56 Salt Mine & Salt Snakes- III
Saad's eyes scanned the small cavern, and to his surprise, he noticed a subtle glint of something behind a modest pile of salt. His curiosity piqued, he approached the mound and brushed aside the salt crystals to reveal yet another chest.
Excitement surged within him as he eagerly opened the chest, his heart pounding with anticipation. Saad knew that every advantage he could gain in this challenging environment was crucial to his success.
Inside, he found three cards, each offering unique abilities that could potentially turn the tide in his favor.
[Collection]
The next time you defeat an enemy, you will get a unique card.
[Berserk]
Increases your damage against a powerful foe by 25% at the start of the battle.
[Critical]
Increases your critical damage by 25%.
Saad carefully considered his options, weighing the potential benefits of each ability. While [Berserk] and [Critical] could enhance his combat abilities, the [Collection] card offered the promise of unique cards, which could provide a broader range of benefits over time.
After a moment of contemplation, Saad made his decision. He reached out and selected the [Collection] card. The prospect of gaining unique cards that could offer a variety of advantages in the future seemed like the best choice to increase his chances of success in this unforgiving environment.
[You have gained the [Collection] card.]
Since he couldn't find anything else, Saad decided to go forward. His steps were cautious, and he didn't try to move too quickly or make any reckless movements. Soon, he arrived at the crossroads again. His instincts screamed at him to take the well-lit path, but Saad decided to enter the dark path once more.
Saad cautiously entered the spacious chamber, his heart still racing from the earlier encounter with the fearsome salt snake. The memory of that deadly battle was etched in his mind, and just the thought of those white pupils made him want to run away. However, he pushed forward.
As he carefully surveyed the area, he found no sign of the salt snake. It seemed that the creature had either moved on or was lurking in a different part of the salt mines. Saad couldn't help but shudder at the thought of encountering it again.
Gathering his courage, Saad decided to check the salt lake, where the snake had been resting before.
[You have ventured inside the salt lake. Your movements have slowed by 25%.]
He frowned at the message but carefully waded through the salty water, his movements slowed by the weight of the water, his eyes scanning the surroundings. To his delight, he soon spotted another chest partially submerged in the briny water.
Saad approached the chest and opened it, revealing three cards, each offering unique abilities that could aid him in his quest:
[Bleed]
Inflict 1 stack of bleed with a 50% chance.
[Sin Offering]
After defeating a foe, the next attack will deal 65% more damage.
[Burst]
The attack increases by 25% when dealing with more than two foes.
Once again, Saad carefully considered his options, thinking about how each ability might benefit him in the challenges to come. He knew that making the right choice could make all the difference in his survival. So he was determined to do his best to survive this brutal ordeal.
After a moment of contemplation, Saad made his decision. He reached out and selected the [Sin Offering] card. The prospect of dealing significantly more damage after defeating a foe seemed like a valuable asset, especially in battles against powerful enemies.
[You have gained the [Sin Offering] card.]
With the card in his possession, Saad felt a renewed sense of determination. He was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead and to make the most of the abilities he had acquired in this unforgiving environment.
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Saad continued his cautious journey deeper into the salt mines, fully aware of the lurking dangers that surrounded him. He had learned the hard way not to charge headlong into danger, especially after the encounter with the fearsome salt snake. He knew that every step he took could be the difference between survival and defeat.
Even with his newfound caution, he almost stumbled upon the fearsome salt snake once more. The sound of slithering and creaking crystals sent shivers down his spine. His heart pounded as he swiftly hid, barely avoiding detection. The encounter left him with an adrenaline rush, but he knew he had to proceed carefully.
As he navigated the caverns, he encountered more salt critters. Despite not fully understanding how the salt crystals they dropped would be used, he continued to gather them diligently. They might hold the key to his survival or provide some other advantage in this treacherous environment.
Notably absent were the notifications of his mastery increasing. Saad had been accustomed to receiving such updates in his training, and their absence here left him feeling somewhat uncertain. He couldn't help but wonder if the tutorial or guidance was somehow different due to his choice of the hard mode.
After defeating eight more salt critters, Saad's experience points finally reached the threshold for leveling up. He felt a surge of accomplishment as he reached level 2, an acknowledgment of his growing skills and determination.
However, the rewards were meager, granting him only 4 status points and 4 skill points. The frustration of receiving so little after his hard-fought battles gnawed at him, but he pushed the feeling aside. He knew he had to continue, for the challenges ahead would only become more daunting, and he had already come so far.
Saad decided to invest his points in strength, agility, vitality, and intelligence. He realized that by adding 1 point each in strength and agility, his dexterity increased by 0.25 as well. When he added a point in intelligence, it increased his arcane points by 0.25 as well. It was a modest increase, but every improvement mattered. If he was being honest, just seeing the vitality stat was strange. Not to mention he also had gained 3 new cards.
Character Window - ID: 1221
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Name: Kael Emberflame
Age: 15
Race: Human
Main Class: Whip Master (In Progress)
Main Weapon: Basic Whip
Level: 2 0/70
HP: 50/50
Wealth: 120 SC
Attributes:
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Stamina: 7 Strength: 8
Agility: 8 Intelligence: 8
Charm: 7 Dexterity: 7.25
Vitality: 8 Arcane Points: 7.25
Status point: 0
Skill points: 4
Effects:
----------------
[Healing]
25% of your health is recovered at the end of every battle.
[Collection] [Expired]
The next time you defeat an enemy, you will get a unique card.
[Sin Offering]
After defeating a foe, the next attack will deal 65% more damage.
[Burst]
For every 3 successful attacks, inflicts 150% of ATK damage to all foes.
[Vulcan]
Inflict one stack of burn using 3 arcane point with a 50% chance when foe is in critical state.
[Burst]
Increased your physical damage by 20%.
Since the [collection] card had been used up, Saad tried to remove it and that ended up being a rather easy thing. He just had to press and the message flashed, asking if he wanted to remove it.
After being done with it, he ventured deeper into the salt mines, he stumbled upon a small, strangely pristine room. And a message flashed.
[You have entered the safe zone.]
[You are now able to use the shop function.]
Another message followed, introducing the shop function available in this unique location. Saad finally understood the purpose of the salt crystals he had been collecting; they were the currency used in this shop.
Excitement coursed through him as he accessed the shop interface. It revealed a variety of items he could purchase, including armor and books of active skills. However, he noted a crucial detail, these items could only be used within the confines of the salt mines and were not transferable to the outside world.
Considering his options carefully, Saad decided to invest in items that would enhance his survivability within this treacherous environment. He had 120 salt crystals at his disposal and decided to make the following purchases:
[Basic Chest Plate]
Price: 50 Salt Crystals
Damage resistance up to 20%
Defense value of 15
[Basic Boots]
Price: 30 Salt Crystals
Evasion with a 40% chance
Agility bonus of 5
Now, with 40 salt crystals remaining, Saad contemplated what else he should buy to increase his chances of survival. Analyzing his situation and the challenges he had faced, he decided on the following purchase.
[Whip Snap]
Price: 40 Salt Crystals
Description: Unleash a rapid snap of the whip that creates a powerful sonic boom, delivering a burst of damage to a single target and potentially knocking them back.
Damage: 250-300 points of physical damage.
Knockback Chance: 40% chance to knock back the target.
Cooldown: 8 seconds.
Range: Melee range (up to 2 meters from the player character).
Special Effect: The sonic boom created by the whip snap may temporarily disorient the target, reducing their accuracy and movement speed for 3 seconds.
Skill Level Upgrade: Each level increases the damage by 10% and the knockback chance by 5%. The cooldown is reduced by 0.5 seconds per level.
(Required skill points: 5)
Skill Mastery: At maximum skill mastery, the damage is increased by 25%, the knockback chance is increased by 15%, and the disorientation effect lasts for an additional 1 second.
Consumption: 4 stamina
