Chapter 16: Into The Pit

The curse tore my health in half. However, in return I got {Perfect by Nature}. Boosting all of my attributes, except for Charisma as it is capped and Wisdom as it works differently, was definitely worth it. Not only that, but I got more health and mana, though the health was cut in half. I didn’t want to risk another curse, so I finished, and {Spin!} went on a five floor cooldown.

I need to find a way to remove this curse—if it was at all possible. But still, in return I received a total of 90 attributes. 100 if I were to include my capped Charisma. 100 health would be equivalent to 10 levels. 40 mana equivalent to 20 levels. As long as I don’t get hit, I’ll be fine.

“Status!”

Status

Health: 135/135 (cursed)

Mana: 64/64

Name: Zeryn Felix, The Treasure Dabbler

Level: 7 [EXP: 490/19200]

Class: Miraculum

Titles: Treasure Dabbler, Oathtaker: A Friend of Goblins

Attributes: 0 AP

Vitality: 20

Strength: 20 (25)

Dexterity: 20

Agility: 20

Willpower: 17 (22)

Intelligence: 16

Perception: 15 (22)

Wit: 15

Wisdom: 10

Charisma: [5]

Luck: 29 (34)

Active Buffs: None

Cursed: Heart Snake (Rating: B)

Active Abilities: {Spin!}, {Biding Hellfire Rupture}, {Goblin’s Recovery Hymn}, {Area Scan}, {Sudden Slumber}, {Shrouded Blink}, {Goblin Alchemy: Elemental Flask}

Passive Abilities: {Assimilation}, {Fire Resistance: B}, {Goblin’s Tongue}, {Battle Prowess}, {Wield Element: Fire}, {Perfect by Nature}

Assimilation:

Unknown Ability: [???] 8/50

Unknown Ability: [???] 1/??

There was a shop within the tent, and it was finally selling new gear, though it was only low rank ‘E’. My gloves are still a solid piece, sword brand new, shield still saving my life. I need a new body piece, some pants, and new boots.

I browsed thoroughly through it, picking out three items, as well as some extra health potions, some satiety tubes, and lots of water. This was a desert, of course.

Basic Gambeson (Black) [Rank: E]

Defense value: 15

Hard Leather Trousers (Black) [Rank: E]

Defense value: 14

Traveler’s Boots [Rank: E]

Defense values increased by 15%

It cost around 360 for everything I bought, which started taking a toll on my trade points.

Mm. Great. I felt much stronger now. All around stronger. I also felt very refreshed. I was ready to continue as I wanted to make it to the hub. Well, maybe I don’t. I don’t know if I can trust anyone anymore. Not the players, at least.

I stepped out from the tent, and it disappeared. The heat really didn’t bother me. The sand was bothersome to walk along, but it was manageable. The increase to my attributes especially helped here. I was moving along much faster.

{Area Scan} came back with zero results. I hadn’t found anything yet. There also hadn’t been a quest notification. Perhaps next floor. I wanted to test my new strength. I was confident of not dying as I could now blink three times using {Shrouded Blink}.

The journey was quite boring. I ate and drank as needed, but nothing was happening. I decided to play with {Wield Element: Fire}, but—I can’t create fire. I can control fire, but I can’t create it. It was a little disappointing, and I would need to figure out what to do with it. Perhaps hellfire?

I used {Goblin’s Recovery Hymn}, which now restored 16 health every 5 seconds, and 3 mana every minute. Then, I started creating some empty flasks using {Goblin Alchemy: Elemental Flask}, as I figured out an idea on how to fill them now.

“Remaining mobs!”

[System Notice: There are 68 mobs remaining. Mobs cleared: 0/68]

Eventually, I came upon a group of mobs. {Area Scan} brought back four presences.

Sand Spider, Lv8

Sand Spider, Lv8

Sand Beetle, Lv8

Sand Scorpion, Lv8

Level 8s. It should be pretty easy. I approached the four large-sized bugs. They noticed me, and charged. I needed to test a few new things, so I also charged at them. One of the Sand Spiders lunged a foreleg at me. I slightly moved to the right, letting it slip by me. I slashed down with my new Ashen Gladius, and it was quite a delight. A delight of power.

[Sand Spider, Lv8 takes 425 damage.]

[System Notice: You gained 100 EXP.]

Holy hell. I just did 425 damage?! An instant kill! I killed off the other spider and the Sand Scorpion, getting another 200 experience points. Then, I let the Sand Beetle ram into my shield with its horn.

[Biding Hellfire Rupture power at 130/260.]

My ‘Kite of Biding Eruption’ filled halfway with power, and I could actually feel it. It was like a connection was made between me and my shield. I could feel the raging inferno building up within. I sheathed my ‘Ashen Gladius’ as I focused on dodging the Sand Beetle. I grabbed an empty flask I had created earlier and held it in my left hand. Then, I used my free hand and laid it on my shield. I could feel the breath of fire on my fingertips as I pulled it out of my shield, and held it with my hand. I looked at it quickly as the Sand Beetle came charging again. I blocked with my kite.

[Biding Hellfire Rupture power at 160/260.]

I looked at the fire in my hand. So, I took out 100 points of power. I took the fire and put it in my flask, receiving a notification.

[System Notice: ‘Elemental Flask (Empty)’ is now full. You created a ‘Hellfire Flask’.]

Hellfire Flask

A throwable item. Explodes upon impact. Radius: 10 meters. 100 Damage to those within the area of effect.

I smiled. “Okay, Sand Beetle, let’s play a game.” And so a game commenced. I created multiple ‘Hellfire Flasks’. And as the game ended, another idea of playing with fire came to mind.

[Biding Hellfire Rupture power at 260/260. Please discharge within 30 seconds.]

I brought the hellfire raging within my kite shield outward, moving it over to my Ashen Gladius. I could see it moving within, waiting for a sweet release. I pointed my gladius at the Sand Beetle. “Thanks for playing,” I grinned, firing it out from the tip of my blade. I was expecting a beam of sorts as it was concentrated, but it wasn’t. The energy came out as an outward explosion, affecting the area in front of me more so than towards the sides. Alongside that was there being no backlash effect.

[System Notice: By using {Wield Elemental: Fire} and {Biding Hellfire Rupture} on a weapon, {Assimilation} has created the new ability, {Bladefire Infusion}.]

[Sand Beetle, Lv8, takes 325 damage.]

[System Notice: You gained 100 EXP.]

I checked out my new ability.

{Bladefire Infusion} - An active ability. You imbue your weapon from an external fire, increasing damage dealt for the next five strikes. Alternatively, you may expend the fire to unleash an explosion.

I continued venturing throughout the zone, finding a couple of groups of the same bugs as before here and there, eventually coming across a cliff side. It looked rough and rigid, towering high enough to where I couldn't even see it. I was surprised I hadn't seen it as I approached, thinking it was a mirage of sorts, yet it wasn't. I figured I couldn’t go in that direction anymore, and decided to walk along the cliff side. It took half an hour before I came across an indenture, hidden behind mounds of sand, opening up into a cavern.

I was feeling pretty fearless right now. I had multiple flasks capable of quick area of effect fire damage, my shield to protect myself, and my sword which could pretty much instantly kill most of the mobs here. The only thing that would be dangerous would be a trap, as my health was only 135.

I took extreme caution as I entered into the cavern, the light slowly fading away as I approached deeper. There was a shadow that blended in with the darkness that suddenly moved, and greeted me with a pair of talons.

[Biding Hellfire Rupture power at 165/260.]

I heard a pair of wings flap as it pushed off my shield, a gust of sand being dragged up from the current created.

[Cave Roc, Lv9]

It was a large bird, dark in appearance while having a short, large beak. I didn’t know what a bird was doing inside here, yet with the minuscule light available, I noticed that there was something that had been dug into near the corner. It was a scorpion. I struck the roc down, netting myself 140 experience points. The cave was quite dark, and the walls were getting harder to make out. I grabbed the fire settling inside my shield, infusing my ‘Ashen Glaive’ with the flames, using it to light up the area enough for me to continue. Now that I could see easier, I noticed the cavern started shrinking, a short yet wide hole appearing near the back. Ducking, I thought I could see a tinge of light far within, so I entered, and it led me into a much more open part of the cavern.

[System Notice: You discovered Sand Setting Tunnel.]

I had to walk alongside the wall of the tunnel. This place didn’t really seem like a tunnel, even though the game said it was. There was a huge drop off as this tunnel spiraled down deeper and deeper. I could faintly hear scurrying down in the depths, but I didn't have the necessary light to see below. As I continued along the side, I heard a loud snapping sound as I stepped on an old carapace of a bug long dead. I quickly pushed myself up against the side of the tunnel, hugging it in case of a trap.

Then the faint noise of scurrying from down below started getting louder, booming through the empty space. It sounded as if something was marching its way up this downward tunnel. I tried peering into it, but I couldn’t. I began backing up as the sound of sand being dug out through the side of the tunnel alarmed me. It cracked open, a head appearing at the opening, and it cut me off from behind.

[Sand Setting Ant, Lv10]

A level 10 ant, nearing the size of a van. I slashed at it in reaction to being alarmed, pulling in enough damage to instantly kill it. But it didn’t die. It grabbed onto my blade with its mandible, completely ignoring the fire surging from it.

[Sand Setting Ant ignores death for 10 seconds.]

It gripped tightly on my gladius, and I couldn’t remove it. It reared up its legs, pulling me up as it lifted my sword. Then, it pushed a few of its legs against the wall, forcing itself into that giant drop off as it continued gripping my ‘Ashen Gladius’. I held on tightly as well, not wanting to budge at all, and was dragged alongside it, drifting down into that pit within the Sand Setting Tunnel.