Chapter 428: Routine Training? (1/2)
Ilea didn’t feel as benevolent about the Halians and Blade lurkers of the twelfth layer, slaughtering every last one of them she encountered.
Neither felt much like an animal to her, purely monsters. The Halians used illusions to lure her towards them. Distorted friends and memories they pried from the surface of her mind or simply something Ilea formed herself. She doubted the creatures could get much from her now that her Mind Resistance was in the third tier.
She didn’t feel a mind magic presence from them as soon as she found her first enemy, confirming her second theory. No illusion resistance showed up sadly but the powerful corrosive substance from their bellies was enough to satisfy her.
The Blade Lurkers weren’t interested in food, ignoring the chunks she threw their way and instead cutting into her armor.
Ilea killed them quickly.
The Fae helped her locate more of the Halians, making the layer much less annoying to traverse than before. She decided to fly through it as well, increasing her speed considerably compared to her previous walking.
She was quite a bit more aggressive this time around, trusting in her skills and newfound power as well as knowing the enemies and their abilities. The Blade Lurkers hadn’t posed much of a threat before and the Halians were quickly taken care of thanks to her new increased mana pool.
A couple charged up uses of Absolute Destruction made them realize in record time that what they swallowed wasn’t exactly lunch.
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Halian – lvl 620] (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
…
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Corrupted Halian – lvl 603]
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Blade Lurker – lvl 522]
…
‘ding’ ‘You have defeated [Blade Lurker – lvl 583]
‘ding’ ‘The Azarinth Sentinel has reached lvl 346 – Five stat points awarded’
‘ding’ ‘Kin of Ash has reached lvl 346 – Five stat points awarded’
‘ding’ ‘Absolute Destruction reaches 3rd lvl 22’
‘ding’ ‘Blink reaches 3rd lvl 17’
‘ding’ ‘Sentinel Sphere reaches 3rd lvl 9’
‘ding’ ‘Sentinel Core reaches 3rd lvl 21’
‘ding’ ‘Sentinel Huntress reaches 3rd lvl 2’
‘ding’ ‘Azarinth Perception reaches 3rd lvl 6’
‘ding’ ‘Azarinth Reversal reaches 3rd lvl 17’
‘ding’ ‘True Ash creation reaches 3rd lvl 22’
‘ding’ ‘Heart of Cinder reaches 3rd lvl 14’
‘ding’ ‘Heart of Cinder reaches 3rd lvl 15’
‘ding’ ‘Storm of Cinders reaches 3rd lvl 16’
‘ding’ ‘Avatar of Ash reaches 3rd lvl 17’
‘ding’ ‘Avatar of Ash reaches 3rd lvl 18’
‘ding’ ‘Keeper of Ash reaches 3rd lvl 20’
‘ding’ ‘Identify reaches lvl 11’
‘ding’ ‘Monster Hunter reaches lvl 17’
‘ding’ ‘Veteran reaches 2nd lvl 12’
‘ding’ ‘Corrosion Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 16’
…
‘ding’ ‘Corrosion Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 20’
Ilea sat down near the exit to the eleventh layer with a meal and a happy Fae. Both had enjoyed a rather extensive display of violence, corrosion and blood.
She had cleaned herself and was eating a meal, having lost track of time. She was somewhat sure it had been less than ten hours at least. Somewhat.
None of the creatures had responded to her new mind magic trick and her Monster Hunter skill had only enraged them more.
Ilea spent five stat points each into Dexterity and Intelligence. Might as well get it up to my Strength standards. Now that Intelligence is the main damage dealer I might as well get some more speed and flexibility.
Wisdom would become a priority again but the bonus from Meditation was so good she decided to shelve it for the time being, likely getting more practical use out of some other stats.
She checked if Corrosion Resistance was eligible for a third tier level up.
- Corrosion Resistance
You have literally bathed in acid, have chosen to slather yourself in corrosive substances instead of trying to avoid them. It is quite frankly, concerning. Your body has melted and regenerated so many times it might even be second nature by now. Should you wish to advance your Corrosion Resistance to the third tier, you may do so.
You’re right, it is second nature, she thought and decided not to advance this one either. For now at least.
I have nine points though… Veteran, Monster Hunter as well as a bunch of others are way more interesting though.
Ilea didn’t feel like hunting down any of the Stone Cyclops, instead finding a couple Spirits of Winter to continue her resistance training.
They obliged, the Fae surprisingly staying close to her as it seemed to work on its shield.
She wondered if it was benefiting as well, sitting down and enjoying the breeze. Her body froze up constantly, her Ice Resistance deactivated as well as her armor down to allow the lower leveled creatures to get in what they could.
The mysterious presence she had encountered the last time didn’t show up and she soon reached the end of the second tier for her Ice Resistance.
‘ding’ ‘Ice Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 11’
…
‘ding’ ‘Ice Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 20’
‘ding’ ‘Space Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 2’
…
‘ding’ ‘Space Magic Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 4’
There sadly was no option to get it to the third tier and her search for the presence proved futile.
She gave up after a couple sweeps of the layer, her enhanced eyes, Sentinel Huntress, the Fae as well as all her perception abilities unable to determine a being besides the Spirits, a bunch of rabbits and the Cyclopes.
I’ll find something, she thought and instead focused on another potential third tier skill.
‘ding’ ‘Poison Resistance reaches 2nd lvl 20’
- Poison Resistance
Perhaps it is only natural, for humans to eat and drink things that damage their bodies. When it is alcohol and chili for some, you choose the deadliest poisons carefully crafted and measured by top assassins and predators. Poisons that should kill you twice over. You do you.
“Nice,” she murmured to herself, sitting near the exit to the tenth layer. “Poison resistance to the third tier, what do you think?”
The Fae was forming snow angels, pausing to giver her a mental thumbs up.
‘ding’ ‘Poison Resistance reaches 3rd lvl 1’
Poison Resistance – 3rd lvl 1
You are a target of assassins or not very good at distinguishing berries. Surviving either of those you have developed a general resistance to poisons.
2nd stage: Either you need better guards or you need to stop eating everything you see. Experience has granted you an ability to sense poison. Additionally its spread throughout your body is slower, reducing its effects.
3rd stage: Your favorite drink and seasoning for every food, you revel in that which destroys you. No more. You may neutralize the effects of many poisons on touch, in a mug of ale, your body, or someone else’s with the help of mana intrusion abilities, should you choose to do so.
Ilea tested it immediately, trying to neutralize the poison in one of the little flasks.
She knew instinctively that it failed, feeling that the poison was too strong for her current ability. Great.
It was an ancient dungeon and she assumed most commonly used poisons were less potent. Plus I know it’s going to be quite effective for leveling.
“It’s pretty cool. I can neutralize poisons now,” she said absentmindedly.
Great
Congratulations
“You sound sarcastic. Are you bored?” she asked.
The Fae sat up and looked at her before it nodded weakly.
The eleventh layer hadn’t been very interesting admittedly.
Ilea smirked and jumped the creature, grabbing it before they rolled through the snow. “Well…,” she started. “I’ve got something quite interesting for you in the layer ahead.”
The corpses were still at the bottom of the tenth layer, much of the stone burnt up by the creature that inhabited these parts.
Excited
“Can you feel it?” she asked and cupped her mouth with both hands.
“Oy! Birdie!” Monster Hunter activated and sent the challenge reverberating out through the cliffs.
The lightning Elemental appeared near instantly, floating proud with outstretched wings. It looked at her with near white eyes but didn’t attack immediately.
Ilea watched in amazement as the creature bowed to them.
“What?” she asked before a bolt of lightning zapped her.
Friend?, she sent to the being.
The Fae tapped her cheek as it shook its head.
It pointed at itself.
Friendly
“Ah, so it’s friendly to you but not to me?” she asked.
The Fae nodded.