Dungeoning

"Look at my shoes!" Yesha grabbed the Windstone Boots on the table. The girls were busy appreciating the boots in the early morning, with Hansen still sleeping like a log in his room.

As for Aiolos, he went out to purchase some of the preparations for the dungeon later.

The girls were ready. As for Hansen, he's still struggling to strap the light armor together on his chest.

"Girls, help that clutz. If you let him do it himself, who knows what time can we depart," he chuckled.

[Perhaps it's time I make something easy to put on for Hansen. He's struggling daily to put on that side straps all the time]

"Are we ready to explore the dungeon today?" Aiolos asked them. Yesha is staring on her new boots, and Alrune is helping Hansen. Thus, only Pharcis answered him.

"Y - Yes!" her timid voice sounds cute.

"We're ready," Alrune and Hansen replied after that. Yesha smiled silly as she's deeply immersed in how she's going to use the boots.

"Let us depart."

"Sanctuary Equip!" the piece of holy land belonged to Aiolos turned into a set of eight-pieces holy armament, Hexaltheim. It was a combination of a pair of wings, a pair of pauldrons, a pair of armbands, a top and a bottom armor that extends until the leg.

They were all pearly white in the middle, with golden lines on the edges and sides. Once equipped, Aiolos looked like a battle god ready to plunge himself into the hell itself and bring them the light once more.

His appearance made his holders feel proud as they're following him to the Heavenly Dungeon.

"Let's get into the first layer again this time," Aiolos smiled. They walked down the stairs without touching on the Entrance Teleportation Stone. Especially since there's no reason to use it for just one floor below.

The brilliance from Aiolos' Hexaltheim dimmed the moment they stepped past the last step of the stairs. A ninefold worth of godly pressure restricts his power, turning Aiolos into a mere mortal like his holders.

"Open Status," Aiolos gives out a command. The panel came out immediately without any disturbance.

== == == == ==

|-Aiolos Shangxian-2-Crafting God-|Level 11(-9)|

[Strength: 140 (-126) | Vitality: 500 (-450) |Agility: 80 (-72)]

[Magic: 180 (-162) | Godhood Power: 120 (-108)]

[Equipment: Hexaltheim]

-Allows 8 cast of Holy Heal without GP cost

-Allows 8 cast of Protection without GP cost

-Allows 8 cast of Devotion without GP cost

-Allows 8 cast of Repair without GP cost

[Skill:]

-Weapons Portal (Godly Rank) / Armor Portal (Godly Rank)

-Crafting Hail (Godly Rank)

== == == == ==

[Looks like my stats remained about the same, except for the Godhood Power...]

The inspection allowed Aiolos to notice a 40 points increase in his Godhood Power status. Before he smelts the Low-Heaven Iron into the Scarlet Blood, he's merely at 80 points in Godhood Power.

But luckily, the four abilities from the Hexaltheim still remain usable. Without this, his party might be destroyed before they even reach the end of the first layer.

"We have a group of Swift Wolves coming here! Ready for battle!" Alrune immediately sensed the school of sneaky wolves. That's due to Aiolos' Godhood Power, which smells fragrant to the residents of the dungeon.

[Barriers of the world, heed my call. Transfer me your protection and protect my hall]

A floating orb appeared on the tip of his finger. And with this, his preparation is ready.

[PROTECTION!]

Whoosh!

A barrier of octagonal shape appeared before each of them. Since Scarlet Blood is considered as an individual, two floated around Hansen.

"I got two barriers!" Hansen shouts. And with Scarlet Blood in his hand, he stabilized himself in a much proper stance to withstand an attack.

Bang! The first Swift Wolf attacked. A section of the Protection Barrier vanishes from that single attack. But unfortunately for the wolf, having the first attack also means it will receive the counter-attack first.

Whoosh!

Scarlet Blood cuts through the Swift Wolf from one end to another. Blood splattered from the wound, even before the Swift Wolf managed to perform its death cry. That attack on its underbelly took away all its vitality through a cut.

The corpse rolled on the ground, no longer moving. But for the other Swift Wolves, they remained aggressive. God is just too attractive for them!

"Six more!" Alrune reports the situation out loudly.

"Yesha, help Hansen. Pharcis, you'll protect Aiolos." Alrune circled her staff twice above her head before she stabs it deep into the ground.

"Staff Blast!" two circle waves blow outward from where Alrune stands. It was an AoE attack with 5 meters wide range. Its effect is not to damage the enemies but silencing them for five seconds.

In a battle, a silenced condition means you're incapable of hearing. That means magic that requires chanting or skills that takes time to prepare became useless in that 5 seconds gap.

And during a battle of life and death, one to two seconds is enough to turn the situation from a defeat to victory, not to mention five seconds.

The first wave shields all companions. As for the second wave, it silenced all nearby targets with a limit of six targets.

"..." the Swift Wolves tried to communicate with each other, but nothing came out from all their effort. Without a sound is made, they're literally useless in a battle.

"Whoopsie!" Yesha cuts off the head of a Swift Wolf, with Pharcis pummels another to its death. As for Aiolos, he took a feather out of his wings and fired them via a Longbow formed with Godhood Power.

"Bam!" the Swift Wolf that ends up as Aiolos' target turned into material. Bone, flesh, leather, and a Crystal Cabbage. There's also a piece of Copper Crystal on the floor.

"Aiolos' attack is still that amazing!!!" Alrune stares at him like a pious believer. No matter how many times she saw that attack, it is still able to make her feels astonishing.

"How good it is if we can do that too?" Alrune made a wish. She smiled as she finishes praying.

[There's a wish entering my Sanctuary...]

Aiolos touches his chest. That hint of a warm prayer still lingers around. But that did not stop him from firing the second feather. It was another hit with materials falling onto the ground. This time, instead of a Crystal Cabbage, a Xuanwu Shell pop up.

When the box touches the ground, a chime from a bell echoes within their ears, both monsters, god, and it's holders.

Their attention immediately turned to where the box sits. Even the silenced status inflicted by Alrune a moment ago is forcefully canceled by the chime.

"Yesha, pick the Xuanwu Shell. Hansen, protect Pharcis. And Pharcis, use your Magical Dance right now!" Aiolos ordered. Immediately after his command, Pharcis danced.

She's like a shrine maiden dancing for the start of a ritual. Magical power flows like a spiral where she stands, providing light and warmth to those within the brilliance.

It was an unusual skill, except for its feeble light radius. That's means at most, three people can stand under the radiance, with hardly enough space for the fourth.

While standing under this Magical Dance, it grants people within the light the [Long Reach] ability. All physical attacks, if aimed at the correct direction, can reach its target and deals damage.

One dance is all it lasts before the brilliance vanishes. But during its most dazzling time, this ability is unparalleled.

"Got it! - Aargh..." Yesha grabbed the box, but it was denser than she thinks. It is no less than how heavy Hansen weighted.

"Aiolos!" Yesha is unable to hold the box firmly. But by applying [Toss] on the Xuanwu Shell, she's able to push it over to where Aiolos stands.

"Got it," Aiolos said as he catches the box. Like a key into a fitting keyhole, the Xuanwu Shell entered Aiolos' palm. Nothing happened after that sight.

"Die!" Hansen made a stabbing action, which reflected on the Swift Wolf's body. A gap is made on its ribcage, and blood gushes out from that fatal wound.

Aiolos plucked another feather and fired at the remaining Swift Wolf.

Poof! The corpse vanishes into thin air, leaving only a set of bones and a dimly lit white stone.

"Is that a Holy Elemental Stone?" Alrune is excited. After seeing the Windstone Boots this morning, she wanted one equipment that's made especially for her too.

"Eh, it's not a Holy Elemental Stone, but a Non-Elemental Stone," Hansen's hateful sentence came. Alrune immediately pouted, looking at Hansen with a deadly stare. If Aiolos can resurrect dead teammates, she'll kill him once or twice to vent her anger.

Of course, that was a joke. An item is far insignificant compared to the family. With Aiolos, the Craft God, by their side, having new equipment is just a matter of time.

Aiolos saw Alrune's expression and petted her. Nothing beats comforting a young lass with a pat on her head.

Just as they are done picking up the loots, something coming over at them while picking up its speed.

"Aiolos, it's something big!" Alrune held his hand, telling him to get ready.

"Everyone! Boss alert!" Aiolos opened his palm facing upward, with a ball of light hovering.

[Cast Devotion!]

Aiolos' crest appeared on their forehead, increasing their overall status for 10% with a time limit of 5 minutes!

When Devotion is activated, they're able to communicate via telepathy and immunity to Silence Status.

"BAM! - BAM!" a large body, half a meter taller than Aiolos' 2.6meters, rolled to where they're located.

"Out of so many opportunities, we just have to stumble across a Slime Lord, huh?" Aiolos chuckled. Although they defeated a Slime Lord once, it was a boss shorter than Aiolos.

But this time is different from before.

No matter from which way they look at it, a 3 meters tall slime is unheard of!

[We'll have to fight]

Aiolos thought. Another palm opened facing upward, releasing another magic from the Hexaltheim.

[Cast Protection!]