"Woah," Lena breathed as she watched the battle unfold. She wasn’t even sure she could call it that anymore.
It was like watching a dance. Domination wrapped in intricacy, unfolding in a srizing manner.
The blades tore through wolves that could easily have killed them in one swipe before the corpses were absorbed into the darkness.
And Lyra’s movents, gliding effortlessly between them, wrenching her ice spears deep into the bodies of wolves the dark blades passed almost as if they were left specifically for her. Were they?
She couldn’t tell... too entranced to form coherent thoughts. Only one idea echoed at the back of her mind as she watched everything up close.
Power. Raw, undeniable power. It filled her with giddy thoughts. If only she hadn’t awakened a useless talent... maybe that could have been her.
Eliera’s face was just as dumbfounded, her jaw slack. They had seen Ulric’s might before in the safe zone, but never this clearly.
This ti was different.
They couldn’t help but feel the shock settle in as the weight of their difference in power slowly sank in.
"What kind of power is that?" One of the youths at the back spat.
"I know, right?" another added, the fear that had clouded them minutes ago montarily forgotten.
The power levels within barely an hour inside the dungeon were just absurd. It was as if they were lords over their elents.
Lord of darkness and ice at play.
The thought was sheer madness, but given how little they had to compare it to, it wasn’t far off. They only snapped out of their daze when silence descended over the battlefield.
The previously charging wolves had been wiped clean.
Only Lord Ulric and the girl beside him remained standing.
[Ding! Your darkness has devoured a Level 3 Grey Wolf! 3 blank attributes!]
[Ding! Your darkness has devoured a Level 2 Grey Wolf! 2 blank attributes!]
[Ding! Your darkness has devoured a Level 3 Grey Wolf! 1 blank attributes!]
[...]
[Unallocated Attributes: 24]
[Ding! Lyra has slain a Level 2 Grey Wolf. You have gained 0.2 Experience Points.]
Looking over the battlefield, a brooding expression covered Ulric’s face. His lips twitched slightly as he stared at the notifications.
Everything was just as expected. Only the experience points he gained through the link of his Corruption Seed were... a little low.
He would have to upgrade the skill soon. He reckoned the ratio he gained would increase as well.
Just as he was about to nod in thought, his focus was cut short by an excited squeal ahead.
Narrowing his gaze, his eyes fell on Lyra, currently rushing toward him, a golden hue covering her body as she muttered excitedly.
"Look! I just leveled up."
Pulling up his Appraisal, he analyzed her briefly before a soft smile cracked across his lips.
[Lyra Ashford]
Class: Ice Mage
Level: 2
Threat Level: Low
She had leveled up to Level 2. Not comparable to his Level 5, but a step nonetheless. Staring into her blue eyes, locked onto his in eagerness, he slowly extended his hand and rubbed her hair, petting her gently.
Watching her lean slightly into his touch, the smile on his face widened. He was just about to mutter a word of praise. When his eyes caught sothing where his blades had absorbed the beasts’ corpses.
Loot? He hurried forward.
"Huh?"
Lyra mumbled, feeling Ulric suddenly withdraw his hand. Her face scrunched in discontent. Just as she opened her mouth to pout. Her eyes fell onto the object a few ters away, where Ulric was headed.
Following curiously, she watched as he picked it up, casually inspecting it before the interest in his eyes faded. What? He didn’t want it? Was it that bad?
It was a staff, radiating a faint magical aura. It had to be mage-inclined, aning anyone under that class could equip it. As they should.
Equipnt was rare in low-level dungeons. Even rarer to stumble upon one that fit your class, making it extrely useful, especially in the early stages.
Even if it wasn’t great, one could always use it until finding sothing better. But as he read its description aloud, she blanked out montarily.
[Great Staff]
(Rejuvenates one percent of magical energy exerted by mages.)
Restriction: Only equippable by Mage class, F-rank (0–10)
(Corruption Points: 0/100)
"You want it?" Ulric asked, watching as Lyra stared at the staff dreamily. As for him, he had no use for it.
Every ti his darkness devoured the corpses of beasts he killed, the attributes he placed into Endurance offset any fatigue he felt.
"N-no... you should have it," Lyra muttered, her face flushing at how easily he read her thoughts.
It was only right. He had killed the majority of the beasts. And if he equipped it, maybe he would grow stronger faster.
Only to be surprised by his next words.
"Take it. It’ll suit you more," he muttered, extending it toward her.
Then his face suddenly lit up, as if he had rembered sothing. She watched curiously as he muttered sothing under his breath.
The next mont, darkness spread from his hands, covering the staff for a few seconds.
When it retracted, her eyes widened involuntarily.
The staff no longer looked plain. Its surface shimred with a dark sheen, intricate runes faintly glowing across it.
"An artifact?" she murmured slowly. It was the only way she could explain the magical energy now oozing from it.
Appraising it once more, Ulric nodded faintly, sensing the subtle changes.
[Corrupted Great Staff]
(Rejuvenates five percent of magical energy exerted by mages.)
Restriction: Only equippable by Mage class, F-rank
(Corruption Points: 0/300)
Quite a leap in quality. And it had entirely removed one restriction. Impressive.
He didn’t see the need to corrupt it further. With his declining Corruption Points, pushing it again might elevate it a rank, making it harder to equip.
"How... I don’t understand..." Lyra muttered, blue eyes fluttering rapidly as thoughts raced through her mind.
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