[14th Everdusk 2103], CGA branch, Dyna Crest country.
Each participant entered the dungeon individually, displayed on a screen that indicated who had perished, who had advanced through each stage, and the time taken to clear the dungeon.
In one such instance, I found myself landing on the ground just as the entrance portal closed behind me, leaving me isolated within.
Being a necromancer and alone is not particularly perilous here, given that my class is a blend of offense and support.
My ability lies in summoning skeletons to battle on my behalf, allowing me to progress by leveraging my skills.
I was content with this class, although my former class as a Magic Swordsman was also formidable. However, as a necromancer, I can stay out of combat until I am strong enough to enter the fray.
I conjured my sword, grasping it in my right hand, and then called upon my system to view the descriptions of my skills.
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[Status]
Name: Evan Ravencall (/Windstone)
Race: Human (100%)
Age: 18
Title: Limit Breaker
Rank: Tier 0
Level: 01
Class: Necromancer (D), Mage (E), Weapon Master (F)
Talent: Plunder, Infinite Evolution & Enchantment, Supreme Adaptation.
~~~~~
{Stats}
HP: 90 (Regen: .45/minute = 9*.05)
MP: 110 (Regen: .55/minute = 11*.05)
STR: 6
AGL: 9
VIT: 9
INT: 11
END: 7
STA: 5
Unassigned Stats: 00
ATK: 18 + 7 {Physical}, MAG: 16/17 {Elemental}}
DEF: 12+ 5
~~~~~~~
Abilities:
[- Elemental Manipulation (SSS)]
Skills: None
Class skills:
{Undead Summon (Lv. 1), Bone Fang Strike (Lv. 1), Shadow Bolt (Lv. 1)}
{Arcane Bolt (Lv. 1), Mana Shield (Lv. 1)}
{Weapon Proficiency (Passive) (Lv.1), Power Slash (Lv. 1), Quick Swap (Lv. 1)}
~~~~~~~~
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For the time being, it was satisfactory as the system removed the unnecessary, locked items, displaying only those that were unlocked.
I chose to view the skill descriptions by tapping on them, which helped me decide which one to use.
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Skill: Undead Summon (Lv. 1)
Type: Active
Mana Cost: 30 MP
Cooldown: 15 seconds
Proficiency: 0%
Description:
Summons a basic undead creature to serve as a temporary minion. The undead will fight for the summoner until destroyed or dismissed. The creature summoned depends on the user's Necromancer class progression and available materials.
Summon Type: Skeleton Warrior (Basic Tier).
Duration: 20 minutes or died from attacks.
Stats:
Health: 50% of the caster's max health.
Strength: 50% of the caster's Strength stats.
Agility: 50% of the caster's Agility stats.
Defense: 40% of the caster's Defense.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Skill: Bone Fang Strike (Lv. 1)
Type: Active
Mana Cost: 10 MP
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Proficiency: 0%
Description:
Summon a jagged fang of bone imbued with dark energy to strike a target. The attack pierces defenses, dealing both physical and dark magic damage. Upon impact, the bone fang splinters, causing additional damage over time.
Damage:
Physical Damage: 50% of the caster's physical attack.
Dark Magic Damage: 50% of the caster's magic attack.
Effects:
Piercing: Ignores 10% of the target's defense.
Bone Harvest (Passive): If the skill kills the target, recover 10% of the mana cost.
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Skill: Shadow Bolt (Lv. 1)
Type: Active
Mana Cost: 20 MP
Cooldown: 8 seconds
Proficiency: 0%
Description:
Unleashes a bolt of concentrated shadow energy at a target, dealing dark magic damage. The bolt carries a chance to inflict Shadow Bind, briefly slowing the target's movement.
Damage:
Dark Magic Damage: 100% of the caster's magic attack.
Additional Effect:
Shadow Bind: Reduces the target's movement speed by 20% for 3 seconds. (Chance: 25%)
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Skill: Arcane Bolt (Lv. 1)
Type: Active
Mana Cost: 15 MP
Cooldown: 6 seconds
Proficiency: 0%
Description:
Fires a concentrated bolt of pure arcane energy at a single target. The bolt homes in on its target, ensuring high accuracy. Ideal for finishing weaker enemies or dealing consistent damage in combat.
Damage:
Magic Damage: 80% of the caster's magic attack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Skill: Mana Shield (Lv. 1)
Type: Active
Cooldown: 12 seconds
Mana Cost: 30 MP (initial activation)
Proficiency: 0%
Description:
Creates a protective barrier of condensed mana around the user, absorbing incoming damage by converting it into mana consumption. Ideal for mitigating physical and magical damage in critical situations.
Effect:
Damage Absorption: Converts 1 point of damage into 2 mana consumption.
Duration: 10 seconds or until the shield absorbs damage equal to 50% of the caster's maximum mana.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Skill: Weapon Proficiency (Passive) (Lv. 1)
Type: Passive
Cooldown: N/A
Mana Cost: N/A
Proficiency: 0%
Description:
A passive skill that increases the user's effectiveness with all weapons, providing enhanced accuracy, damage, and speed based on the weapon type currently equipped.
Effect:
Accuracy Boost: Increases hit chance by 5% with all weapon types.
Damage Boost: Increases weapon damage by 10%.
Attack Speed Boost: Increases attack speed by 5%.
Weapon Proficiency:
One-Handed sword: F (1%)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Skill: Power Slash (Lv. 1)
Type: Active
Cooldown: 10 seconds
Mana Cost: 15 MP
Proficiency: 0%
Description:
A powerful, wide slash that channels the user's strength into a single strike, dealing heavy physical damage to all enemies in its path. Ideal for breaking through defenses or clearing multiple weaker enemies.
Effect:
Damage: 120% of the user's physical attack.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Skill: Quick Swap (Lv. 1)
Type: Active
Cooldown: 5 seconds
Mana Cost: 5 MP
Proficiency: 0%
Description:
A swift ability that allows the user to instantly switch between equipped weapons, enhancing their versatility in combat. Ideal for adapting to changing battle conditions or combining weapon types for various effects.
Effect:
Weapon Swap: Instantly switches between the user's currently equipped weapons (melee, ranged, or magic).
Speed Boost: Reduces the time it takes to switch weapons by 50%.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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Gazing upon the potential of my abilities, I began to strategize their use in battle.
Suddenly, a force struck me with such speed that before I could comprehend, my body doubled over and I expelled various fluids. I quickly realized what had happened; it wasn't poison, for I would have detected it, but rather the nausea that comes with one's first teleportation into the dungeon. I was certain everyone had experienced it by now, but my reaction came late. My mind was prepared, yet my body succumbed to the sensation before regaining a sense of normalcy.
Some time later, I took deep breaths of fresh air to improve my mood, even as the sour taste of vomit lingered in my mouth.
"Huh, let's move before more monsters arrive," I said, urging myself to leave the area as the presence of monsters felt overwhelming, making it a necessity to move.
Certainly, some might wonder why I didn't join that team. They were competent, but sharing the experience points among all members would slow my leveling significantly, requiring the defeat of several monsters instead of just a few.
That was my reason for preferring to level up solo before joining a team, if necessary. But now, with the aid of skeletons, it might not be necessary.
With them, raiding the dungeon would be considerably easier, I mused as I attempted to use the skill for the first time.
<Undead Summon>
<-30 MP>
As I invoked the skill, a formation materialized before me, and a single skeleton warrior emerged, brandishing a rusty sword and clad in tattered garments.
Despite being a mere basic skeleton, it presented quite the menacing figure.
I checked the system's status and found it to be quite secure, aligning with my expectations for the framework.
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Status
Name: Skeleton
Familiar Type: Undead Creature
Grade: Basic
Level: 1
Stats:
[Health]: [45/45]
[Mana]: [0/0]
[Strength]: 3
[Agility]: 4.5
[Intelligence]: 0
[Vitality]: 4.5
[Attack Power: 7/8]
[Defense: 3]
Skills: None
Undead Constitution: Passive
Increases resistance toward poison, curse, and status effects by huge amount.
__
Upon viewing the statistics, my spirits plummeted due to their paltry nature.
I was quite dissatisfied, yet they could serve as decent cannon fodder.
My satisfaction grew with the thought that, although they are not strong now, with some effort, I could enhance their levels and fortify them for battles to come.
As these thoughts occupied my mind while navigating the system, a noise approached. I became alert and began searching for its origin. As I looked around, the source revealed itself as the thing it was...
-- To be continued --
Which type of monster will appear before him? A slime or a monkey? Stay tuned to find out.