Chapter 15: Rewards [ Unique Series ]!

Risa's danger sensor suddenly perked up, her instinct cannot be neglected, it's from all the games that she played professionally. It was some kind of training that gave her the ability to predict that made her a true-gamer that could immediately react to any danger.

Soon after, a high-speed water laser shot straight where she was before, thankfully, she could easily react to the laser. Seemingly the amount of AGI and DEX to move around is enough to deal with it, but although she's unharmed, she didn't drop her guard.

Risa got a little anxious because the magic circles on the wall now started spawning countless bubbles. To dodge the next laser spells next time, luck, wits, and reaction were much needed. Simplifying, she felt her head overdrive in analyzing.

So now she had to dodge the bubbles around while the giant fish, shoot out masses of lasers that tear through blocks of the walls. Although she's able to dodge everything, she won't be able to keep up with the more spawning bubbles.

"This is bad, this is bad, do I attack now?" The anxiety stopped her thinking but after a moment, she quickly calmed herself.

There wasn't any reason to be anxious. Just being nervously lessened her ability to dodge and think carefully.

Just as if time had stopped. She looked towards her front, while she was currently dodging left and right, in one breath pass, she made a big decision.

She accurately estimated the bubbles and then started shooting the bubbles ahead of her, using just the slightest of movement or any bubbles that could touch her body would be blasted by a spell.

The bubbles, the laser, and even the giant fish's movement. The most dangerous path, the safe path, she knew it as if they were in the palm of her hands.

The subtle movement of the enemy's monster's body, its big eyes. She started predicting where the next laser would shoot. Like seemingly in a textbook like way, she dodges the upcoming laser while weaving around the bubbles like nothing.

The moves she was doing seem to be inhumane but she's doing it like she's one of the best chess players in the world, something like a future prediction skill of sorts.

Of course, there wasn't any of that overwhelming player skill, it's just her finesse and intellectual self and it felt almost like cheating if others saw the heroic scene.

"[Wind Cutter]"

The magic spell was silently used as it shot through many bubble curtains beautifully exploding while it penetrated and hit the giant fish at the last of its a vestige.

And finally, she's able to approach it even if there were large laser spells targeting her before the giant fish could charge it's spells, she already appeared to its head.

[ Power Attack ]!

All the while, debuffs stacked to the giant fish body wreaked havoc, and as felt an impending doom, the giant fish cried out as it's HP bar became empty.

In the massive room, as the water sank like leaking from below, the water disappeared completely, before she knew it, there was a large treasure box glowing in the center of the dungeon area.

Rather than being happy at first, Risa laid down on the ground and rubbed both sides of her head. Feeling a slight ache and felt her body a little tired.

"Ah〜… concentrating seriously that exhausting here huh…" Risa languidly said. Although, after some time, she got some energy back and tried not to mind the slight aching pain in her head.

Notification of level up and skill acquisition had popped up but she ignored it for now as she walked relaxed to the treasure.

If possible, she didn't want to enter that mode of focus, as even for her, having concentrated for that much while a barrage of bubbles and high-speed laser was a little too much. Thankfully, she was able to defeat it.

She held the cover of the golden chest, Risa tension returned to normal, and with a calming sigh, she opted.

"Here I come, Open!!"

She opened the cover, the golden chest revealed a blinding light before she saw what she had been waiting for.

Inside is a muffler with a vivid-blue color just like the sea, while on it's edges, there was a white spot that reminiscences the bubble that the giant fish used.

A thick coat that was a little darker color on the white fur on its neckline, and top and bottom garment matched it perfectly.

And two dark-blue daggers as if it was the representation of all deep-sea where light does not reach, and a dark blue belt that can be used to sheath the two swords. A little bit excited, she quickly opened her status panel.

Risa identified the names of her [ Unique Series ] gears and weapons, it surprised her seeing their stats and skills.

[ Marble Muffler ]

[ AGI +10 ] [ MP +10 ]

Skill [ Mirage ]

[ Indestructible ]

[ Oceanic Coat ]

[ AGI +30 ] [ MP +15 ]

Skill [ Ocean ]

[ Indestructible ]

[ Oceanic Garments ]

[ AGI +20 ] [ MP +10 ]

[ Indestructible ]

[ Abyss Dagger ]

[ STR +20 ] [DEX + 10 ]

[ Indestructible ]

[ Dagger of the Depths ]

[ INT +20 ] [ DEX +10 ]

[ Indestructible ]

"This is… maybe the way I acquired my previous skills had an effect? Fufufu… equipment that I like. I have more equipment than Kaede…but I don't have [ Destruction Growth ], [ Amplification Growth ] or skill slots huh. That's a little shame~ but I'm not unhappy at all! Haha~!" Risa gleefully put the items to her inventory.

She immediately equipped them through the equipment window, and cheerfully made a turnaround, before posing.

It seems the belt is an addition to leggings, thankfully, it did not fill a slot on the accessory slot.

Different from Kaede's gear, Risa's Unique Series had already infused skills while the additional stats were really an honest surprise, Risa left the dungeon humming a song, through the portal gate at the back of the area. Although, she's a little tired but gaining her rewards motivated her to at least show her spoils to her friends.

"Ohh〜! You became really cool!" Kaede immediately spotted her transformed friend and scrutinized her from top to bottom. Before she gave a satisfied nod then, giving a high five.

"I know right〜! I didn't get any shoes so I want to buy a new pair of boots… with that, my cool outfit appearance would be a lot more perfect!"

"Hey…" Gram approached the girl and brushed Risa's shoulder naturally before suddenly flicking on her forehead.

"What's that for?" Risa leered at him, but she heard his reply that made her a little ticklish.

"You're a little tired, I can see you overdid yourself again! Haa~... Even though it's just a game." He reprimanded with a strict look, she had been doing the dungeon for some time now, high-speed movement, dodging, and reaction to attacks can deplete so much mental strength.

"Yeah, although, I will not deny that dodging is so exhausting~.. at least I had defeated the dungeon so there's that~," Risa said but she had a triumphant expression while she did a peace sign.

Gram added, "We should take a break now, let's look at your skill tomorrow."

Kaede who was a little bored at fishing wanted to stop as well, "Nn~n.", if she had another reason to stay in the RPG game, then it would be much easier to accomplish. Ultimately, she chooses to stop playing for now.

"Roger~r!"

They returned to the game the next day.

And due to Kaede's curiosity, the three checked Risa's skills that she gained one by one.

First of all, they looked at the skills infused alongside all unique equipment.

Even with that said, one of them was a skill even Kaede and Gram knew.

[ Mirage ]

When activated, the opponent's visual information, coordinates, and their distinct real-time map feature will be distorted. Enemies will be affected by a realistic hallucination that would trap the targeted enemy for a duration.

The user can target everyone excluding only the user. Used 10 times a day, refresh the next day.

The effect duration is 5 seconds. Also, if an attack got received by the vision [ Mirage ] created, the effect of skill [ Mirage ] will be lost.

[ Ocean ]

When touching monsters or enemy players or friendlies. Water will spread that reduces AGI by 20. The skill only spreads thinly water on the ground in the radius around the user. Cannot be used in air or in high ground, where no water is available.

The area of effect is fixed at a 10-meter radius with the center as the user.

Only the user will be excluded from the effect.

Can be used 3 times a day. Has a 10-second effect duration per usage.

[ Jack of All Trades ]

Damage dealt reduced by 30%, Consume less MP per skill, 10 MP.

AGI +10 , DEX +10

Within that, more than 10 skills are her lowest level skills, although, it seems to reduce her damage marginally she could compensate that with the stat benefits it gave. Since her skills don't need much MP, at least her INT reliant spell will get an increase in usage.

The skills requirements weren't much, and from his perspective, it was an honest decline in her overall attack power.

But to Risa, it's different, she liked the challenge it gave, as even with the demerits itself, the skill would give her some attack and movement speed so why the hell not.

"Oh〜… I see~ I see. To think I would get something like this~ Well~ If I got this [ Jack of All Trades ] before that giant fish fight... It would've been much harder." Risa suddenly perspired thinking about the scenario if it happened, but she quickly calmed herself with a brush on her forehead.

*Pew~*

Another skill Risa gained is the [ Giant Killer ] the three of them had. It didn't affect stats and temporary stats acquired from weapons or support spells.

As Kaede and Gram had benefited from the skill when they weren't in a party, so they didn't remove it for now.

It's a skill greatly beneficial to those who don't put stats to their other status and only maximize one stat.

But for Risa, it's detrimental for her.

"I don't really need this [ Giant Killer ] .. I think〜… and it would just make it harder for me to put stats on future scenarios." Risa analyzingly said.

Kaede pouted with a slight outcry and said, "Eh?! Why?! It' so good though!~"

Gram said, "You know~ Risa's not a full build after-all."

Risa started lecturing with a prideful look, "Yeah, Knox's right. If it was Maple, it would've been useful… but I'm not a one stat dependent build! I adjust on the given moment or during bouts with a better opponent. My AGI raising or depleting when the fighting would weird my senses you know? What if I suddenly make an error because of the sudden boost of speed?"

When the status suddenly increases regardless of her intention, the sense for dodging would be distorted so it would be troublesome for her play style.

Gram's buff is more of a temporary enhancement, it didn't change her senses but it did boost her affinity to WIND so that she moved faster and better while it did not affect her senses at all. There was an in-congruence but it's neglectable during a fight, that's why she didn't make him use [ Power Augmentation ], which increases default stats while it being a temporary thing would really muddle her senses if he used it on her AGI because of the high boost in one's senses. The other stats aren't that affecting though.

"Ah〜I see…" Kaede rubbed her head, not really making up what Risa said, or she just turned clueless to it. So it was better to just agree, while showing an understanding smile.

"This we can only [ Discard ]... huh." Risa subconsciously said, saying that gave her the idea.

"What's that?" Kaede looked curious.

"Eh?"

Of course both didn't know the term. Even Gram himself hasn't really researched all of the game's mechanics.

"Eh? [ Discard ]?"

The three of them looked at each other. Risa began to discuss it, like a sage that was giving her disciples the enlightenment.

"Ohh~ So that's it!"

"[ Discard ] so it's possible to remove a skill huh…" Gram instantly understood.

Risa giggled and smiled, "I'm rather surprised that you two didn't know? Well, to remove skills, players used [ Discard ], a special facility in every town. You would need 500k gold every use though, so it's only used when a player really needs to remove a skill detrimental to their build. I would like to use it so~..."

Risa's level had already risen from 16 raised to 18. She had a stock of 85 status points with this, but she seems she wouldn't use it yet.

They headed towards the facility in the town while talking to each other.

"What happened to Maple's commissioned equipment?" Risa asked but Kaede shook her head as a reply.

"N〜I don't have gold so for the meantime I just asked for a large shield. The short sword and armor will be postponed for a later date~"

"I see! Well~ the event is close too… I want to gather more skills before challenging it〜 Do you have a plan to do any dungeon Knox? How about we head towards the direction of the level up stage dungeon after this?" Risa looked at him with some slight expectation on her mind.

Gram nodded in agreement, "Yeah, we should level up skills or acquire first before challenging it though."

"Probably, there are more unique series or larger chances of getting gears there.." Kaede rubbed her hand.

The requirement to go to the second stage is breaking through a [ Dungeon ]. Equipment can only be gained in solo dungeon breakthrough. It didn't say that you have to finish the dungeon alone though.

"U〜n… I think I'm fine with it~ I also like the equipment right now." Risa wryly smiled.

Gram rolled his eyes towards Kaede, "We're a party now, why would you want to clear the dungeon alone?"

"Ehehe~ It just slipped in my mind. Sorry~..." Kaede slipped her tongue while comically putting her fist on her head.

The three reached the [ Discard ] shop while Risa borrowed both 200k gold to them, as she removed [ Giant Killer ] on her skill list. She already gained 100k gold from clearing the dungeon, the next day they would challenge many dungeons so she could pay it off. It was not her way of doing things but the two were the ones that positively shared their gold to her which warmed her heart even more.

"I'll quickly pay it off alright?!" Risa said seriously.

"No worries, if you're troubled by it then we should just complete several dungeons while we head towards the north." Gram waved his hands showing he didn't really mind. Kaede added with a smile before holding her friend's left hand and on the other holding his hand.

"Yeah~ we're best-friends, why would you be like that." Kaede said with a merry expression.

"Well~ I have been intruding a lot in your two's time after all.." Risa lightly scratched her cheek and was a little embarrassed.

"So you don't consider our friendship anymore?" Gram lightly said while glancing at her.

Risa immediately waved her hand, "Knox… it's n-not." she lowered her head looking at the ground.

"How about this~" Kaede, who was holding Risa's hand, put her friend's hand to the hand of Gram she's holding.

"W-What are you doing M-Maple?!" Risa shouted but quickly lowered her voice.

"Then~ with this... we are all much closer!" Kaede declared energetically. She always got embarrassed when alone but when her friend was with him, she felt that she could be much more pleased and at the same time, not stutter out because they were alone.

"U-mm..." Ultimately, Risa wasn't able to stop Kaede's proactive actions, further than this might have been embarrassing for her but since it's just hand-holding, she acceded with a heavy blush on her always confident face. Right now, she's so cute that even Kaede was a little infatuated at her display.

Gram just wryly smiled at Kaede's actions but he didn't stop her, although, he still softly knocked her head because she's pushing Risa to her limits but she only retorted with a giggling smile that made Risa sweat in her mind.

'She might actually be a genius in these things?!'

Afterward, they headed to the direction of the second stage dungeon capturing quest.

The way of moving is the same as the time with the underground lake, although they were going to the opposite side, towards the north. He lifted Kaede while Risa would scout the front, of course, to level up faster since she could easily one-shot monsters now.

Even with just 100 AGI, it's already fast that they could outrun most of the monsters.

Kaede blocked the winds on her eyes while her other hand was raised up to feel the wind on the side,

"Mmm~mm... It's so fast~!"

"Don't dangle around! You might fall if you keep doing that!" Gram said a bit louder while the slight whistling of the winds showered them around.

"No worries! No damage~ No damage~ I am a shielder~ that doesn't take any damage~" Kaede sang a song he didn't know while Risa who was running faster in front just helplessly sighed while smiling.

Although there was a slight feeling of wanting to try it out, she immediately shook her head. With their pace, it didn't take a long time to reach the neighboring dungeon around the 2nd stage capturing dungeon.