With the end of the seven days from when he had used his soul burst unique skill Marcus' stats were restored to their full power.
He knew immediately when it happened as it felt as if a great weight had been lifted off of his body.
'Status'
Name: Marcus Ferrous
Age: 28
Race: Unbound Ghost
Level: 29
HP: 1970/1970 – 1770/1770
MP: 1970/1970
STR: 177
AGL: 176 (+8)
VIT: 177
INT: 197
SPR: 197
Stat Points: 0
Skill Points: 5
Unique Skills: Personal Status, #######, Solid Soul, Soul Burst
Skills: Medium Item Box, Lesser Regeneration Lvl 1, Digging Lvl 1, Fighting Lvl 4, Magic Circulation Lvl 4, Iron Magic Lvl 4, Disassembly Lvl 4, Stealth Lvl 2, Lightning Magic Lvl 4, Creature Appraisal Lvl 3, Fire Magic Lvl 1, Danger Sense Lvl 3, Darkvision Lvl 3, Scythemanship, Superior Lvl 4, Healing Magic Lvl 2, Mana Regeneration Lvl 4, Speed Burst Lvl 4, Mana Body Lvl 4, Powerful Slash Lvl 4, Physical Resistance Lvl 3, Heighten Spells Lvl 4, Forge Lvl 1
Blessing of Iron
Race Abilities: Invisible, Ethereal, Chill Zone, Float, Possession (Limited), Undying
Specter Powers: Ghost Sounds, Spectral Arm, Phantom Pressure
Looking over his status just to be sure that his stats had reverted to their original values Marcus felt relief when he saw all of his stats had gone back up. However, what really surprised him was the addition of his new new specter power, phantom pressure.
After reading the description of his new specter power Marcus was ecstatic since while his ghost sounds had the occasional use, and his spectral arm was relatively strong his new specter power was incredible.
His new power allowed him to directly apply the pressure of his spirit stat onto someone else and depending on the difference between their spirit stats determined the effect. If they were around the same strength, it would just make them feel slightly heavy but if it was weaker, he could completely immobilize them or even kill them depending on the difference.
'I was happy to see my stats back to their true level, but this new specter power is amazing, I want to go out and try it right away.'
Marcus then informed Mrazivý of the good news that his stats were no longer under the negative effect of his unique skill and that he was ready to get out of the dungeon.
The two of them quickly gathered up their supplies putting it away into their respective dimensional storages.
Once they had everything packed away, they headed towards the stairs that led out of the boss' chambers and back into normal area of the dungeon.
However, before they exited the boss' room Mrazivý stopped Marcus and said, "Before we head out there, we should discuss our battle formation."
The two of them then discussed their respective fighting styles and found that they both fought fairly similarly going for an all-rounder approach using both magic and weapons. Except while Marcus used a scythe, lightning, and iron magic as his focuses, Mrazivý was and expert with the sword and ice magic.
Eventually they came to the conclusion for Mrazivý to be the vanguard since Marcus' weapon was damaged and he would take the rear guard supporting with spells. Nevertheless, this was just a general plan and both of them knew there would be times that they needed to be flexible.
With their battle plans prepared both of them marched up the stairs back into the confines of the dungeon infested with monsters and beasts.
Of course, normally two people trying to traverse this deep into the third layer of the Ocean Bluff temple would end up dead but since both of them were especially powerful they knew that unless something extraordinary happened they would be fine.
Unfortunately, Mrazivý had no idea where she was in relation to the dungeon's exit while Marcus only had a general idea of the direction but did not know where they would find a path leading to the upper levels.
Pointing the direction that the dungeon's exit should be in Marcus and Mrazivý started their journey out of the dungeon.
…
"Ice Floor"
A sheet of ice then covered the floor of the room Marcus and Mrazivý had wandered into and been ambushed by group of magical beasts that resembled large iguanas.
They had been fighting this group with little trouble when a huge frog like abomination with multiple mouths came in and started assaulting them as well.
It kept assaulting them launching its tongues at them trying to reel one of them in and make a meal out of them.
That was when Mrazivý decided to cast her tier two ice spell ice floor to knock it off balance.
"Marcus I will handle the lizards you deal with that frog abomination."
Nodding his head Marcus sent his tier three lighting bind spell towards the frog abomination coiling it up rings of lighting.
However, the thing wriggled free almost immediately its body being heavily elastic and resistant to electricity.
Marcus tried shotting it with some fire shots but even with his high spirt stat the level one spell was only doing minimal damage to monster.
He then tried smacking it around with his iron sphere but found that due to the elasticity of its body the blunt attacks were doing almost no damage.
Unfortunately, the frog abomination eventually got its footing together and though he was doing his best to evade Marcus eventually got tagged by one of its tongues and it reeled him in towards its mouth.
Reacting quickly Marcus brought out his scythe even though he was trying to avoid using it lest he damage it further.
Using his scythe Marcus infused it with mana and cut clean through the tongue of the frog monster and used his iron threads to stop his forward momentum so he did not crash into it.
Getting his bearing back Marcus had just come up with a good idea and charged directly for the frog abomination.
The monster frog continued launching its remain tongues towards Marcus, but he wrapped his iron threads around the ones that he could not dodge with ease and soon was right in front of the monster.
It of course being a hulking mass simply jumped forward intent on crushing Marcus.
This however, left its stomach open and Marcus used his speed bust skill to shoot under its stomach in midair and sliced vertically down its length cutting open the frog's belly.
It then crashed into the ground sprawling around in pain, leaving it open to a follow up attack.
With his opening created Marcus used his new phantom pressure ability exerting his spiritual power over the frog monster and immobilizing it. He then leaped onto its head and embed his scythe deeply, killing the frog abomination in matter of seconds.
At the same moment, the air in the room dropped several degrees and Marcus saw a massive flower made of ice appear and then all of the petals slammed together crushing and freezing all of the remaining iguana like magical beasts.
This was Mrazivý tier four ice spell rime flower that was not inferior in power to Marcus' own thunderbird strike.
Walking over Marcus noticed that Mrazivý had a few claw wounds on her body that were lightly bleeding.
Using his healing magic Marcus quickly fixed up her wounds, and she said, "Thanks, now we should head out of here before more monsters or beasts show up. This is already the third time we have run into a fight in the last hour and if this keeps up, we will fall to exhaustion."
Unfortunately, the dungeon was not so kind as a gargantuan spider that was over eight feet tall, and twenty feet wide dropped down from the ceiling right above Mrazivý.
Seeing the gargantuan spider, Marcus reflexively fired off a heightened thunderbird strike without feigning the need to chant half in order to protect Mrazivý and half because of his acute fear of spiders.
The massive bird of electricity then engulfed the spider turning it into a crisp in a single instance.
However, this did not go unnoticed by Mrazivý as she certainly saw that Marcus had just unleashed one of the most powerful spells she had ever seen and done so without chanting.
She then positioned her sword at Marcus and said, "What the hell was that you did not chant your spell. When I checked your status, you definitely did not even have chant shortening let alone silent casting. Explain yourself how did you do that."
For the fist time since he had met her Mrazivý was now showing him an immense amount of hostility, and while she had been suspicious before she had never been hostile.
Realizing his blunder Marcus decided to come clean and hope that she would still trust him and if not, he would have to kill her in order to keep his secret.
"I guess you have found me out, I am not human but a monster, but I would like to state that I was a human at one time and still think like one. I am actually a type of ghost that has gained my freedom and since I used to be human, I just decided to keep acting like one."
Mrazivý stared at him menacingly for a good minute trying to gage whether he was telling the truth before she spoke up and said, "How can I trust anything you say, you are just a monster that is probably planning on doing something unspeakable. It has always been told that intelligent monsters are the most dangerous and can even drag a kingdom to ruin. If I let you live it could be the end of the kingdom of Borealia, you are already strong enough to be a major threat and if you get any stronger no one in the kingdom will be able to stop you."
Mrazivý then launched herself towards Marcus her sword glowing a vibrant green and blue from its enchantments and her mana.
Marcus seeing her approach opened his arms leaving himself completely open taking no defensive actions, and when Mrazivý's sword was only inches away from his neck she stopped her sword and looked at him with a face full of confusion.
Sighing Marcus said, "I consider you a friend after spending the last week in the dungeon with you and I have no designs to destroy this kingdom or hurt anyone unjustly. I simply want to explore this world and enjoy myself on the journey. If you still think I am a threat, go ahead and strike me down, but after that I will consider you an enemy and treat you as such."
Mrazivý could feel the cold resolution in Marcus' voice and could tell she had no chance against him. Lowering her sword, she collapsed onto the ground her mind in disarray.
Marcus crouched down to be at the same level as her and gave her a hug before saying, "Just because I am a ghost does not change anything, I still came down here to save you because I wanted to, and we still became friends over the week we spent together down here. I promise you that as long as you never try to hurt me, I will never hurt you so let us go back to the way we were before."
Coming to the realization that if Marcus was truly evil or trying to use her, he would not have gone this far, and without him she certainly would have ended up dead at the hands of the third layer boss.
"Your right, you have already done more for me than most of the people who claim to be my friends ever would. I am sorry for attacking you, so let us forget about this and go on being friends."
The two of them then got back onto their feet and continued searching for a way to exit the dungeon.