Rewards[2]

Stepping into the portal, everything turned pitch black. The air grew dense, and an eerie silence wrapped around me like a suffocating blanket. My breath felt loud in my ears as my eyes struggled to adjust. Then, slowly, the world started forming around me—a massive, cavernous dungeon with jagged rock formations and an unsettling dampness in the air. Stalactites hung like frozen fangs from the ceiling, and the ground was uneven, covered in a thin layer of mist.

I took a cautious step forward, my C-rank sword firm in my grip. A squirming noise caught my attention. Looking down, I saw writhing worms, their bodies pulsing and twitching as they moved toward me. They weren't ordinary worms. Their skin was translucent, revealing shifting, dark veins inside. Poisonous. I instinctively took a step back, but the moment I did, the cavern shook, and something huge stirred in the distance.

A deep, guttural growl echoed through the dungeon. A pair of glowing amber eyes snapped open in the shadows ahead.

The Dungeon Boss.

A massive, four-legged beast stepped into the dim torchlight. Its body was covered in black, stone-like plates, giving it a monstrous, armored appearance. Large bone-like spikes protruded from its back, and its sharp claws scraped against the ground, leaving deep gashes in the rock. Drool dripped from its mouth, sizzling against the stone floor. It was a Berserk Ravager, a predator known for its unrelenting aggression and high-speed attacks.

I unsummoned Lona from my device. Instantly, a massive turtle with glowing blue patterns emerged before me, its shell radiating a faint protective aura. Lona might not be my real power, but she was still useful.

The beast charged without warning.

I barely had time to react before it lunged at me, its claws slashing through the air. I dodged, rolling to the side, but the sheer force of the attack cracked the ground where I had stood. I swung my C-rank sword, aiming for its exposed leg, but the moment my blade connected—CLANG!—it barely left a scratch.

"Shit."

The Ravager roared and swiped again. I leaped backward, panting. If I kept dodging, I'd run out of stamina before landing a decent hit.

"Lona, block!"

Lona slammed her shell forward, absorbing the impact as the Ravager collided with her. The beast growled, momentarily stunned. Taking my chance, I slashed at its underbelly—a weak spot! My sword cut through, drawing dark, steaming blood.

The Ravager howled in fury.

Its rage mode activated. The spikes on its back glowed red, and its movements became twice as fast. It attacked in a blur. A claw tore into my shoulder, sending pain shooting through my body. My vision blurred, and I staggered backward.

I reached into my pocket and pulled out an energy replenish potion. The cool liquid burned down my throat, instantly restoring some of my strength.

The Ravager lunged again, but this time, I was ready.

I baited it into striking Lona again. The moment it did, I rolled under its belly and drove my sword straight into its heart.

The beast froze.

A moment later, it let out a gurgling breath and collapsed to the ground.

Panting, I wiped the sweat from my brow. As the body of the Ravager began disintegrating into light particles, something strange dropped from its corpse.

A small, transparent silver stone.

I picked it up, frowning. It felt... different. Unlike any material I had seen before. There was something inside it, something swirling like a trapped storm.

I tucked it into my pocket.

Something told me this wasn't just a normal dungeon drop. After returning from the portal I didn't saw much since I was tired but I definitely saw two empty seats and Adam sitting in the 1st seat . After explaining everything that had happened in the dungeon, I sat across from Silia, watching her reaction. She remained silent for a few moments, her golden eyes narrowing as she processed my words.

"So, you found a Skill Stone?" she finally asked.

I nodded and pulled the transparent silver-colored stone from my bag. It shimmered slightly under the room's light. I placed it on the table in front of her.

Silia picked it up, examining it closely. "This is a rare find. Skill Stones come from monsters, and whoever absorbs them gains a random skill from the creature they were taken from. You got this from the Berserk Ravager, correct?"

"Yeah," I said, my excitement growing. "That means I'll get one of its abilities, right?"

Silia nodded. "Yes, but the skill you obtain is random—there's no guarantee you'll get its strongest ability."

That dampened my excitement slightly, but the idea of having two skills instead of one still made me eager. "I want it to be a C-rank skill though," I said. "Can you help with that?"

She gave me a knowing smile. "If you want to use a C-rank skill, you need to reach D-rank first since it is hard to control a skill higher than 2 ranks" 

"Then help me break through i also want to upgrade my other skill !" I said immediately.

She chuckled at my impatience. "You're closer to D-rank than you think," she said, placing a hand on my chest. The moment she did, a warm energy spread through me, and her hand glowed faintly.

"You'll probably break through tomorrow," she said. "It's better to upgrade your skill after that because you can only use skills that are one rank above your level. Right now, you can't even activate a C-rank ability properly."

I frowned but understood her reasoning. "Alright, then. What do I need to do?"

She reached into thin air, and suddenly, two black fruits appeared in her hand.

"Eat one now, then the second six hours later," she instructed. "By tomorrow, your body should fully absorb their effects, and you should reach D-rank."

I took the first fruit without hesitation and bit into it. It tasted bitter, but the moment I swallowed, I felt a rush of warmth spreading through my veins. My muscles tightened, and my mind felt slightly sharper.

Six hours later, before going to sleep, I ate the second fruit. This time, the effect was stronger—my entire body heated up, and I felt a strange tingling sensation in my bones.

Then, I fell into a deep sleep.

---

The Next Morning

When I woke up, my body felt different. Stronger. Lighter. As if some invisible weight had been lifted off me.

I quickly finished my breakfast and rushed to check my rank.

[Artic = D-Rank]

Strength = D-Rank

Intelligence = F-Rank

Mana Control = F-Rank

Senses = D-Rank

Perception = D-Rank

"Yes!" I fist-pumped the air in excitement.

Silia, who had been watching, smirked. "Now that you've reached D-rank, you can absorb the Skill Stone and upgrade your healing ability."

I turned to her with a grin. "Alright, then—give me two C-rank skills!"