48 Dungeon Gate!
[ Dungeon Gate Opening: 00:00:01 ]
Erix, Rin, and Isabella were ready for a couple of minutes while waiting outside their bunkers in the open ground.
When the countdown hit zero, they saw a small window showing the dungeon's name, type, and Requirement.
[The dungeon gate is opened. ]
[Crypt of Stygian Ogres]
_Type: Item/Material dungeon.
_Requirement: level 51.
_Tasks:
—> Kill at least 10 Ogres.
—> Kill Ogre Chief.
_Reward:
—> A treasure chest of Tier-1 items.
—> A treasure crate of Tier-1 materials.
_First Clear Reward:
—> Guild Creation Slate.
Erix and others were surprised when they saw that it was an Item/Material dungeon. This indicated that there were other types of dungeons as well.
Moreover, the rewards seemed unique. So far, all the items they got didn't have any Tier rank listed, which meant that the items of Tier-1 would be stronger than those they got so far!
But the most striking reward was none other than Guild Creation Slate.
They didn't know how it would benefit them, but they were looking forward to getting it by clearing the dungeon.
"But, where's the dungeon gate?" Isabella looked around while standing on the empty ground outside the Bunkers.
"Actually, I got the gate in my inventory," Erix said as he took out a palm-sized dark green gate with black and red patterns and mist whirling around it.
"According to its description, I can put this gate anywhere in this military headquarters, so I'll just put it here since there's a big space here."
Erix put the miniature gate on the ground, and a second later, it became four meters tall and three meters wide!
"Let's go. I also have a surprise for us," Erix smiled as he stepped forward, followed by Rin and Isabella.
They felt a weird sensation when they passed through the gate and soon arrived in a dark cave that was dimply lit with glowing stones.
The small cave was empty, but there was a passage leading to somewhere at the end.
"So, what's the surprise?" Rin curiously asked.
Erix looked around the ground of the cave while his eyes showed a very faint silver-gray luster.
Suddenly, Rin and Isabella saw countless tiny dots coming out of the ground and condensing together.
His mana was consumed due to condensing Iron, but it wasn't much.
After several seconds, two dark silver steel blades formed before Erix, shining with a unique metallic luster!
"How did you do that?!"
Rin and Isabella were startled.
"Iron," Erix grinned. "After sleeping and recovering, I could sense Iron in Earth. I'm sure this ability came from my Metal Affinity."
"But the reason I am able to condense it into steel is thanks to my Metal Control skill that transformed into Metal Conduct after I got Metal Affinity."
After all, Iron was also a metal, and it was in abundance everywhere. It was the most common metal on Earth!
From now on, he could manipulate Iron and condense it into steel using his mana!
"And here's my transformed skill."
[ Metal Conduct (1st Tier active skill): You can conduct any metal with mana to enhance it.]
"What's the requirement to get an Affinity?" Isabella asked.
"I think you have to break your limits regarding your skills," Erix mused. "I used my Metal Control skill beyond its limit and my limit until I lost consciousness.
"Anyway, you will get a notification if you meet the requirement to build your affinity, so execute your skills in more ways and with higher exertion than just what its description says."
"We'll try that in this dungeon; let's go," Rin clenched her fist with a grin. "We can't stay behind you in progress."
At that, the trio finally moved towards the passage.
"It's not that long," Rin said upon seeing the end of the passage just a hundred meters away from them.
"The Ogres are there," Erix informed them since his ears could pick up sounds in the next cave. "But I don't know how many."
"The task mentioned 'at least ten ogres', so there might be more than ten," Isabella remarked.
'Iron Flower.'
Erix used his skill as a small metallic flower with six petals floated beside him.
Soon, they arrived at the end and saw five ogres roaming in the vast cave with giant clubs in their hands.
Each one was two meters tall with a fat stomach and dark violet skin with powerful muscles.
Their levels ranged from level 51 to 54.
[Stygian Ogre]
_Level: 51
_Rank: Supra-Order.
_Vitality: [2000/2000]
_Defence: 300
_Attack: 310
_Skills:
—> Empowered Smash, Dark Stomp, Rage Rush.
"This level 51 Ogre is more powerful than that level 57 spider we killed…" Rin was speechless.
"And there are five," Isabella's expression was uncomfortable. "Will we be able to clear this dungeon?"
"It's fine. We can read their skills, so all we have to do is to look out for the attacks that match the skill name," Erix said before he narrowed his eyes. "Also, they haven't noticed us yet."
"You are right; they are just roaming."
This second cave was fifty meters long and seventy meters wide, so it was huge. There were boulders, some grass, glowing stones, and natural rocky pillars attached to the ceiling from the ground.
"Alright, I have an idea," Erix said as he manipulated a steel blade and sent it toward the nearest Ogre.
"I'll attract that one here, and we'll kill in a few seconds with our best attacks."
Rin and Isabella nodded.
Rin took out her swords while Isabella took out her Crimson Hell Staff.
They first walked out of the passage and hid behind a pillar with dark purple grass around it.
As the steel blade approached the nearest Ogre that was twenty meters away, the trio looked on with nervous anticipation.
The blade appeared before Ogre's eyes, making it confused.
It tried to grab it, but Erix manipulated the blade to dodge the grab and started controlling it back.
The Ogre slowly followed the steel blade as Erix manipulated it towards the passage.
Soon, the Ogre went inside the passage they came from!
"Let's go," Erix whispered before he silently but quickly flew towards the passage.
Erix manipulated his second steel blade and pierced its neck after arriving at the passage entrance. The front blade that Ogre was following also pierced its throat!
-32!
-32!
The damage was minuscule since Erix didn't use much mana to strengthen the blades further, but it disabled and disturbed the Ogre, which was his aim.
It wanted to speak but couldn't. However, it started thrashing around in the passage as a rumbling sound spread out and alerted other Ogres!
*Swoosh!*
Rin quickly shot two Sword Beams toward its upper half from behind while Isabella used Flame Whips around its arms and bound it.
-439! Sword Beam.
-344! Sword Beam.
-639! Flame Whip.
-98! Burnx1
-98! Burnx2
…
…
All Isabella planned to use was her Flame Whip skill since her Crimson Hell Staff considerably boosted it!
Erix also used two flower petals from his Iron Flower as ten iron seeds manifested and attacked the Ogre!
Each seed dealt 86 damage!
*Swoosh!*
For the final blow, Rin pierced her swords behind the Ogre and killed it.
*Dhum Dhum Dhum…!!*
While the first Ogre died and turned into motes, not even dropping anything, the other four Ogre rushed towards them with red eyes and their giant clubs raised high!
"Don't panic!" Rin turned to Isabella and slapped her back. "They look scary and are powerful, but we are more powerful!"
"Focus, Dodge, Attack, that's all," Erix commanded before he flew towards incoming Ogres. His lips curled into a wide smile while his eyes contained an excited gleam in each.
Rin also dashed forward as her swords crackled with lighting. 'Exerting our skills to the extreme and breaking our limits. It's going to be fun!'
Isabella took a deep breath as her expression also turned somber. 'I'll have to support them!'
