Damn. Damn. DAMN!
I was breathing heavily while calming myself down. That was close. If I had waited a single second…
If I was just a tad bit more overconfident I would have had my head chewed right off. Dammit. Throwing those last fireballs without checking for anything just saved my life. I stumbled down and reeled my emotions in as the dust cleared and the room returned to serenity
I closed my eyes as the events in the last few minutes played in my head. I was rushing things. I only had one F rank skill, and I alone attacked an E ranked dungeon. Stupid. It doesn't matter that I can cast it repeatedly if it cannot quickly take down huge bosses like this. Even with the increased proficiency of [Fireball], it wasn't enough for me to comfortably take down a rank E BOSS
I also did not absorb any of the [Core]s I had collected so far because I planned on selling all of them to quickly buy a higher tier skill book. Also stupid. If I absorbed some [Strength Core]s, my muscles would be reinforced and I would be stronger and quicker. If I absorbed more [Vitality Core]s, my defenses and health would be further increased so that a single attack won't kill me
I took a deep breath as these ideas flowed in. Okay. No need to rush. Plan ahead carefully first.
My original plan was to dive into these dungeons repeatedly today until I gained enough money to purchase a C rank skill, but that might not be the smartest of ideas. I would need to repeat [Frozen Wasteland] at least 3 or 4 times alone if I wanted to collect funds nearing half a million
[Ape's Paradise] alone had given me materials worth around $60,000, and I had gained close to a double that amount in here, with 100 [Core]s in the last 20 floors of this dungeon. A new plan quickly formed and I stood up to check what the BOSS had dropped
1 [Skill Book] and a few rank E [Core]s that were slightly bigger than a pigeons egg. The skill book I picked up was called [Arctic Armor]. Happiness quickly came to my face as this was one of the categories of skills I was planning to buy. Skills like these greatly complement the current me, as some armor skills are timed, and some stay as long as you provide the energy
Tanks usually cast this skill when fighting against BOSSes, granting them another layer of increased protection. If the tank doesn't have a high enough [Focus] though, he might run out of energy for the armor and quickly be taken out, so his team members had to act fast to kill the BOSS
[Arctic Armor] would stay active as long as you provided the energy for the skill. I wasted no time learning it and quickly activating it. A thin crystal layer of ice quickly formed all over my body, giving me a cooling feeling. Almost all of the cold winds that were rushing about in the cave seemed like a breeze to me
Wow. I was already in love with this new skill. As usual, I didn't feel like I was using any energy or depleting anything from my body as the skill was actively on. A confident smile quickly came back to my face as I collected the rest of the [Core]s and placed in my now heavy backpack
I turned to the green crystal that rose after the huge bear's death, deactivated [Arctic Armor], and touched the crystal.
It was already night outside, the cold air emanating from the [Frozen Wasteland] monolith increasing some more. I passed by the few people that were there and went towards the roads where many cars were parked. Someone quickly approached me and I got in the car, my destination now being the popular Hunter Lodging at the center of Outer Bank X city
Many hunters did not have a permanent resident they stayed at as they moved around a lot, so luxurious hotel businesses were started that were specifically for hunters. Most paid to stay there by the day, as the cost was nowhere near what most hunters made from killing monsters day in and day out
Almost getting my head bitten off woke me up somewhat, even though I thought I was thinking very clearly when I was planning everything. I was calling it a day for now. I'll sort through the [Core]s that dropped and see how much money I can make by selling them, and how many I should absorb myself
We quickly arrived at the hunter lodging called Pristine Residency. I paid the fare and went towards the entrance of the hotel. I would go back to my little apartment some other day to grab my valuables, now I just needed some rest
The Pristine Residency had a luxurious look with shining lights all around it. Being a hunter lodging, there were many services for hunters that were offered. Beside the extravagant dining with specially cooked monster meat, small shops that sold and bought [Skill Book]s, [Item]s, and [Core]s were also here, although they wouldn't be anywhere near as extensive as the shops in the Awakened Centers
Selling your items at Awakened Centers would usually get you more profit and you would be able to find rarer skills there. Places like the Pristine Residency were more of a business while Awakened Centers were under the government's wing. And the government never stopped buying all the items dropping from monsters in bulk
I went to the reception area where a crazily dolled up woman was flashing the sweetest smile and presented my hunter license. The smile never left her face as she quickly processed a room for me and gave me the key-card. I didn't bother checking any of the shops in the huge building and went straight to the room which was on the 10 floor. All I wanted to do right now was lie down on a soft bed
Chapter 6 - Choosing new skills
The room of the Pristine Residency was fairly huge. Hunters preferred resting in these specially made lodgings because of the safety that was guaranteed. Nobody wanted to be the rich and renowned hunter that was killed in their sleep.
There was a platter of fresh fruits on the side and a thick bed in the middle of the room. I sat down on the bed and emptied the [Core]s in my backpack to get a grasp of just how much funds I could get tomorrow. There were 38 [Focus], 54 [Strength], and 48 [Vitality] cores, mixtures of F & E rank. This many cores were only possible if you were a very high ranker soloing lower dungeons or from partying with others of the same caliber to attack high ranking dungeons
Just the cores alone would probably net me a grand total of $180,000 were I to sell all of them. I wouldn't be able to even come close to purchasing a Rank C skill, But I could probably get 1 Rank D skill or 2 Rank E skills
If I choose to sell the [Minor Heal] I got from the BOSS of [Ape's Paradise], that's another $20-30 k. But I was keener on learning that skill myself after the fight with that bear
I was absent-minded as I looked at the [Core]s in front of me. Doing something like this was always a wish of mine, but never in my wildest dreams had I thought it would ever become a reality
My mind quickly went back to the period of confusion, when monsters were first introduced to the world. The last thing I remember saying to my parents was "You guys have fun!"
They were going to their anniversary date, finally some time away from their son who hadn't yet left the house. Those were the last words.
Tears unconsciously fell from my eyes as my mind went back to that time. I remember the rage I felt. The powerlessness as I hid in the bas.e.m.e.nt. Away from the screams and growls that were clearly heard as if they were next to me.
All I did was clutch my phone and watch the news updates as it went from monsters had appeared, to advice for the people to hide in their homes, to super-powered humans and the military stepping in.
I hid in that bas.e.m.e.nt for 2 straight days before I even had the courage to go upstairs and eat something. The weeks that followed were just confirmation of many people that did not have their loved ones return to them. I was scared and ashamed at that time. My parents, who had done everything for me, were massacred by monsters while I cowered in fear
Time after that seemed to pass by in a blur. With the money my parents left behind, I was able to live off of it comfortably. It took months before I began to direct the rage and helplessness towards the things that did this, but I still wasn't able to do anything about it
The months after that I spent learning every little thing I could about monsters, dungeons, awakened hunters, and the reality of our new world. Only today
did I learn a skill book and awaken myself
I wiped the tears off my face as a resolute expression came back. I couldn't do anything then, but I can change what I do now.
I set aside some F rank [Vitality] and [Strength] cores for me to absorb and grabbed the phone near the bed to order room service. I then learned the [Minor Heal] skill and tried the skill for the first time
A green light washed over my body, reducing some of the fatigue I felt. I also made [Arctic Armor] to be active at the same time, as its proficiency would increase the longer it was used, and its defensive properties would further increase. I then began absorbing some of the [Core]s I set aside
My food arrived not too long after, two plates of prime ribs with some water. I paused everything when I grabbed the food from the door and ate the steaks waiting for me. I turned on the T.V while eating to check if there was anything newsworthy that happened today. There was a bearded anchor in a suit talking to a celebrity hunter
"Mr. Doyle, you've just come back overseas from doing hero work over in Country Z of the United Federation, just how differently do the hunters live there compared to our great Blessed Empire?" News Anchor
"Haha, the work was fun, but it was definitely a new environment. Things are done very differently there. Dungeon diving is very strictly regulated, with Hunters having to mandatorily hand over more than half of their earnings over to the government. It was truly eye-opening to see." Celebrity Hunter
"My goodness! How can hunters live under such oppression? I would rebel! It is nothing like our great Empire, where Hunters are given the freedom to grow and prosper. It's why we have such amazing heroes rising up over the years. God bless this great nation of ours!" News Anchor
"Well…" Celebrity Hunter
I quickly turned the T.V back off while shaking my head. Nothing noteworthy seems to be going on, just the usual propaganda being hurled at the common news watcher. The Blessed Empire...are we truly blessed? Compared to the United Federation, hunters here have a much higher death rate. The occasional dungeon breaks also cause mass casualties as response times were usually slow. Though I'm definitely lucky to be where I am, over the years I've to be skeptical of many of the things I hear.
Hunters from the United Federation lead vastly different lives, but from what I've seen in online forums they're happy with the way things work. Of course, there are still many issues, but nowhere near as horrid as all our news networks make it out to be. Even the good things you see online could also be a false depiction though. So I guess I'd have to visit there myself to see how things are in the future
As soon as I finished eating my food and absorbing about 40 [Vitality] and [Strength] cores, I went towards the bed to get some rest. Before sleeping, I made sure to activate [Arctic Armor]
[Noah][Occupation: Hunter]
[Vitality: 30]
[Focus: - ]
[Strength: 30]
[Skill(s): (Fireball-81)(Heal-1)(Arctic Armor- 5)]
---
Morning came. It was around 6 am when I woke up. The bed had an outline of frost from where I was sleeping. I checked my panel to see that [Arctic Armor] had its proficiency rise to 61. It became slightly thicker and now looked like there was almost an armor of ice all over my body. I felt extremely comfortable sleeping with the skill activated, my body feeling a cooling sensation throughout
I grabbed a quick shower and cleaned up, and then went to grab some breakfast in the dining area. After finishing the food, I checked around the hunter shops in the hotel just to see if the skills I had in mind would be there, but I wasn't so lucky. There were a variety of Rank C-F skills, but none that fully fit the guidelines I had in mind
I went out and hailed another driver to bring me to the largest Awakened Center in Outer Bank X. This center was as large as a stadium, with many hunters and normal humans rushing about. It was already packed early morning, with many things being sold or traded. I first went to trade in the [Core]s I did not absorb in one of the shops, and my account soon had an extra $155,000. Even after I absorbed more than 40 [Core]s, the remaining was still enough to bring me this much from just diving into 2 dungeons. This money brought a smile to my face, even though I knew it would soon be gone
Ignoring everything else, I went to the shop that had a huge sign of [Skill Books]
There were hundreds of skill books laid behind thick glass with their descriptions written out. On either side of the entrance were two hunters who seemed to be Rank D or above
I went into the shop and sure enough, there were a few books that fit my criteria. The first skill that fit exactly what I wanted was the rank D skill, [Flames of Torment]. The skill allowed you to cast a pillar of flames at a maximum distance of 10 meters and would last as long as energy is applied. The skill neared rank C in power but was neglected by many hunters because of its high energy usage characteristic. It fit perfectly with me. With its high damage, the pillar of flames would continue to be concentrated into a line of fire that burns anything in front of me
The next skill that matched what I was looking for and I actually had enough money to buy was another Rank D skill called [Safeguard]. This was a very peculiar skill that caused headaches for many tanks. Casting this skill greatly boosted your defense, and even fully absorbed all damage from lower-ranking skills. The only downside was its high energy requirement and the fact that you could not move while this skill was active
BOSSES regularly move and attack anything that damages them, if they see their attacks aren't getting through a tank that is standing still, they will simply move to attack other party members that are causing it harm. Tanks who first used this skill caused the death of many spell casters, as they were too late catching up to the monster after being able to move again. You also never want to be a mage with your flimsy defense to cast this skill and standstill, as soon as your mana runs out you will be surrounded and…
Because of all this, a D rank skill book that normally goes for around $100 k, I was able to buy for $60 k. With the [Flames of Torment] being $90 k, I had effectively used almost all the money I made the day prior.
Now, it was time to go back to the [Frozen Wasteland]
Chapter 7 - Too easy
I called for a ride as soon as I was done and I was driven to the [Frozen Wasteland] dungeon in 20 minutes. I still had that same backpack with me as it should be more than enough to carry [Core]s that drop even if I dive multiple times
I placed my hand on one of the squares of the monolith, and I was back onto the cold floor with rushing wolves once more. Rank E dungeon, 20 floors, just how fast would it take for me to clear you now that I have Rank D skills?
I quickly activated [Arctic Armor] and [Safeguard], as I wanted to ascertain just how useful the skills were going to be. I immediately felt like my entire body was rooted to the ground as I couldn't move a single muscle
A transparent layer of energy quickly formed on top of the [Arctic Armor], and the rushing wolves arrived. The nearest one took a swipe with its huge claws, but I didn't even feel an impact as the wolf was bounced back
The rank D [Safeguard] provided almost absolute defense against lower-ranking monsters and skills, this held true. With both defense skills on, I watched as the wolves rushed at me and tried clawing, biting, and anything else they could think of, but they didn't even touch my clothes
With my confidence slowly coming back, I then cast a skill I was very much looking forward to, [Flames of Torment]
A blinding ray of flames quickly sprouted in front of me, piercing two of the wolves that were standing opposite me. The flames literally incinerated the area where they touched the monsters, leaving holes in their bodies
The 2 remaining wolves beside me let out frightened yelps, but I didn't give them any time and had two condensed fireballs quickly explode on their heads. I deactivated [Flames of Torment] & [Safeguard] and could move again, and I went to check out the wolves pierced by the pillar of flames upfront
A burnt smell wa
s in the air, as the wolves had almost half of their bodies burnt away. The blood remaining on the other half of their bodies was even bubbling and sizzling
Damn. I kept my amazement inside as I rushed forward, wanting to see more of just how this deadly new skill was. I only kept [Arctic Armor] active and continued indiscriminately throwing fireballs in front of me so that I could increase its proficiency
Now that I was becoming more familiar with skills, it seems that the closer the proficiency nears 100, the closer the skill becomes able to deal just as much damage as a skill of the next rank. As the F rank [Fireball] neared 100 in proficiency, its speed and damage was almost the same as an E rank offensive skill
I didn't want to completely abandon [Fireball] now that I had the rank D skill, [Flames of Torment], as it was still very effective when used well.
On the next floor, as soon as the wolves began appearing I initiated [Flames of Torment]. I made the pillar of fire move horizontally instead of just shooting straight, causing it to literally melt the beasts in half. All 5 rushing wolves. Dead from one attack. Haha! I was already falling in love with this skill!
Feeling the rush of easily overpowering these monsters, I rushed down the floors even faster. No matter if it was the wolves, the foxes, or the Musk Ox, [Flames of Torment] did not discriminate and easily burned holes through the beasts with its extremely high heat
The feeling of adrenaline slowly faded as I stood by the stairs to the BOSS once more. I was decent enough to leave in one piece yesterday, but I was gonna be sure to take it out even more thoroughly today
I went down the stairs and watched the slumbering mass of a beast get up once more, Its bright red eyes trying to pierce through me.
Without wasting a beat, a pillar of flames sprouted in front of me like a blooming red flower. The rising bear raised its huge paws to protect its body once more, but this time there was no rest from the flames
Infinite Mana In The Apocalypse c1-705 Page 5
