Halo of Darkness

After reading the notifications, I slowly walked over to the glowing objects on the ground and inspected them. There was one skill card and 2 Bracelets of Carnage. The boss could've dropped some more valuable items, how stingy. 'Since someone sent assassins inside of this dungeon, it means they either want the dungeon, or the entire village, which also means that there are more XP banks...' I thought while browsing my inventory. While looking at the items inside my inventory, I noticed the 'Ring of Darkness' ability that I tucked away instead of learning.

"Learn 'Halo of Darkness'," I said hoping that something would happen. In a short moment, a notification popped up.

[The ability 'Halo of Darkness' has been acquired.]

After reading the notification, I quickly looked at the information for the ability.

Ring of Darkness: When activated, this ability forms a halo of endless darkness over the user's head. This ability increases the power of all Dark-related magic by 100%. This ability is upgradeable. As this ability upgrades, another circle forms 1 meter behind the user's back, indicating the ability has upgraded. After each upgrade, the increase in power for Dark-related increases by 100%. Duration -, 100 Mana/30 minutes, Dark Magic Power Increase +100%.

'If only I had Dark Magic...'

'Shop!' Now isn't the time to be saving up, I need to see how much Dark Magic costs in the shop.

'Go to the regular section, forget about the stuff on sale.' As I said that in my head, a window appeared shortly after.

[General]

[Basic, and Intermediate Ice Magic Book: 250 Credits

[Beginner Basic, and Intermediate Shadow Magic Book: 1000 Credits

[More...]

I quickly tapped the more button, and turns out, that I can search the names of things. I searched for Dark Magic and found a book for Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced Dark Magic for 4,000 Credits. Even though I'd basically have no credits after I buy this, it would still be worth it.

[Do you wish to buy this item?]

[Credits after transaction 1,200.]

[Proceed?]

[Y/N]

I quickly tapped yes, and after a few seconds, I could feel an unknown power go through my entire body. It made my fingertips so cold that they started to burn, and then it started to feel so hot that my fingertips started to freeze. It hurt, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. The pain soon alleviated and it felt like a new power was residing in my body. Not checking the information on all the notifications that popped up soon after, I rushed through the portal and made my way through the mysterious space back to the village.

As I finally appeared next to the dungeon, I heard ruffling coming from behind 1 or 2 bushes. Instead of even figuring out what it was, I quickly cast 'Mana Bullet' at the bush. The sound of the bullet hitting a body echoed through the quiet forest. Even though the bullet wasn't strong enough to kill someone over Level 25, it gave me enough time to sneak up to them. I used 'Hyper Flash' to get next to the bush, and moved it out of the way, revealed someone who wore the same attire as the ones inside the dungeon. He was holding his knee, which seemed to be the spot the 'Mana Bullet' had hit.

As the person looked up, he soon realized that he was going to die. What he saw was a kid standing before him like some kind of authority. This wasn't much of a problem until he watched the kid's hands transform into that of a monster's. Soon before he could react, he felt something leaking from his neck, and then a sharp pain that made him want to scream. Quickly after, the kid ripped his hands from the person's throat, leaving them choking on dirty grass stained with blood.

[Due to the effect of the ability 'Nature's Gift'(Passive), you have absorbed 100% of your opponent's 'Intelligence' stat.]

I wasn't dumb, I specifically aimed for the person's throat to keep them from shouting and alerting anyone else in the vicinity. After hearing another ruffle from another bush, I used 'Hyper Flash' again to surprise my enemy and kill them while they're off guard. This time though, the person hiding in the bush was smarter than their partner and launched a surprise attack on me as I pushed the bush out of the way. The person stabbed a dagger deep into my abdomen causing blood to leak everywhere, while it also hurt like h*ll.

Even though I should have been the smarter one, clearly I was being careless. I grunted before falling on one knee in front of the person as he laughed in a low voice.

"Just because you killed my buddy doesn't mean we're the same person!" he said in a mocking tone.

"To think a kid tried to kill me, well, now look at what happened," he said before ripping the dagger from in my abdomen out. While sweating, I also noticed after a while that I should have passed out already, but I soon remembered the new 'Health' stat I acquired previously. Sparing no time after realizing the facts, I the new 'Dark Spike' ability, causing spikes composed of 100% darkness to erupt from beneath the ground and pierce the man in his calves.

Unfortunately, it didn't hurt him a lot, but it did the job and temporarily immobilized him, so I took the chance and grabbed him by the head and forced his body into the spikes. It was a rather blood scene, so I quickly headed on the other few people lurking inside the forest after I activated the 'Ring of Darkness' ability. As it activated, I felt the power inside my body twist and turn, as if it wanted to get out, so I responded in kind and cast 'Dark Spike' towards a bush ahead of me. The spikes were fairly large, but not enough to pierce someone who is standing up, in the back.

Soon after, I heard a pained grunt, so I slowly approached the bush, ready to cast another spell. As I carefully moved the bush out of the way, I was greeted by a woman impaled from the back, through to her stomach by one of the spikes. As she coughed up blood, even though she was about to die, she still tried attacking me. A pleasant notification soon popped up as the woman drew her last breath.

[Due to the effect of the ability 'Nature's Gift'(Passive), you have absorbed 100% of your opponent's 'Attack' stat.]

As for the previous guy, I absorbed his intelligence, which didn't help much. After receiving the notification, I observed my surroundings before untransforming, yeah I learned how to control the Beast Transformation too. I quickly went to my status and checked the information for the 'Health' stat I recently acquired.

Health: A stat unique to monsters, if it drops to 0, they die, but if not, no matter how serious an injury, they won't die.

'Well, this certainly explains why I didn't pass out earlier,' I thought while staring at the wound on my body. This new 'Health' stat brings both benefits and problems with it! As long as my health doesn't drop to 0, I won't die, that can be both good and bad. After I finished reading the information for the stat, I quickly got back and proceeded with exterminating the rest of the rats lurking inside the forest, as it was clear to me now that they wanted to try and take over the dungeon. But sadly, I'm currently staying here, and this dungeon is of use to me!