djarcher

The people of the alpha plane have made it their hobby to enter the dungeons of other worlds and conquer them. Naturally not everyone is happy with this as dark undercurrents begin to work against the conquerors.

As some people die in the dungeons they are made an offer. To give up their humanity in order to live on. 
Guy, a veteran carrier, is one of them, he can't bear to leave his family alone and accepts. From then on he must fight in the dungeons but as a monster while simultaneously continuing his life in the alpha plane in the shape of a human.
Jade, an elite adventurer, also accepts the offer but her intent is solely to get revenge on those who killed her and make humanity suffer for her life.
Monica, a little girl not native to the alpha plane is pulled into the happenings due to her childish innocence.

Counter Dungeon-Delving

This must be Ptorimea. Monolith shaman kind of suits her as a description. 


"Hi there, I'm Guy. Navi sent me here because I wanted to get some skills I rarely ever use off my status. Do you have time at the moment?"


"I always have time. Skill sacrifice is a sacred ritual that it is my duty to perform whenever necessary. Come with me to the ritual room."


Ptorimea turns and floats off into the deeper parts of the library. Smaller stone panels that look similar to herself come from behind her and start to orbit around her while giving off sporadic light blue glows. Are those her children?


Does the light blue light ever change color?


<Yes, but color changes have no defined meaning. There should be a change during the skill sacrifice but I don't know the specifics.>


Ptorimea arrives in an open area lined with bookshelves. The wooden library ground changes into basalt stone forming a circle on the ground.


"Come closer, friend. We shall begin the sacred ritual any moment now. What skills would you like to give up on?"


"Sword use and slash, both are level one."


Two of her floating stone panels light up more than usual and come together before her like hands to a prayer. Light blue light spills out from between the panels like water and splashes on the basalt floor below. 


The liquid begins to move and forms weird patterns on the ground resembling those on Ptorimea's main. The glow of the patterns increases and a blue aura envelops me.


I feel something about myself change and instinctually try to open my status. Nothing happens. My status doesn't appear and the changes don't stop.


Ptorimea gives a content sigh and the color of her markings transforms into a vibrant gold. The gentle golden light fuses with the blue of her limbs and the pattern below us. 


I feel the change in my existence as a similar golden glow surrounds me and releases two pulses that feel like an ethereal heartbeat. After the pulses, all the glowing ceases and the uncomfortable feeling of change leaves my body. The light dims and the panels around Ptorimea begin to bob up and down. The blue light around her changes, the glow becomes more subdued but feels more abundant. She must be in a good mood.


"That was a very delightful ritual. You have shown me something truly marvelous. While I was at it I also took the liberty of rearranging your status a little to make it more presentable."


universal humanoid language, universal monster language, dungeon map


throwing lv. 4; enhanced stamina lv. 3; breathing technique lv. 3; stealth lv.2; soul vision lv.1; enhanced stomach capacity lv.1;


instructing lv.2; instructor's assessment lv.1; 


trap making lv. 4; make-shift crafting lv.1; camp construction lv.1; 


It does look different but I'm not sure how better this is... Whatever. The two skills I wanted to be gone have vanished and that is what counts. I'm sure I'll grow accustomed to this new order of my skills in no time.


I take my leave from Ptorimea after thanking her once again for what she's done. I exit the dim library and heave a sigh as a weight I hadn't even realized being present was lifted off me.


<Yeah, being in that library can get quite tense. Ptorimea doesn't mean any harm but the way she carries herself just exudes a sense of pressure that only Darwin can fully shrug off. According to him her ability to interfere with the status of others gives her a certain control over a person's soul and we subconsciously feel and fear that.>


Dang! Why didn't you say so sooner? I could have used soul vision! Just think of all the things I could have seen.


You're right. I need to level my soul vision as fast as I can if I want it to be useful. But first, about that advanced training I can take once a month. Can I really use that training to learn magic?


I was thinking of learning earth magic. It can be used to raise earth walls, create trenches and pitfalls, attack from a distance, and create targets for practice.


<Me? No. But Darwin has omni magic so he will be your teacher.>


Omni as in all? Didn't you say that depending on the magic it would be difficult to teach me?


Isn't Darwin the boss of this place? How can I just have him teach me?


Skill sacrifice (2)