บท 19: The Eight Night - Part 3 - Upgrade!
Blue light glowed from Renir's eyes and the unknown symbols on the stone tablet.
[
First Upgrade
Rune User will now acquire Rank 2. This upgrade drastically improves your most used common skills up to three.
The Rune User's most-used skills are three.
The Rune User has now greater instincts and reflex, granted Unnatural Impulse.
The Rune User has now faster muscles for running, attacking, and evading, granted Rapid Agility.
The Rune User has now tougher and more resilient body as well as endurance, granted Foundational Fortitude.
]
While words appeared in his head that amazed him, the blue light from the unknown symbols entered Renir's eyes.
Like stems and roots, it traveled throughout his whole body strengthening what the rune had told.
[
Next Upgrade costs:
0020 EXP
The Rune User must speak "Second Upgrade" to confirm the upgrade.
]
"Second Upgrade!", Renir unhesitatingly again shouted.
[
Second Upgrade
The Rune User will now acquire Rank 3. This upgrade will grant a transcendent skill, an ability that no mortal can achieve.
The Rune User has now Evolve.
]
[
Next Upgrade costs:
0050 EXP
The Rune User must speak "Third Upgrade" to confirm the upgrade
]
"Third Upgrade!"
[Rune User will now acquire Rank 4]
[Next Upgrade costs: 0100 EXP]
"Fourth Upgrade!"
Rank 5
150 EXP
"Fifth Upgrade!"
Rank 6
200 EXP
"Sixth Upgrade!"
Renir shouted upgrades as he felt new power filling his very being. The elation of these upgrades made him not to stop until...
Nothing happened.
"Sixth Upgrade!", Renir shouted again.
But still, nothing happened.
"Sixth Upgrade! Sixth Upgrade!"
Renir exhaled as he stopped.
His sharp eyes looked at the rune and thought, 'Experience'
[
Experience
Unit of what the Rune User underwent, learned, overcame, and their literal experience in surviving in Gantlet that can be converted into skills using the Rune's upgrades.
The Rune User currently has experience points of:
0012 EXP
]
"Upgrade"
[
Upgrade
The Rune User's most-used skills while surviving in Gantlet will be significantly improved using the Rune.
The Sixth Upgrade requires 0200 EXP
The Rune User cannot upgrade.
]
"Oh", Renir sighed, "Of course."
But then, his eyes widened to see his hands that were placed on the rune.
"Claws...", he whispered as he saw and observed the modified nails of his that turned into a metallic claw.
It was shiny in front of the red light, coming faintly from the torches.
"This is from the fourth upgrade, right? Body modification.", he talked to himself.
He doesn't feel any changes to his personality yet, fortunately, as he gained the abilities that no mortal could obtain except for the power that it brings.
Renir didn't notice but he had the widest smile.
"... and along with the metallic claws, the metallic jaw and the sharpened teeth."
He caressed his jaw and it was solid hard!
From its texture of smoothness, he knew that it looks metallic as well.
Then he touched his teeth which he felt sharp enough to wound the skin of his fingers if pushed enough.
"I must've gained this from always eating and ripping them apart.", Renir laughed in amazement.
However, there was a downside to this, "What if I bit my tongue?", he felt danger from himself.
But he tried to bite it just because.
And...
"Ahh...", Renir felt pain but the feeling of dripping blood wasn't there.
"Why does my tongue feel tough and elastic at the same time?", he asked but didn't need answers.
He smiled more, "As long as it won't be chopped off."
"But the transcendent skill I got in the second upgrade, Evolve, really tickle my curiosity."
Renir moved and water splashed at his every step.
The water was starting to fill the cave now and the water leakage was already like a faucet.
Renir saw that as a problem.
From what he learned, the great flood was coming and the water sentinel will appear on the tenth night.
"No", Renir shook his head, "Before that, now in the eight night, there should be water creatures."
The sound of the storm outside was not needed for Renir to know that the great flood was coming as the stairs from the cliff acted as the largest faucet.
Next to the ascending stairs was the cave passage where the terrifying and silent demon marionette still stood, unmoving and unblinking.
Renir closed his eyes before he decided to act, "The first upgrade gave me boost in senses, instinct, agility, and toughness. The second upgrade gave me a skill which is Evolve. The third gave another skill which is Power Consume. The fourth gave me body modification.", he touched the parts of his body which were modified, satisfied, "Then the last gave me improvement in all of my skills."
He then breathed deeply and processed this information, felt his improvement, and estimate his current power.
Renir's eyes shone when he turned his head and looked at the Giganslik that blocked the cave's entrance.
"Can I?", he asked himself.
After a few moments of hesitation, he slapped his thighs and shouted, "Hah!", while he smiled, "Time to test my upgrades!"
He stood up with two stomps that made a big water splash on the ground.
Renir didn't fear the great flood since he ate uncountable water slimes!
He even had yet to test himself in water after that but he ate more afterward. Just eating nine made him hold his breath underwater for minutes and swim effortlessly but what about several dozens?
Maybe he can even breathe underwater and swim like a jet!
Renir was excited to test it so he stared at the Giganslik.
"I will eat you, you big bastard!", he shouted confidently and heroically which he had not done his whole life.
Renir turned around and when he and the demon marionette locked eyes, he shuddered but controlled it as he finally saw a chance of defeating.
'He's still chained...', he reminded himself, and that brought him the audacity to shout at the demon marionette too;
"I'm going to beat you up, murderer... Next time!", but when Renir was about to ascend the stairs that flowed water, he stopped as he noticed a door behind the demon marionette.
The chains that wrapped around the demon marionette's neck was the same chain that locked the door.
It was the first time Renir noticed it, 'Maybe because I was murdered before so I haven't noticed it?', his face then turned sour, 'Of course, it is.'
But then he climbed the stairs, passing to the seemingly unextinguishable torches, while he said to himself, "All hardships are rewarded in Gantlet, there should be amazing things behind that door."
When he stepped out and felt the cold storm touches his skin, Renir remembered something, about doors.
'The Door of Ascension...', Renir stopped on his steps.
The stone tablet, the rune, was just behind him. With just one touch and a thought, he could learn about that door. However, in front of him was the place where he could finally test his skills and get back to that big bastard, Giganslik for chasing him!
Renir didn't want to hesitate but the mood that he set himself earlier by shouting at the two deaths will be ruined if he did turn around and learn about the Door of Ascension.
He scratched his head and shouted, "Why am I even hesitating!?", he turned around and got down the stone stairs.
He immediately reached for the rune and thought, 'Ascension Door.'
His eyes and the rune shone.
[
Door of Ascension
One of the only two Gantlet's Doors. Behind it is the next stage of Gantlet.
It will only appear and open when the last night ended.
]
Renir frowned and couldn't help but shout, "Next stage?!"
Even though it was very infuriating that he suffered hellish life and death scenarios many times just within eight nights, and when he learned about it being thirty nights, and EVEN THOUGH he recently learned again that there was still a next stage, Renir tried to calm himself from rage.
"It said that it will only appear after the last night so behind the demon marionette is not the Ascension Door.", although Renie said that, he wasn't lost as he thought;
'Gantlet's Doors'
Then there was light.
[
Gantlet's Doors
There are two which are the Door of Ascension and the Door of Salvation.
These are the only two doors in Gantlet.
]
Renir sweated, he was sure that the Salvation Door was the door behind the demon marionette since there are only two doors.
He gulped as he thought, 'Salvation Door'
[
Door of Salvation
One of the only two Gantlet's Doors. Behind it is the original world of the Rune User.
It will only appear guarded by a demon marionette and will open when the demon marionette's neck is freed from its chain.
]
"..."
Renir's eyes shone, "Original world..."
He slapped his thighs and shouted at the GiGanslik again and the demon marionette with greater enthusiasm.
It fired him so much after learning how to get back home!
But as he does so, he caught a glimpse of the words carved on the walls again.
"Don't trust the runes...", after reading it, Renir's fire on his heart did not wane as he shook his head.
"I'm sorry...", he mumbled and looked at the door behind the demon marionette with fierce eyes.
That door became his only hope and goal as he climbed the stone stairs again, "...I have to."
When he stood atop the cliff for the second time in Gantlet, he saw the storm that was creating the flood.
Not only the storm but the descending moon, the giant black slime, Giganslik, and the water creatures!
"This.. again!", he pumped his fist up, "Time to test my upgrades!"
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