I hold the glossy black blade tight in my grip.
My demonic blade, or better known as the midnight dagger doesn't have the same properties as my elemental attacks. So, in switching energy sources the safety of my long-range strikes will have to be sacrificed in order to test out my next move.
This is one of my two ...
2023-11-10 00:00:03 +0000 UTC
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In a brief moment of shock, my stealth skill is lifted, and I’m completely visible on the open top floor of the observatory, facing off against a black-armored knight with unique magic swirling around his body.
If I had more time to analyze and compare, I’d like to see if the energy coming out of the sonar has simil...
2023-11-09 00:00:04 +0000 UTC
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I walk across the room, passing the buzzing machine with crates of mana crystals by its side.
The wooden boxes filled with pink gems glisten in the morning light.
As I get closer to the stairway that leads down to the first floor, the muffled tones of two men having a conversation hit my ears. The first voice I re...
2023-11-08 00:00:04 +0000 UTC
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The five of us set off in the morning, leaving Chester behind.
It’s still dark out, but hints of day creep up on the horizon as we venture off into the desert toward the abandoned town and observatory I’ve been keeping an eye on for days.
Our movements are a bit slower than my usual pace because we’re not al...
2023-11-07 00:00:04 +0000 UTC
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The red aura around me dissipates, and in turn, my entire body feels like it just went through hours of intense training.
My mana bar is far from depleted, but my mouth feels dry, and my head starts to ache.
I stumble in my steps for a moment, and my eyes threaten to shut, but I catch myself before falling and kee...
2023-11-06 00:00:04 +0000 UTC
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I hear my system notifications ringing in my head.
[Soul Bond: Complete]
[New Buff: Red Hydra’s Rage]
[Body Double Attribute Transfer: Success]
Everyone is frozen in place.
Everyone but Abby. She concentrates on me with total focus and continues to pulse with green light.
My gaze follows ...
2023-11-04 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The sensation of boiling water trickling down my skin is almost soothing compared to the searing hot waves of energy that begin to enter my chest next.
I can sense the nerves and anticipation from the people watching around me, but out of anyone, I’m the most calm one here. Even without the fact that we all desperatel...
2023-11-03 23:00:04 +0000 UTC
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After my statement, there’s some hesitation from my teammates. They look at me wide-eyed from every corner of the room.
I reply.
“You heard me, I’ll test it out first to see if it’s safe. I’m the one who brought them here, it’d be rude not to absorb my gem first. If everything goes well, we’ll know i...
2023-11-02 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The late-night city streets are dark, calm, and quiet.
After going back to the same Shielded Dungeon entrance and paying the 10 bronze fee to get inside, I step into the E-Class portal to teleport back to the Vice City Labyrinth's 21st floor. Chester waits near the outer rim of the Dungeon Square as I do.
It’s b...
2023-11-01 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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As my gaze lifts from the outstretched hand before me, up to the shimmering silver mask of the man I was bidding against all night, I immediately go on high alert.
Activating my perception skills, I come to see his status is still blocked to me for some reason. It is only showing those odd “???Access Denied” message...
2023-10-31 23:00:04 +0000 UTC
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A long black sword with an identical dark glossy shine to my newest dagger floats around the woman as she brings it to center stage before resting it on the red velvet display table.
I immediately recognize it as having a Demonic Origin.
The announcer speaks over the whispers of the crowd.
“This is an item...
2023-10-30 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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I scan the crimson gems with every one of my perception skills as they float around the gorgeous woman until each of them rests gently on the display table at center stage.
[Red Hydra’s Soulstone Fragment] x7
They don't bear the usual ‘Essence Fragment’ or ‘Essence Shard’ labeling, but ‘Soulstone Fragm...
2023-10-29 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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He bid 25 gold… for an item only halfway into the auction. This mystery buyer is already making himself known.
As I calculated before, the bundle of stones is nearly 8 million MP, so it's over 90% off the market price. If I were to buy this much in potion form, even with the Dark Continent price discount, it’d take ...
2023-10-28 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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The minimum amount needed on hand to be eligible for a premium buyers' booth is 25 gold coins. In comparison to my stash, it isn't much, but to the average citizen, it’s quite a lot.
Even well-off level D Class hunters would be lucky to make even 5 gold a year. Most of the population could only dream of surpassing thi...
2023-10-27 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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After Arie and Fisher head off to the Black Market to keep an eye out for the guards, I walk with Chester, Maria, and Abby to the above-ground dungeon hub while carrying the gold coin stash in my item storage. We all wear red robes to stay anonymous.
Chester heads off to a local market to buy a few items for the auction...
2023-10-26 23:00:04 +0000 UTC
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Chester looks at me with a confused expression, not exactly catching on to why I’m asking about the auction. He replies anyway.
“Well, anything really. There are a few of them every month, but I’ve heard this one is supposed to be one of the most interesting ones in a while.”
I raise an eyebrow.
“W...
2023-10-25 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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Whoever this is, they’re definitely the leader.
They have the [IC] branding all over their gear, along with that shielding artifact that every one of their lackeys had on.
With Demonic Energy, I’m sure I could take him out, but not questioning him and killing the man on the spot would do more harm than good. I...
2023-10-24 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Up in the observatory, I sense the mana readings of two humans.
Although I’m a great distance away, I still instinctually hide with stealth and drop down closer to the desert floor for cover after the events that unfolded just over an hour ago in the Abyss.
To my surprise, the two readings are both between level...
2023-10-23 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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The purple worm’s body lies on the desert floor, and it doesn't move forward at all.
Other than its mouth opening and closing with rows of teeth churning and grinding against each other and the Demonic Essence leaking out, the monstrosity stays eerily still.
The creature has made its way entirely out of the blac...
2023-10-22 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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I can't believe my eyes…
“Impossible…”
I've never seen a creature this size, and have most definitely never faced one this powerful either. If my estimate is correct, the monster before me has the raw stats of a level 900.
It's a ranked-up version of whatever the tiny insects were that I just fought...
2023-10-21 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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The sand beneath my feet shifts again, even more violently this time.
I’m frozen in place, feeling the presence of a Demonic Creature magnitudes stronger than the one I just faced.
I had to use all my tricks and mental power to stay ahead of a creature with a level lower than my own…
Lurking less than 50...
2023-10-20 23:00:04 +0000 UTC
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I take another step into the town.
After the first ground-shaking roar, the air stays still, and silence fills the dark Abyss. The only movements I can sense are the white and purple flickering flames ahead of me.
Cautiously, I take more steps forward while gripping my dagger. The roofs of the small huts I walk pa...
2023-10-19 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The tip of my blade pierces the black veil of darkness. The crimson eyes and dripping white fangs of the Demonic Wolf lunge toward me while my blade points right back.
It cuts clean through like butter.
Not only the blackness of the abyss but the wolf creature in front of me as well.
With little to no resist...
2023-10-18 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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As the silver towers in Solara begin to fade from my line of sight, I take my new dagger out of item storage and begin twirling it through my fingers again.
It looks like it should be made of heavy metal or dense stone like obsidian, but this long blade can't be more than 100 grams. It's made of a foreign substance I’...
2023-10-17 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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I take the black dagger from Chester’s hands disregarding the glowing crate of potions in his other and begin twirling it around my fingers to view the weapon from every possible angle.
It’s smooth and incredibly lightweight.
The old man starts to explain how the potions work based on a book he read about simi...
2023-10-16 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The sun has already hit its high point in the sky and is beginning to fall down toward the horizon. While the sand is still scorching hot, the dry air is starting to cool off as the light rays aren't directly pointing at the top of my head anymore.
While walking back through the rolling dunes of the desert to the abando...
2023-10-15 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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Three more Demonic Wolves slowly make their way toward me through the darkness. This time around I’m much more confident in my abilities and have a core full of Energy ready to coarse through my veins for a barrage of deadly attacks.
Once the first pair of red glowing eyes gets close enough, I let my attack fly withou...
2023-10-14 23:00:02 +0000 UTC
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A pair of crimson eyes peer at me from within the Abyss. They’re filled with the anger and killing intent of a wild beast.
I jump backward at the sight of it.
My vision is completely black and white, making this bright red gaze stand out even more to me. I can’t sense any monsters nearby, but I begin to connec...
2023-10-13 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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The next morning we all wake up at the crack of dawn. Falling asleep early in the day gives us more than enough time to fully recover.
After a quick breakfast made by Chester, we all leave to start our daily assignments and agree to meet back before the sun goes down.
My 4 teammates head southwest back into the mo...
2023-10-12 23:00:08 +0000 UTC
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I whisper under my breath.
“No way… Of course…”
Chester smiles and points to one of the more precisely drawn maps on his notebook papers, happily eyeing me as he realizes I’m piecing together the puzzle on my own.
One of the papers has a ring separated into 4 sections labeled 1-4 and a black void i...
2023-10-11 23:00:03 +0000 UTC
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