Kae

Dungeon Diver CH346

The next contestant is one of the newer fighters. He's a dagger user with considerable skill, making it past stage 4 unscathed but losing in the 5th to a large snake creature with scales too hard for his weapons to penetrate.

This event was a nice palette cleanser for what's to come next, the announcer speaks as Max walks onto the platform.

“I welcome the next Legacy fighter you all know well back onto the stage, The Shield!”

The crowd perks up and starts to cheer just l...

Dungeon Diver CH345

The stadium fills up to its limit. The crowd that piles in is almost three times as large as the mid-day fights. From the projector screen below, I can see that every seat is filled and people are attentively waiting for the night show to begin.

With the dark star-filled sky above, and mana-imbued light sources illuminating the arena below, it's almost impossible to see the invisible protective dome between the actual fight ring and the cheering crowds ready for a blood bath.

Sia ...

Dungeon Diver CH344

As I walk up to the seven other fighters, I can clearly see they're split into two groups.

One group of four, off to my right, is dressed in high-class gear, similar to what I’d expect an Elite to wear. The first to turn their head is a slim, womanly figure in armor that seems to be made of stone. She has sharp eyes, dark brown hair, and holds a spear, but shows me an interested smirk as I approach and speaks up.

“Finally, some fresh meat that looks worth keeping around. They ...

Dungeon Diver CH343

​​The announcer calls for a 30-minute intermission as the next fighter gets ready in the ring.

In the meantime, I make my way toward the registration desk at the far side of the arena. There are two separate booths in the vicinity. One has [Bidders] in bold letters above it, and the other says [Fighters].

I walk up to the fighters' booth in full disguise to meet a blond man in a white suit smiling brightly as I approach.

“The name’s Mr. Wright. How can I help you tod...

Dungeon Diver CH342

I let out a sigh.

My 5 gold in the credit system apparently needs to be 200 times greater in order to enter this Royal Coin Section of the city. Making the necessary total 1,000 gold coins. Just 100 gold is equal to a platinum coin, so this must mean a single Royal Coin is 10 platinum. I’ve never heard of this currency before, so it must be a special region-specific one in this city.

I’d have to clear out all the quests in cities similar to the Size of Solara for the next 10 d...

Dungeon Diver CH341

The merchant looks at me with a curious gaze.

"What did you even come here for? It's not often people make their way this far north into Sector 1 by accident."

I think to myself for a moment, but shrug and reach into my storage to pull out the silver card with an address from the guild leader on it. While showing the card to the man I reply.

"I'm here to meet a friend, they said I could find them at this address."

His eyes start to widen as he scans the card, and I can...

Dungeon Diver CH340

The woman behind the counter takes my coins, then walks into a backroom before finally coming back with a small white concealment case. She opens it up for a moment just to show the white crystal inside, before closing it quickly and pressing a small button on her workstation beneath the counter.

A portion of the blue glass window slides open, and she pushes the rectangular case through. As I grab it, she speaks to me.

“I’m sure you know how these work. You don't need an expla...

Dungeon Diver CH339

I walk out from the dungeon hub square, and the early morning sun shines down on Solara.

The guard outside gives me a nod, followed by a weird look as he doesn't recognize me. It's not unusual for hunters to stay overnight in dungeons. It’s easy to assume I entered when he wasn’t on his shift. He shrugs and continues on with his day.

With this, I look out at the city with a brand new disguise but still keep my red hood covering my face.

My muscles are pretty sore, but I ...

Dungeon Diver CH338

I finally open my eyes after a long rest and am greeted by Ember as I do.

"Good morning, you've gotten back into your habit of oversleeping lately."

The white clouds and crisp air of the dungeon’s sky brushes past my face at a calm speed.

I stretch to rub my face, but the feeling of pins and needles all over my body makes my movements much more difficult.

Even so, it's not nearly as bad as before I knocked out. Letting out a light cough and feeling the soreness in my...

Dungeon Diver CH337

My eyes dart back and forth, watching both my body double and Ember on either side of the beast. The growing explosion of sparks and red aura from my last barrage of attacks is getting larger, and I feel an ominous pressure emerge from the Minotaur taking my hits head-on.

Gritting my teeth, and looking down at my MP bar that’s just fallen below 30% of its remaining stores, I decide I need to finish this now.

I don't know what kind of hidden ability or special ending move this bo...

Dungeon Diver CH336

After being defeated a few more times, and even managing to land a few regular mana hits on the monster to gauge its strength further at the cost of valuable positioning that resulted in being defeated moments later, I’ve come to a conclusion.

I stand outside the rift with my hands on my hips in my true form, not bothering to make another body double just yet. I’ve finished every quest and have all the item dropped stored away in my item storage, and the only thing left to do is cle...

Dungeon Diver CH335

Thinking fast, I use up my remaining MP stores to combat the second incoming Demonic Energy blade.

There’s just enough time for me to use the propulsion of my strike to move myself out of the way, and a similar display of sparks erupts in the sky.

“Not good…”

My MP remaining is at less than 5%, and using Demonic Energy against an opponent like this is pointless unless I can figure out how to charge my attacks like his swords do.

Bringing my dagger into this rea...

Dungeon Diver CH334

With only a few hundred MP remaining, I rush at my opponent with two wind daggers in my grasp. The remaining raw energy inside the monster I run toward is just over a third of what it started with.

If I continue using my mana at the same rate, with the same strategies, I’ll surely lose. I need to get up close and try a more powerful technique. One that can finish it off in a single shot.

With this in mind, the next time I narrowly avoid the Minotaur's axe and air step away, I co...

Dungeon Diver CH333

I teleport back to the Minotaur Dungeon and recall the events inside the Demonic Realm to Ember, who replies with a sly grin and eyes full of interest.

“So it’s a trial realm. Once the three stages of tests are complete, the realm will collapse and bring you back here, I’m positive. I’ve seen these used before many times by newly ranked-up demons. They’re usually used for combat training once you reach a certain point, passing level 500 or so.”

I reply to this.

�...

Dungeon Diver CH332

The silhouette of an enormous Minotaur draws closer on the horizon. Its skin and fur are jet black, and its horns glisten with their obsidian-like gloss, reflecting the crimson light from the demonic creature's eyes back at me.

My gaze is fixated on the glowing purple key around its neck. It’s most likely linked to one of the conditions to unlocking whatever is behind this stone.

I lunge forward with my fists ready, and every step trailing energy behind me as I pick up speed. As...

Dungeon Diver CH331

As far as I can see on both my left and right is the cliffside of other mountains, all sloping downward into the same deep valley.

Although the air is less dense with Demonic Energy up here, I can sense there are large pockets of close to zero energy down below in the shadows of the ravine. Above me, dark clouds fill the sky, and the iron smell is even stronger out here than within the cave. After careful consideration, I've come to the conclusion that the water is what gives off this o...

Dungeon Diver CH330

The closer I get to the rift, the more Demonic Energy fills the air nearby. It's all coming from a single area near the furthest point in the dungeon where the guard previously warned me not to enter.

Even the minotaurs steer clear of this area, and the lush green grass doesn't glow as bright. The closer we get to the source, the more dull the dungeon mass around us becomes. Less and less trees grow and the mana in the air gets much thinner as well.

Finally, as we fly over a small...

Dungeon Diver CH329

The next 3 hours of training pass, bringing this session deep into the middle of the night. My real body has just finished up the Steel Tortoise and Giant Rat quests, and has moved onto some of the lower-level dungeons with easier tasks for lower rewards.

There aren’t many left now, so I might as well try to speed-run the rest of the quest papers I took with me before the sun comes up. Each one will net me a few more gold, so even if it seems like mindless farming; in the end, it’s ...

Dungeon Diver CH328

I stand back with Ember to watch my body double attempt to complete the 30 Demonic Energy attacks and 30 Mana-based attacks in just 60 seconds.

With a minute on the clock, I watch the small streams of dark black Demonic Energy as well as pure pink mana both collide to erupt into sparks against a nearby tree. Just fractions of a unit are used in each projectile, and a few dozen MP at most per mana-based attack.

The swaps back and forth are almost seamless. From an outside perspecti...

Dungeon Diver CH327

“As you know, there's a large difference between raw Demonic Energy and refined Demonic Energy. Raw Demonic Energy is similar to the ambient mana around us in the air. It has the potential to be used as an attack but won’t react or be easily manipulated unless compacted and filtered by the caster.”

I nod slowly as Ember continues to talk.

“There are two ways of doing this. Two that you’re already capable of, but only one that you use. The first is filtering energy throug...

Dungeon Diver CH326

We make it to a clearing in the dungeon where the grass covered, rocky ground flattens out, and a small source of Demonic Energy can be sensed nearby.

It’s releasing 1 or 2 units every few minutes, and the raw energy is floating high into the dungeon’s sky. Some are dissolving into the open air, and other portions are floating toward the exit portal.

Still, over a kilometer away from the source, I’m confident the natural output will be enough to begin my training.

I lo...

Dungeon Diver CH325

Although a ton of possible negative possibilities cross my mind at first, the fact that my own poster with the bounty marked out as collected still stands on the wall makes me question the validity of the posters.

I doubt they’d put up a false collection notice; it wouldn’t make any sense.

The odd string of logic that crosses my mind is that someone tricked the Solaran government or paid them off to get rid of our bounties. If my group is off the map, there would be a lot fewe...

Dungeon Diver CH324

The sound of shattering metal fills the room, and my gaze turns to watch the figure of a man dressed in all black disappear from my sight and out of the open door behind me.

"Not so fast…"

I activate my All-Seeing Eye along with all of my stat-boosting skills to feel a surge of power greater than anything I’ve felt before in my base form. It’s not that my mana control is stronger, it's my base stats. The recent level-ups as well as the Arch Demon’s core have definitely mad...

Dungeon Diver CH323

With my white Spatial magic portal slowly spinning next to the light blue humming exit portal of the dungeon, I answer Ember’s question.

“I… guess I have.”

Thinking about it further, the process wasn't the same, and the rewards were different too; but this soul bond does feel very similar to the one Ember and I made back when he first hatched from his egg.

I continue again. “Is there any problem with being soul bonded to more than one entity? It’s not like I can ...

Chapter 322

____________________

[Level Up] x48

[Addition New Stat Points] +377 Mental Strength

[New Skill] Craftsmanship [Mythic Grade]

[Red Hydra’s Aura Detected: Bond Success]

[Accelerated Hibernation: 56%]

[Accelerated Hibernation: 89%]

[Accelerated Hibernation: Success]

____________________

I open my eyes to see over half a dozen blue notifications covering my vision.

The sun is bright, making me squint my eyes as a cool breeze passes thr...

Dungeon Diver CH321

The dust settles, and Abby restores everyone including herself back to her best ability. It’s clear there is still some leftover mental and physical fatigue; all four team members are moving slowly with sore muscles and aching bones.

Lydia, approaching, previously restored by Abby after being freed from the cuffs, has her eyes wide, and an expression of pure shock and awe is plastered across her face.

“W-What happened to all of you? This…”

Her voice trails off as she...

Dungeon Diver CH320

“If all of you were easily pushed back by my gauntlet attacks, do you seriously think you have any chance of defeating me? You should have run while you still had the chance!”

Another laugh comes from the silver-coated man as his fists continue to charge up, glowing brighter and brighter white.

“I’m the strongest one in this Sector! I can feel the mana coming off you three, you’re all newly ranked up. You may be skilled, but you don’t stand a chance against me!”

Dungeon Diver CH319

Red wisps of energy float up in the air as a briefcase, black dagger, silver card, and some gold coins along with small numbered pins, demonic stones, and miscellaneous items fall to the desert floor.

Beside this pile of loot, the shattered armor of the Sector 2 leader sits in a pile. It's inactive, and there's no sign of the body.

Actually, there’s no sign of any bodies.

The small abandoned village continues to burn down to the desert floor, and the black flames flicker o...

Dungeon Diver CH318

The only clear path to victory in my mind is taking advantage of the destructive properties of Demonic Energy and the raw power of my mana-imbued strikes, buffed by the Red Hydra's aura, to obliterate the grey energy-filled defenses and land a clean attack right on the main body of the Sector 2 leader.

From what I’ve heard him yell, he’s proud of his creations. So much so, that it seems like he’s fully reliant on them.

If I’m only the second person to ever even hit him thr...

Dungeon Diver CH317

As fast as the blade enters my stomach, it leaves in the same manner, making me cough up blood and my vision go blurry while the outline of an armored man slowly steps away from me, pulling out his sword.

In the same moment, a tingling sensation starts to make waves over my body, all coming from the stab wound's source. My arms and legs grow slower while my senses also start to dull. Static fills my ears and white and grey wisps of energy completely cover my vision momentarily before I ...