded.

* Damage: Slightly higher than standard iron swords, with enhanced piercing power against soft and armored targets alike.

Compared to his old iron sword, this felt like wielding the embodiment of precision and power. He smiled, feeling a surge of confidence.

The sound of claws scraping against stone echoed through the dungeon. Alaric’s steps slowed as he spotted the first group of Steel Wolves—a pack of five prowling the narrow cavern. Their fur gleamed in the dim light, and their eyes glowed with feral intelligence.

Alaric readied himself, activating his Sword Mastery (Beginner) skill.

Sword Mastery (E)

* Grants minor improvements in attack speed, accuracy, and critical strike chance.

* Efficiency: 10% faster attacks, 5% increased critical strike rate.

He rushed forward, his sword slicing through the air with newfound precision. The first wolf lunged at him, its steel claws aiming for his midsection. Alaric sidestepped, his blade sweeping down in a clean arc that severed the wolf’s core.

The other wolves growled, encircling him. Alaric’s heart raced as he parried and struck with calculated movements. His strikes were no longer clumsy or hesitant—each one carried weight and purpose, honed by his growing skill.

After downing the first wolf, Alaric used Essence Extraction on its remains. He absorbed the essence, which contained minor boosts to strength and agility. Activating Essence Infusion, he temporarily channeled these attributes into his body.

His agility increased, allowing him to outmaneuver the remaining wolves. He felt his reactions sharpen, his strikes becoming faster and more precise. Within moments, three more wolves lay dead, their metallic fur soaked in blood.

The last wolf charged with a desperate snarl, and Alaric met it head-on, his sword cleaving through its armored hide. As the final beast fell, Alaric stood amidst the carnage, breathing heavily but victorious.

After the battle, Alaric extracted the essences from all five wolves. Each one contained small stat boosts:

* Strength: +1.5

* Agility: +0.6

* Defense: +0.4

Using Permanency, he infused these attributes into his own body. Though the gains were minimal, they added up, and Alaric felt a slight improvement in his physical abilities.

“Small steps,” he reminded himself. “The skill isn’t perfect yet. The low tier of Permanency reduces the efficiency, but even a little progress is better than none.”

The deeper Alaric ventured, the darker and more oppressive the tunnels became. The walls seemed to close in, the metallic scent growing stronger with every step. He encountered more wolves, each fight pushing him to refine his techniques further.

By the time he reached the boss room, his body ached from exertion, but his determination burned brighter than ever. The massive steel gate before him was adorned with claw marks, a warning of the beast that lay beyond.

Alaric placed a hand on the gate, steeling himself. “This is it,” he thought. “Time to see what I’m truly capable of.”