Reforging Strength

Samuel stood over the corpse of Selyne, his body covered in blood, his breathing fast. His fists still trembled from the sheer force he had used to end her. He looked down at his shattered dagger, the once-reliable weapon now broken in half.

He called out the system.

Then the system appeared in front of him.

[ Boss Defeated: Selyne, Mistress of the Depths. ]

[ New Abilities Acquired: ]

[ Regeneration – Passively heals wounds over time. Heals faster when submerged in water. ]

[ Water Breathing – Allows him to breathe underwater. ]

[ Frost Bind – Can freeze enemies in place using water magic. ]

[ Aqua Veil – Coats the user's body in a layer of water for increased defense and mobility. ]

Samuel wiped the sweat and blood off his face, staring at the list of powers. His body was still aching, but the regeneration had already started working. The scratches and bruises on his arms and chest were slowly fading.

He clenched his fists.

This was exactly what he needed.

The fight had been brutal. He had nearly died, but now he was stronger than before. He could heal, he could breathe underwater, and he had new control over water and ice magic.

Still, he couldn't stay here forever.

Samuel walked away from her, stepping over the pools of green blood. The dungeon was silent now, the only sound being the ripples of water.

He moved to a dry, elevated part of the dungeon cave, far from the corpse. His muscles still in pain, but he ignored them. He needed rest.

Sitting against the wall, he let himself breathe.

For the first time since falling into the depths of the dungeon, he allowed himself a moment to think.

The system had said something important before.

[ In order to escape, you must defeat all the bosses. ]

That meant there were still more battles ahead.

Samuel sighed, leaning his head back. His exhaustion was catching up to him, but he didn't let himself fully relax. He needed to plan.

He tried testing his new powers,

After a few hours of rest, Samuel stood up, rolling his shoulders. His regeneration had healed most of his wounds, though he could still feel the deeper bruises.

He decided to test his new abilities.

First, he stepped toward the edge of the lake and took a deep breath. Then, he dove in.

At first, his body tensed, expecting the usual struggle for air, but then he felt it.

He could breathe.

The water flowed through his lungs like air, a strange but effortless sensation. He opened his eyes, blinking in water. He could feel himself moving more easily, his body adapting to the new environment.

He swam deeper, experimenting with how fast he could move. He could twist and turn with incredible agility, his body no longer weighed down by the water.

After a few minutes, he surfaced again, water dripping from his hair as he pulled himself back onto land.

Next, Frost Bind.

He focused on the water at his feet, channeling his mana. The moment he activated the ability, the water froze solid, spreading out in shards of ice.

He could freeze enemies in place.

Samuel smirked. This would be useful.

He dismissed the ice, letting it crack and melt away before moving on to his next task.

Rebuilding his weapon.

His dagger was gone. Completely shattered.

That meant he needed a replacement.

But this time, he didn't want just another steel blade. He wanted something better.

Samuel sat on the ground, closing his eyes.

He had fire magic, water magic, earth magic, and wind magic. If he could just figure out how to shape them properly, he could create a weapon from pure magic.

The system's voice echoed in his mind.

[ Constructing weapons from raw elements is possible, but it requires extreme control. ]

Samuel frowned. "Is there a way to make it easier?"

[ Begin by shaping the weapon with Earth Magic. Then refine it with Fire, Wind, or Water. ]

That made sense.

He focused on Earth Magic, summoning stone from the ground, shaping it with his mana. A blade-like structure started forming, rough at first, but he kept adjusting, smoothing out the edges.

Once he had the right shape, he coated it with fire, heating the stone until it was glowing red-hot.

Then, using Wind Magic, he rapidly cooled it, hardening the structure.

Finally, he channeled Aqua Veil, coating the weapon in water, reinforcing it.

When he was done, he held the newly crafted dagger in his hands.

It wasn't perfect, but it was sharp, sturdy, and infused with all four elements.

Samuel gripped the weapon tightly, feeling the power within it.

This would do for now.

Looking ahead,

Samuel glanced toward the tunnel leading deeper into the dungeon. He had defeated two bosses already, but there were more waiting for him.

The Direbear, the Minotaur.

Each one would be stronger than the last.

Samuel's eyes darkened. He welcomed the challenge.

He wasn't the same weak boy who had entered this dungeon.

He was evolving.

And by the time he reached the surface, he would be unstoppable.