Before I have time to check on my Level-up’s, the unconscious Dryad suddenly jerks upright, startling me to the point that I let out an embarrassing squeaking noise as I take a few steps backwards. As I watch, they get to their feet and start walking towards me with unhurried steps, and I bring up my guard just in case they want to start round two of our fight. Instead, they just keep walking towards me in stilted steps, their eyes still shut, and I relax once I realize the Dryad is still unconscious, even if they are walking somehow. Once they near me, they actually just walk past and head towards the tree behind me that they merged with earlier, repeating the trick again. This time though, they merge fully to the point that if I didn’t see the Dryad moments before, I would believe that there is nothing there but a large tree.

Weird. I wonder what in the world that was about.

Before I can question the oddity, my attention is grabbed by a different weirdness, a wooden chest similar to the Dungeon Chest rises from the earth in front of the Dryad’s tree, and a green flash of light in front of the emerging chest notifies me of the appearance of my drops. The drops don’t appear inside the chest like they did with the Arboro Hoarder, but I assume that is because the chest is apparently a bonus for completing the Dungeon for the first time. A circlet of entwined twigs, a monster core, and some coins appear atop what looks like a pile of leaves, and I head towards the items whilst skimming over my Levels.

[{Countess Of Broken Chains} Has Risen From Level 28 To Level 30! (+8 Endurance +8 Recovery +4 Strength +4 Dexterity +6 Magic Power +6 Mana Control +8 Stat Points)]

[Skill [Runic Vision] Has Gone From Level 21 To Level 22!]

[Skill [Shadows Of Doubt] Has Gone From Level 5 To Level 8!]

[Skill [Tail Whip] Has Gone From Level 24 To Level 26!]

[Skill [Enchantment Affinity] Has Gone From Level 22 To Level 24!]

[Skill [Free Spirit] Has Gone From Level 1 To Level 3!]

[Skill [Nightvision] Has Gone From Level 10 To Level 11!]

[Skill [Subliminal Pheromones] Has Gone From Level 9 To Level 10!]

[Skill [Temptation’s Tongue] Has Gone From Level 11 To Level 17!]

[Skill [Versatile Tail] Has Gone From Level 21 To Level 23!]

[Skill [Light Of Justice] Has Gone From Level 21 To Level 23!]

[Skill [Power Slash] Has Gone From Level 14 To Level 17!]

[Skill [Analysis Resistance] Has Gone From Level 5 To Level 6!]

[Skill [Brawling] Has Gone From Level 21 To Level 25!]

[Skill [From The Brink] Has Gone From Level 16 To Level 17!]

[Skill [Holy Affinity] Has Gone From Level 17 To Level 20!]

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[You Have Reached The Maximum Level For [Holy Affinity], If You Wish To Increase It Further, You Must Increase It To The Second Tier. Remaining Tier 2 General Points: 4]

[Skill [Light Affinity] Has Gone From Level 13 To Level 15!]

[Skill [Poison Resistance] Has Gone From Level 2 To Level 5!]

[Due To Increasing {Countess Of Broken Chains}’ Level, You Have Been Granted The Active {Countess Of Broken Chains} Skill [I Shall Bear Thy Suffering] Level 1!]

[Due To Repeated Actions, You Have Learned The Passive General Skill [Shadow Ability] Level 1!]

[Due To Repeated Actions, You Have Learned The Passive General Skill [Unholy Ability] Level 1!]

[Passive General Skill [Unholy Ability] Level 1 And Passive General Skill [Unholy Resistance] Level 1 Combine Into Passive General Skill [Unholy Affinity] Level 1]

While the Levels all around are nice, especially the six to Temptation’s Tongue that must have come from me taunting the Dryad, as well as my Holy Affinity being ready for Tier 2, the new Skill from my Countess Subspecies sounds quite ominous, so I immediately check out its description before anything else.

[I Shall Bear Thy Suffering]:

Transfer injuries or negative status effects on a target the user touches onto the user. The magnitude of the injury/negative status effect is reduced based on the user’s Endurance Stat, as well as any (Resistance) Skills related. For every injury/negative status effect the user takes by using this Skill, the user receives a buff to their Recovery Stat proportional to the damage inflicted until the injury/negative status effect is healed or removed. The user gains bonus experience towards (Resistance) Skills related to the taken injury/negative status effect. This is a Skill under the (Holy) and (Enchantment) Categories.

Well damn, ain't that impressive.

Unfortunately, I don't think I can put it to use anytime soon, as I don't really have anyone to use it on. Maybe I could use it on enemies to gain resistances, but I'm pretty sure this is supposed to be used to heal other people. At least I think that's what it's for. The name is a big clue to that theory at least. It also synergizes quite nicely with my From The Brink Skill. Like, I could probably use it on someone missing a limb, and just regrow it back over time. If other people had this Skill without From The Brink, they’d never consider something as stupid as that, but thankfully this idiot right here has already regrown a couple limbs, so adding more to my count won't make that much of a difference.

I still need to be careful using it though, as while I know I can regenerate from pretty much any injury that isn't instantly fatal, it's the part about negative status effects that is more worrying. If I don't have the proper resistance, I could accidentally gain some sort of disease or illness that ends up killing me, unless Recovery helps with those as well? I know that paralysis is a status effect from the Thorn Of Minor Paralysis, so what if I take that from someone and I’m helpless for long enough to get killed, or worse.

Well, I’ll just have to wait till I actually meet some people before I start worrying about any of this.

With that out of the way, I need to upgrade my Holy Affinity, as it's looking like I’ve got more than just Light Of Justice now that needs it.

Wait, does that mean I Shall Bear Thy Suffering will also burn me when I use it? Goddess damn it, of course it will.

Welp, hopefully Tier 2 Holy Affinity will have an answer to that predicament.

[Holy Affinity]:

Gives the user increased resistance to and ability with (Holy) Skills and Spells.

2nd Tier Effect:

When the user is struck by an (Holy) Skill/Spell, the resisted portion will be converted to an increase in the user’s Recovery. Additionally, every (Holy) Skill/Spell the user uses on a target will wear away at the resistance of that target, temporarily making them more susceptible to all (Holy) Skills/Spells.

I should've expected that. The bonus to Recovery is the only difference between Tier 2 Holy Affinity and Tier 2 Enchantment Affinity, but I guess that makes sense, with both of them being generic Affinity Skills that improve an entire Category of Skills wholesale. I just wonder if that reduced resistance effect will happen to me, as I damage myself with my Holy Skills.

Please Goddess above, please let that not be the case.

With my first real prayer in this world out of the way, I head towards the next most exciting thing, the loot.