Stepping through the portal, Robert was greeted by the usual AI greeting:
Welcome, adventurer. You have entered Dungeon 7883667HG8776DE985762763FF7-1, currently known as The Training Dungeon. You are now on the Sixth Floor.
Robert not wasting any time went straight to the shop interface to buy the water spell book.
Item Name Item Tier Item Rarity Item cost Item Description Food Ration 1 common 2 copper
A basic daily food ration.
Water Bottle 1 common 2 copper A small bottle of daily water. Small Healing Potion 1 common 10 copper Small healing potion that when used will heal for 10 health. Tier 2 Spell Book of Elemental Fire 2 uncommon 10 gold This book contains 25 random Tier 2 Fire spells. Tier 2 Spell Book of Elemental Air 2 uncommon 10 gold This book contains 25 random Tier 2 Air spells. Tier 2 Spell Book of Elemental Water 2 uncommon 10 gold This book contains 25 random Tier 2 Water spells. Tier 2 Spell Book of Elemental Earth 2 uncommon 10 gold This book contains 25 random Tier 2 Earth spells. Tier 2 Spell Book of Healing 2 uncommon 50 gold This book contains 25 random Tier 2 Healing spells. Random Rare Scroll Pack 3 rare 1 token This pack contains 5 random Tier 3 spell scrolls.
"Okay, Hal, I'm starting to think the System's playing tricks on me. I need that book, but what's the deal with spell scrolls?" Robert asked, puzzled.
Spell scrolls are exactly what they sound like. They're one-time-use spells that can be cast directly from the scroll. You can also study the spell to add it to your spellbook, but that will consume the scroll as well.
"So, I'll get five random spells that I can add to my spellbook? They could be anything, huh?" Robert mused. "Well, I guess a bad Tier 3 spell isn't so bad when you have no other spells."
You're probably right. However, remember that the results are random. You might end up with five spells from schools you haven't unlocked, or even five copies of the same spell.
"Still worth the risk, as long as it's a good one. Now, I just need to save up 50 gold for the healing book," Robert replied.
Speaking of money, have you considered selling some of your items to the shop?
"Crap, I completely forgot about that! Does it pay well?" Robert asked.
Compared to a real merchant, not really. But as an enchanter, even getting a third of an item's true value can be helpful.
"A third? Wow, the System's cheap," Robert laughed.
It's not about being cheap. The System wants users to rely on each other, not on it. It forces people to seek out others, but in your case, you really don't have many options.
After purchasing the water book and the scroll pack, Robert started experimenting with selling some of his items to get a sense of the prices:
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Name: Fire Opal
Tier: 1
Quantity: 1
Price: 30 Silver
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Name: Cloak of Shielding
Tier: 1
Quantity: 1
Price: 70 Silver
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Name: Cloak of Minor Movement
Tier: 1
Quantity: 1
Price: 70 Silver
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Name: Oak Rod of Healing
Tier: 1
Quantity: 1
Price: 1 Gold
"Hal, am I crazy, or are some of these prices a bit inflated?" Robert asked.
Enchanted items always command a high price. Enchanting is a rare profession. As for the healing item, any healing item is in high demand. While that rod might not heal much for a high-level player, it could stabilize someone until a proper healer arrives. So, how much is a life worth?
"Point taken, so what I need to do is return with 80 of those rods and I can buy the remaining books," Robert said thoughtfully.
Before heading on Robert pulled out the scrolls and looked them over:
Name: Scroll of Earth Bind
Tier: 3
Rank: Uncommon
Description: Earth Spell that anchors an opponent to the earth, making them unable to move or cast spells. This spell is useful for controlling powerful enemies or escaping dangerous situations.
Charges: 1
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Name: Scroll of Water Wall
Tier: 3
Rank: Uncommon
Description: Water Spell that creates a wall of water to block attacks and projectiles. The wall can last for 30 seconds plus 15 second per tier over 3 plus 5 seconds per (int/10) or until it is dispelled.
Charges: 1
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Name: Scroll of Healing Light
Tier: 3
Rank: Uncommon
Description: Light Spell that emits a beam of healing light that restores 20 health points per second to a target ally. The healing effect lasts for 10 seconds.
Charges: 1
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Name: Scroll of Gravity Well
Tier: 3
Rank: Uncommon
Description: Gravity Spell that creates a gravitational pull that draws enemies towards the caster, dealing 15 damage plus 10 damage per tier over 3 and reducing their movement speed for 10 seconds + 5 seconds per tier over 3.
Charges: 1
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Name: Scroll of Nature's Wrath
Tier: 3
Rank: Uncommon
Description: Nature spell that summons a barrage of thorns up to 10 thorns plus 2 thorns per tier over 3 and 1 through per (Int/10)and vines to attack enemies in a 10-foot radius, dealing 10 nature damage per hit.
Charges: 1
"These are some powerful scrolls," Robert commented. "I can use three of them without needing a new skill."
And it might be worth unlocking the other skills for those spells. You have the points.
"That's true. But am I focusing too much on magic?" Robert wondered.
You're a mage. Mages need magic. While having backup skills like swordsmanship and archery is useful, your core strength is magic. You've invested heavily in that path.
"Alright, I'll unlock those two skills and learn the spells," Robert decided.
Robert spent the next few hours mastering the five spells from the scrolls. Once he was finished, he stood up and prepared to leave for the dungeon. However, before he could, the door behind him vanished, and a new portal materialized in its place.
"Hal, what's going on?" Robert asked, startled.
Strange. The System is redirecting you to a different location. Something must have happened to change the plan.
"Should I be worried?" Robert inquired.
No, the challenge will be equally difficult. But something has occurred, and the System believes you're the best fit for this new situation, or perhaps someone requested assistance, and the System selected you.
"What do you mean someone requested help?" Robert asked, confused.
You need to understand, dungeons aren't custom-built. That would be a waste of power. The System reuses existing dungeons, and there are more of them in the multiverse than you can imagine. It simply locates an unused floor, modifies it to fit the required challenge, and then sends you through a portal. Why waste energy creating something new when you can repurpose what already exists?
"I see," Robert replied. "So, the portal just drops me into an unused dungeon in some random System universe?"
Exactly. I suspect something unique is happening somewhere, and the System has decided to take advantage of it.
"So, because I took extra time to prepare, the System found a more challenging opportunity for me. I guess this is my fault," Robert said with a wry smile.
That's true, but the System wouldn't redirect you unless it was a worthwhile challenge. This should be a good opportunity for you.
With a final nod, Robert stepped through the portal, ready for whatever awaited him.