Leon nodded, pleased with the progress. "Good. And what about my challenger system? Any new updates or notifications?"
[Host’s current objectives are as follows:]
Rebuild Blue Wind City: Progress at 45%.
Rewards increase with efficiency and completion.
Explore the Dark Abyss Dungeon: Unexplored dungeon located near the city. Estimated to hold rare treasures and advanced materials.
Forge a New Pact (Optional) : Host has an opportunity to form a new pact or save it for a more strategic time.
Unlock Tier III Status:
Requirements: 1. Clear a high-difficulty dungeon.
2. Expand mana pool by 20%.
3. Upgrade at least 5 skills to S-rank or higher.
Leon stroked his chin thoughtfully. "The Dark Abyss Dungeon sounds intriguing. It might hold the resources we need to push the city’s development further—and expand my power."
[Cherry agrees. Based on Host’s current stats, the dungeon is within Host’s capability, though it may prove challenging.]
"Perfect. That’s exactly what I need—a challenge," Leon said with a smirk.
"Though the problem is my skill levels," Leon sighed as he looked at the Challenger or Ascender System interface.
Skill Upgrade Costs:
D and below - 1 SP
C - 10 SP
B - 20 SP
A - 40 SP
S - 60 SP
SS - 80 SP
SSS - 100 SP
Ex - 200 SP
[Cherry thinks it’s normal. After all, improving a skill is like evolving it to the next rank, as mentioned in the system provided by the Tower to your people,] Cherry explained.
[Every 10 level-ups result in a skill evolution to the next rank,] she added, making Leon nod in understanding.
"Still, it’s too costly," Leon muttered. He tilted his head towards Cherry. "Can I donate skill points?" he asked curiously.
[You can’t yet,] Cherry responded, shaking her tiny head. [But the Host will be able to do so after reaching Level 5 in the System.]
Leon nodded thoughtfully, though he wondered how long it would take to reach that milestone. He hadn’t even leveled up to Level 2 yet, though he only needed a few more acts of charity to make it happen.
***
The next morning, Leon called a meeting with Luna and his council to discuss the dungeon. After laying out his plan, he made it clear that this would be no ordinary exploration. The dungeon had a reputation for being deadly, but its rumored rewards were worth the risk.
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"Are you sure about this, Leon?" Luna asked, her eyes full of concern. "If something happens to you, the city—"
"It’s a calculated risk, Luna," Leon interjected. "I won’t go alone. I’ll take a team, and I’ll be prepared for anything. The rewards could help us fortify the city further and secure its future."
Reluctantly, Luna agreed, knowing Leon’s determination. Soon, the preparations were complete, and Leon, along with a carefully selected team of skilled adventurers, set out for the Dark Abyss Dungeon.
As they approached the dungeon, an ominous energy hung in the air. The entrance was a gaping maw of black stone, with faint blue runes glowing along its edges. The air felt heavy, as if the very ground beneath them resisted their presence.
"Stay alert," Leon instructed, drawing his Plague Bearer Sword. "This place is alive in ways you won’t expect."
With his team behind him, Leon stepped into the dungeon, ready to face whatever awaited inside.
The descent into the Dark Abyss Dungeon was marked by an eerie silence, broken only by the occasional distant rumble or the faint sound of dripping water. The walls were lined with ancient, glowing runes, their light barely enough to illuminate the path ahead. Each step deeper into the dungeon seemed to weigh heavier on the group, as if the air itself was resisting their presence.
Leon took the lead, his Plague Bearer Sword glowing faintly with an unnatural green hue, a testament to its corrosive power. Behind him were four carefully selected companions:
Kara, a battle-hardened warrior with a massive tower shield and unshakable resolve.
Lyric, a rogue and expert trap disarmer with an uncanny knack for sensing danger.
Marian, a healer specializing in light magic, her presence a counterbalance to the dungeon’s oppressive darkness.
Dren, a fire mage whose raw destructive power made him a valuable ally in combat.
They were among the few adventurers who haven’t left the city even after the high taxes as it was their birth place.
The group’s formation was tight, their senses heightened as they moved cautiously through the dungeon’s winding corridors.
They encountered their first challenge in a vast chamber where the ground was littered with skeletal remains. As the group stepped forward, the runes on the walls flared to life, and the bones began to stir.
"Undead," Kara muttered, raising her shield as the skeletons assembled into grotesque, mismatched forms.
Leon stepped forward, his voice calm but commanding. "Hold formation. I’ll thin them out."
He extended his hand, and a surge of dark energy coalesced into an Eldritch Blast. The projectile slammed into the nearest skeleton, shattering it instantly. Dren followed up with a wave of fire, his flames engulfing the advancing horde and reducing several to ash.
Despite the initial success, the undead kept coming, seemingly endless.
"These aren’t ordinary skeletons," Lyric called out, her daggers flashing as she darted around the battlefield. "They’re regenerating!"
Leon frowned, his mind racing. He activated Dimensional Rift, teleporting to a higher vantage point where he could better assess the situation. From above, he noticed a glowing sigil etched into the floor at the chamber’s center.
"It’s a summoning circle!" Leon shouted. "Marian, purify it!"
Marian nodded, her staff glowing as she channeled her magic. A wave of radiant energy swept across the chamber, dispelling the dark magic animating the undead. The skeletons crumbled to dust, and the sigil’s glow faded.
"Good work," Leon said as he dropped back down to the group. "But this was just the beginning."
The dungeon’s traps grew more devious as they pressed on. Lyric’s expertise saved the group multiple times, from disabling pressure plates that would have triggered poison darts to identifying false floors that led to spike-filled pits.
Eventually, they reached a vast cavern dominated by a shimmering black lake. In its center stood a pedestal, atop which rested a glowing black crystal. The moment they entered, the air grew colder, and an oppressive presence filled the room.