Chapter 11: Skill Synthesis (2)

Ethan commanded in his mind to synthesize the extra skills, and his whole body shook as if it was rewriting his very soul. He had heard that once a person equips a skill, it embeds directly into their soul.

"Is this why am I feeling this slight discomfort?"

But, he found it manageable.

He awaited eagerly for the good news while taking shelter in a small cave on the seventh floor of the dungeon.

[ Ding ]

[ Congratulations! Your Skill Synthesis was successful ]

[ Your new skills:

- Advanced Fire Toad's Leap (E) - A more powerful version of Fire Toad's Leap, allowing for greater distance and speed with enhanced fire resistance.

- Advanced Fire Serpent's Breath (E) - An upgraded form of Flame Serpent's Breath, with increased range and intensity of the flame attack ]

"Oh, ho. Two E-rank skills!"

This was just the beginning of what he could achieve with [Universal Synthesis]. He had yet to learn its full application.

Now it was time to find out what would happen when he synthesized two different kinds of skills, would it mutate, or evolve completely? 

He had a little more than 80 Mana left, and it should be enough for synthesis, though he was not entirely sure.

First, he decided to check his status to determine which skills to merge.

[ Status ]

[ Name: Aengus Degaro (Ethan Smith) ]

[ Occupation: Hunter ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Level: 5 ]

[ Class: None ]

[ Age: 18 ]

[ Strength: 17 ]

[ Agility: 15 ]

[ Defense: 18 ]

[ Mana: 87/120 ]

[ Attribute points: 5 ]

[ Skills: 

[ Active: Fire Toad's Leap (E), Fire Serpent's Breath (E), Swift Sword Strike - 3 (F), Fire Toad's Breath (F) ]

[ Passive: Fire Toad's Resilience (F), Fire Serpent's Digestion (F), Fire Serpent's resistance ]

[ Unique Skills: Appraisal (Basic), Skill Absorption (Mythic), Universal Synthesis (Ultimate) ]

[ Equipments: Titanium Runic Sword (D)"

"Hmm, I have leveled up to level 5."

Among 5 attribute points, he distributed 3 on strength and 2 on agility. He felt his power increased, but he ignored it as he had a more important task at hand.

Ethan decided to increase his resistance to fire attacks next.

"Synthesis Skills: ( Fire Toad's Resilience + Fire Serpent's Resistance)

[ Ding! Congratulations! Your Skill  Synthesis was successful ]

[ Your skills evolved into: Blaze Guard (E) - Passive ]

[ Description: An evolved defensive skill that combines Fire Toad's Resilience and Fire Serpent's Resistance ]

[ Effects: Superior Fire Resistance: Significantly reduces or nullifies damage from fire-based attacks with a defensive aura ]

"That's an E-Rank skill alright. But, I hope it still protect my clothes as well."

Casting aside the joke, he noticed it took him 10 Mana points to synthesize F-Rank skills of different types. Satisfied with the results, Ethan knew he had to push further. His current skills were good, but he needed to maximize his potential before facing the more formidable creatures on the deeper floors. He took a deep breath, feeling the energy coursing through him from the recent skill synthesis.

"Time to try another combination," he murmured to himself, excitement bubbling up inside him.

Synthesis Skills: Fire Toad's Leap (E) + Fire Serpent's Breath (E)]

Ethan braced himself for the now-familiar sensation of rewriting his very soul once again. The discomfort was sharper this time, but he gritted his teeth and powered through, knowing the potential reward was worth the pain.

[ Ding ]

[ Congratulations! Your Skill Synthesis was successful ]

[ Your skills evolved into: Inferno Leap (D) ]

[ Inferno Leap (D): A potent active skill that combines the agility and fire resistance of Fire Toad's Leap with the destructive power of Flame Serpent's Breath. Allows for long-distance jumps accompanied by a burst of flames that damages enemies on landing ]

"Hmm.. A D-rank skill!"

This was something out of his expectations. The combination of mobility and offensive power would be invaluable in combat. The thought of leaping into a group of enemies and leaving them scorched was exhilarating to say none the least.

[ Mana: 37/120 ]

Alas! It took nearly 30 points of Mana to merge two E-Rank skills. However, it was worth it, considering he got a D-Rank skill in return.

With his remaining Mana, he was able to Synthesis once more:

[ Synthesis Skills ]

[Swift Sword Strike (F) + Fire Toad's Breath (F) ]

Ethan felt the familiar sensation again, but it was getting easier to manage. His anticipation grew as he waited for the notification.

[ Congratulations! Your Skill Synthesis was successful ]

[ Your skills evolved into: Azula Sword Strike (E) ]

[ Azula Sword Strike: An enhanced melee attack that infuses your weapon with fiery energy, causing your strikes to ignite enemies on contact ]

He couldn't help but grin. This skill would be a game-changer in close combat, adding another layer of lethality to his attacks. With these new skills, he felt more prepared than ever to tackle the dungeon's challenges.

He checked his status again to see the updates.

[ Name: Aengus Degaro (Ethan Smith) ]

[ Occupation: Hunter ]

[ Race: Human ]

[ Level: 5 ]

[ Class: None ]

[ Age: 18 ]

[ Strength: 20 ]

[ Agility: 17 ]

[ Defense: 18 ]

[ Mana: 27/120 ]

[ Attribute points: 0 ]

[ Skills ]

  [ Active: Inferno Leap (D), Azula Sword Strike ]

  [ Passive: Blaze Guard (E), Fire Serpent's Digestion (F) ]

[ Unique Skills: Appraisal (Basic), Skill Absorption (Mythic), Universal Synthesis (Ultimate) ]

[ Equipments: Titanium Runic Sword (D) ]

His Mana had taken a hit from the recent synthesis, but the new skills were worth it. He decided to rest for a bit, allowing his Mana to recover before proceeding.

After a brief period of recovery, just as he prepared to put his new skills to the test, several imposing Fire Toads and Flame Serpents approached him with a malevolent aura.

Observing their approach, Ethan couldn't help but reveal a confident grin.

"Alright, buddies, I'll start with you first."

Standing up with casual assurance, he unleashed [Inferno Leap], launching himself into the heart of their group with a resounding boom. The ground beneath them quaked and collapsed, transforming into a small crater upon impact.

The creatures, numbering five to six, were thrown back violently by the explosion. They convulsed in pain, blood oozing from their mouths and bodies, before collapsing lifelessly on the scorched cavern floor.

Ethan stood amidst the chaos, the air thick with the smell of burnt scales and seared flesh. The aftermath of his devastating attack left him exhilarated, realizing the full extent of his D-Rank skill [Inferno Leap]. It was completely overpowered.