Edge

(Time Perception Alteration became level 4.)

(Tough Scales became level 6.)

(High-Speed Regeneration became level 3.)

(Mind of Steel became level 3.)

"Okay, I think this is enough."

Even Mind of Steel leveled up due how much mental power needed to keep injuring myself. But in the end it was worth it. I was able to level them up without spending my precious skill points.

"Now, I should spend them before going to next floor."

I currently have 15 skill points. Let's go!

"4 to Tough Scales."

(Tough Scales became level MAX. It is being evolved…)

"Argh!"

My scales cracked and shifted. It felt like the time I got the skill but pain and power was on another level.

"Can't I get stronger without immense amount of pain, just once?"

Considering pain didn't stopped, I guessed the answer was no. I felt an energy that I didn't knew still existed in my body.

"Fafnir!"

Even though I absorbed only his horn, some of his energy remained in my body. Now, my skill was trying to absorb what remained to evolve.

(Passive skill Tough Scales evolved to passive skill Armor of Black Abyss.)

"Edgy."

While I could stand to names like black flames, this one was a little bit too edgy for my liking. Since my pain stopped, I looked at my scales. They were even more black than before. They looked a mix between organic and metal. I looked more jaggedy now.

"I doubt Minerva could recognize me."

My appearance was already very different than what I used be. I was red before. Shorter and less muscular. I also didn't had this much spikes in my body.

(Blood Stone 50 percent full.)

Maybe if I evolved, I could get a more humanoid body. I looked at my hand. It was a beast's hand. A monster's claw. A Calamity-

"Stop. That's not going to help me, or anyone else."

If I had my memories of being human fully, I probably would go insane. Even now, with shards of my times as human, I felt longing towards that time. But thinking those memories made me feel weak. Being weak was the last thing I needed right now.

(At level 1 Armor of Black Abyss blocks 10 percent of all physical attacks. It also decreases the effectivenes of magic fired to your by 5 percent. You also gain 10 percent resistance against all elements.)

Damn, that's stacked. Was it because it absorbed remaining power of Fafnir?

"Wait. What if magic hitting me is also elemantal? Like fireball?"

(You gain 15 percent resistance.)

Damn. This is just level 1.

"This means that leveling up it will take forever."

More stronger a skill, more harder was it to level up. That's why evolved skills were harder to level up. Unless…

"You have bunch of skill points!"

I still had 11. If I used all on Black Armor…

"Let's go!"

(Armor of Black Abyss became level MAX.)

It didn't evolved. I already guessed it. For a skill to evolve after hitting level MAX, I should have be familiar with them. Master them. Have required knowledge. That's why I didn't give points to skills like Aura Manipulation.

(Abnormal Status Resistance became level 5.)

Maybe it was better to use it on one of my offensive skills since I gained an overpowered defensive ability. But something inside me told me to level it up.

"Plus, I heard a lot of warriors undefeated in battle die due cheap poisons."

Just because I could get hit didn't meant that I would survive against curses and poison. I looked at new stats MAX leveled Black Armor brought.

Armor of Black Abyss blocks 28 percent of all physical attacks. It also decreases the effectivenes of magic fired to your by 14 percent. You also gain 28 percent resistance against all elements.)

It's efficiency wasn't the best in the world. Still those were big numbers. Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I stepped into 2nd floor. First thing I realized was my lungs burning. I coughed.

"This place is toxic?"

A thick fog covered my vision.

"Well, shit."

It wasn't normal fog. It was made out of magic power. It confused me. I couldn't see thorough it with Clairvoyance. I also couldn't use Magic Perception very well due magic power being everywhere. Ground beneath me felt unstable. I shook my wings. I didn't trust the ground. It felt like it could just open up and shallow me. On other hand, I didn't knew if I sky was safer. Maybe it had some barrier like 4th floor.

"I can't know without trying."

I started flying. While nothing came to attack me, fog became thicker. More I went up, more my lungs hurt. When I reached very high up, I started coughing. I lowered myself and landed to ground. Yes. Fog did indeed became thicker, more high it was.

"Shouldn't it be opposite?"

Didn't most toxic gases stayed at ground because they were heavier?

"Magic bullshit."

That was the explanation. I carefully walked. I should get out of here as soon as possible. While I could resist toxic gas for now, I didn't knew about prelonged exposure.

"I don't think I don't have that luxury, though."

While it messed with my senses, I could feel fog covering very wide area.

"Curse you! Curse your family! Curse…."

I couldn't detect it? Something swiped its claws to me. While body was still hid under the fog, I was able to see ghostly arm. It was similar to human hand. Except much more longer and sickly blue in color. Long, dirty nails were able to barely touch to me. While it was a light touch, that area burned enough to make gasp.

"Just with one touch!"

While I didn't had any physical wound or harm, pain was great. Also…

"Son of a bitch got some of my magic power."

While it wasn't too much, I lost my magic power. One may not create problems yet…

"Curse you!"

"Hate!"

"Betrayer!"

Countless came around me. It was impossible to pinpoint all of them.