Vol.01: Ch.13: XP Gained and Battles Fought - Conquering the Dungeon One Floor at a Time

[ DING ]

[ Quest - Completed ]

[ Reward - 50 XP ]

Darell heard the notification and sighed in pleasure. He had killed five Scorched Ravens and was awarded 50 XP. Darell quickly checked his stats.

[Name - Darell Rogers]

[Race - ***]

[Level - 06]

[XP - 50/250] 

[HP - 250/250]

[MP - 200/200]

[Strength - 80]

[Agility - 80]

[Stamina - 80]

[Vitality - 80]

[Defense - 80]

[Intellect - 80]

[Ability - Space]

[Skills - Space Arsenal, Nihility, Space Tear, Teleport, Star Strike, Gate, Burst] [Special Skills - Inspect, Conceal, Sense, Final Blow, Death's Touch]

[Combat Techniques - Reaper Fist, Earth-Shattering Slash]

[System Points - 00]

Darell glanced at his friends and noticed that they were hastily wiping the crimson stains off their faces and garments. Despite knowing that the blood of the slain Ravens was nothing more than an illusion, they could not shake off the sensation that it was indeed real.

Darell and his companions breathed a collective sigh of relief as they emerged from the first floor of the dungeon. The portal glimmered in front of them, beckoning them to the next level. They braced themselves and stepped through it.

When they entered the second floor, their guard was up, expecting a similar attack from the Ravens. However, what they found instead was a surprising sight. The group of 40 Scorched Ravens was peacefully sleeping, nestled together in what seemed to be a nest.

"Fog Of Dread!"

Without hesitation, Lilith cast her skill, shrouding the unsuspecting Ravens. Darell and his friends moved quickly, taking down the Ravens one by one. The air was thick with the scent of singed feathers and charred flesh as they made their way through the fog.

When the last Raven fell, Darell used his skill Sense and quickly scanned their surroundings, searching for any signs of danger. When his skill didn't pick up any sign of movement, he let out a sigh of relief.

The next portal shimmered ahead of them, and they stepped through it onto the third floor. But their relief was short-lived as they were immediately bombarded with fireballs.

Lilith quickly reacted by casting an Ice Wall to shield them from the attack. Darell then used his Sense ability to assess the situation and discovered that they were being bombarded by 80 Scorched Ravens. Realizing that they needed to split the group to avoid being surrounded, Darell ordered his companions to use their skills to break apart the formation of the enemy.

Darell used his combat techniques, Reaper Fist and Earth-Shattering Slash, to eliminate as many Ravens as possible. Meanwhile, Emma and Lilith worked together to blind and freeze the enemy, delivering the finishing blow. Eric and Ariel also fought side by side, taking out any Raven that dared to attack them.

After a few intense minutes of fighting, the group had successfully defeated all of the Scorched Ravens.

The team pressed on and cleared the first five floors of the dungeon. Darell landed the final blow on the last Raven, his sword anchored him to prevent a fall. Fighting tirelessly without a break had left them drained, even though they had prepared themselves beforehand.

Gasping for air, they collapsed onto the ground, limbs heavy and chests heaving. Abruptly, a portal opened in front of them, and they were whisked away to another level. Though this was not what they were expecting. It was a beautiful and tranquil place, with the sun shining high in the sky, and trees swaying gently to welcome them. The scenery was mesmerizing, with a lake reflecting the surrounding beauty in its clear waters.

As the team gazed in wonder, they felt the peaceful atmosphere surrounding them. Refreshed and reinvigorated by the serene environment, they ran to the lake to clean themselves and their clothes. A platform nearby caught their eye, with potions and beast cores displayed on it. Their joy knew no bounds as they picked up and distributed the treasures amongst themselves.

After resting for a few hours, they found themselves leveling up. Lilith, Emma, Eric, and Ariel had now attained level 06. Darell lay on the grass, listening to the sound of nature when he heard a notification.

[DING]

[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE LEVELED UP!]

Darell quickly checked his stats and found out that he had reached level 07 and he smiled as he got up.

Darell led the way as they moved toward the portal that would take them to the sixth floor.

As they continued to clear the next four floors, Darell noticed a worrying pattern emerging. With each new floor, they encountered twice the number of Ravens as the previous one, making the battles more and more difficult.

After clearing yet another floor, Darell and the others found themselves on a safe floor and took a moment to catch their breath. Sitting in a circle, Darell spoke up with a serious expression.

"I'm sure you've all noticed the pattern by now. The number of Ravens we face on each floor is increasing exponentially, which means we're in for some tough battles ahead."

His companions nodded in agreement, understanding the gravity of the situation.

After a brief rest, they walked through another portal that transported them directly to the 11th floor. As they continued to clear each level, the battles became more intense and the stakes higher.

Finally, after fighting their way through to the 15th floor, they found themselves in yet another safe area, where they were able to replenish their supplies with potions and beast cores. Darell, however, had a secret he couldn't share with his friends.

He felt guilty for hiding the fact that he had obtained a powerful system. But he knew that revealing it could put their lives at risk. So, he pretended to absorb the beast cores in front of everyone, while secretly passing them on to Lilith, who was able to absorb their power undetected.

Though it pained him to keep his secret from his friends, Darell knew that he had to protect them until they were strong enough to handle the truth.

Darell and his team had conquered the first 15 floors, but the following 5 floors had been peculiarly easy. The Scorched Ravens on these floors simply stood there and took their attacks until they died, making the team suspicious. As they exited the safe floor and teleported to the 20th floor, their suspicions were confirmed. A horde of Scorched Ravens awaited them, and it was massive. This only meant that the floors beyond the 19th floor were going to be extremely challenging.

But, the team had grown stronger, and their levels had gone up. Lilith, Emma, Eric, and Ariel were now level 08, while Darell had reached level 09. They managed to defeat the Ravens on the last three floors, but they had to be cautious as the Ravens were more coordinated and attacked in a pattern as if they were being commanded.

After clearing the 23rd floor, the team rested before entering the portal to the 24th floor. When they arrived, they were taken aback by the sight of 10,000 Scorched Ravens flying above them, eyeing them with hunger in their eyes. Darell and his team readied their weapons, knowing that they were in for an intense battle.

...

As the training hall bustled with the energy of the first-year students, several Instructors watched the events unfold from outside, their eyes fixed on a projection of the training room. One of them spoke up, "The first-year students this year are much more talented and hardworking than the previous years," to which all of them nodded in agreement.

Athena, one of the Instructors, couldn't help but smile as she chimed in, "We have unique students this year. Consider the Rogers siblings, they have already rewritten history yet remain oblivious to it." With a glint in her eye, she continued to sing praises for her students, "Emma is determined and hardworking, and her rare ability is a perfect match for her. Ariel can be mischievous at times, but when she sets a goal, she will stop at nothing to achieve it. Her ability is also one of the most useful abilities in the world. People may regard Eric as the least talented one when compared to his friends, but they fail to take into account his parents. He seems to have inherited their talent and determination."

All of the Instructors nodded their heads, impressed by Athena's observations.

* BOOM *

Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed through the hall, causing all of them to shift their gaze back to the projection, eager to see what had happened.

...

Back inside the training hall, Darell and his companions fought fiercely against the Scorched Ravens. The air was thick with the sound of clanging weapons and the smell of burning feathers. Darell utilized his deadly technique, Death's Touch, to swiftly take down Raven after Raven, while Reaper's Fist helped him deliver crushing blows.

The intense battle raged on for several minutes until the last of the Ravens fell to the ground, defeated. The exhausted friends caught their breath and assessed their injuries before noticing a portal shimmering in front of them. However, unlike the previous portals they had encountered, this one was a deep crimson color, indicating that it was something different.

Taking advantage of the lull in combat, they drank the remaining potions to regain their strength and prepare for whatever lay ahead. Then, with their weapons at the ready and their nerves on edge, they stepped boldly through the portal, unsure of what they would find on the other side.

When Darell and the others entered the final floor, they were greeted by a sight that left them stunned. A massive tree stood tall in the center, its branches covered in Scorched Ravens. And perched on the very topmost branch was a towering Scorched Raven, unlike any they had seen before.

Its piercing gaze sent shivers down their spines, and for the first time since entering the dungeon, the group felt true fear.

Darell studied the creature carefully, and a thought struck him, 'A Scorched Raven General!'

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