[Greed Empowerment Tier 1 leveled up to Level 2]
[Level 2: New Sub Skill - Stamina Regeneration: Increase Energy and Will Power regeneration speed by 20%. Unlock at 50% Greed Meter.]
[50 Skill Points spent]
"Stamina Regeneration!" Nathan smiled with great satisfaction. "This is the exact skill I need right now. With this skill, I can use my berserker skill for a longer time."
"By making one skill, I get 5 skills at once. This way, I can save more on skill slots." Nathan chuckled with evil glee.
The feeling of somehow finding a loophole in the system and milking the hell out of it truly was awesome!
"Now level this up, Luna."
"Okay."
[…]
[Level 3: New Sub Skill - Enhanced Durability: Increase Physical Defense by 10%. Unlock at a 60% Greed Meter.]
Nathan read the new sub-skill information he got. "Okay, the information on this skill is pretty self-explanatory. At 60% greed meter, I will get an additional 10% physical defense. Not bad."
Nathan nodded. "Yes, I do this slowly so as not to get overwhelmed with all the descriptions of the skills I will get."
"Hummu… Hummu…"
"Okay, level this skill up, Luna."
"Okay."
[…]
[Level 4: New Sub Skill - Greed Aura: The user can generate an aura of greed that can amplify/induce avarice on beings inside its aura and gain an increase in attack speed from their emotions. Unlock at a 70% Greed Meter.]
"Greed Aura!?" Nathan asked.
"It's like an aura that gives a debuff to anyone near you. And you will gain additional attack speed the more people are affected by the aura."
"Hmmm." Nathan was silent. "Will this Aura also influence my comrades? Or only on my enemies?"
"Judging from the description here, this skill should influence anyone regardless of whether they are an enemy or friend."
"That's fine. Understandable, considering it's only a tier 1 skill." Nathan smiled. "Okay, next level, Luna?"
[…]
[Level 5: New Sub Skill - Energy Blast: Automatically cast. Project 40% of greed energy as a blast of energy that can cause cutting, impaling, and concussive damage. Depending on what the attack is composed of. It can possess various additional effects. Apply 400% of magic damage. Unlock at 90% Greed Meter.]
"So… When at 70% greed meter, the skill gives me an aura that makes anyone around me also greedy. And now, at 90% greed meter, I got a skill that will be forcibly used? Judging from the attack effect, 400% magical damage, I think this skill will be very useful if used at the right time."
Nathan was still trying to understand his newly gained skill. He nodded slowly as he started to become familiar with all the skill descriptions.
"Okay, Luna. I think we've had enough rest for now… We'll quickly clear this dungeon and head out for a shower?" Nathan smiled widely.
"Okay, Master." Luna jumped on the transparent footing, then floated to follow Nathan, who stood up and prepared to continue their exploration.
***
[You've killed Swarm Rat Lv. 7]
[You received 29 experience]
[Exp: 42/72]
[You've killed Swarm Rat Lv. 7]
[You received 29 experience]
[Exp: 71/72]
[You've killed Swarm Rat Lv. 5]
[You received 21 experience]
[Level Up]
[Name: Nathan Gardner]
[Level: Unranked Lv. 4]
[Exp: 20/87]
[…]
[You received 30 experience]
[Level Up]
[Name: Nathan Gardner]
[Level: Unranked Lv. 5]
[Exp: 23/105]
Nathan drew his sword from the body of the last monster rat he had defeated.
"Deactivate Berserker Form."
Nathan took a deep breath and calmed himself. He underwent drastic physical and mental changes every time he activated his berserker form, and he needed to readjust his state every time he ended the skill.
"How many monsters have I killed so far, Luna?"
Nathan activated his magic detection and immediately discovered which monsters left Monster Cores in their bodies.
"If I count from the moment you entered this dungeon, you have already killed 11 monsters in total."
Nathan swung his sword, which was full of monster's blood, slashed the chest of one of the rats open, reached into the heart of one monster, and got another Monster Core.
Nathan continued his journey. He walked faster after being able to detect the whereabouts of the monsters. That way, he would not get close to them without knowing.
They walked until the tunnel they were passing through slowly became wider. They came across a room wider than the tunnel.
Nathan fell silent and crouched on the ground.
The room before the two of them was extremely dark. But he, with difficulty, could see the appearance of a giant spider web hanging ominously in the middle of the large room.
He slowly checked every corner of the room to find out the monster was hiding.
At one point in the cave, Nathan could see several pairs of red eyes staring at him.
[Rare Giant Swarm Spider Lv. 15]
"That's a Giant Swarm Spider!!! And the rare one."
Nathan swallowed hard, but he remained silent and unmoving in his place. The monster he had to face was way above his level.
"This monster is a Rare grade! It is far above Normal grade. You will gain a lot of experience if you kill it."
Nathan gritted his teeth at Luna. "That is if I manage to kill him. What if I'm the one who got killed?"
In the distance, the spider started to move. The monster clung to the net it made and slowly descended to the ground.
"Status page," Nathan muttered under his breath.
[..]
[Level: Unranked Lv. 5]
[Exp: 23/105]
[-]
[Strength: 20]
[Dexterity: 17]
[Agility: 18]
[Magic: 21]
[Constitution: 12]
[Stamina: 39]
[Stat Points: 12]
[..]
"What do I need to fight a monster like this?"
Nathan was still hidden, but he was holding his sword tightly, ready to fight whenever needed.
"As a melee fighter, you need Stamina and Strength at the top of the list. After that, Dexterity, Agility, and Constitution are in second place with balanced values. With a combination like that, you can fight with less risk while maintaining balance in all aspects." Luna explained.
"Okay. 12 stat points, then let's do it like this."
[4 Stat Points -> Strength]
[6 Stat Points -> Constitution]
[1 Stat Points -> Agility]
[1 Stat Points -> Dexterity]
"I think this is enough. Having great damage is good, but good defense is also important. I don't want to be a glass cannon."
Nathan gulped and tried to stand up after feeling ready for the challenge he was about to face.
"Activate Berserker Form!"
Changes to his body and mind immediately occurred, something he had been able to deal with more easily this time.
The spider was now on the ground, looking at him with several pairs of red eyes.
Nathan slashed his sword to the side. He looked at it with a sharp gaze.
Kyieeee~
An eardrum-piercing scream was heard. The spider moved swiftly towards him with its 4 pairs of legs.
Some sort of weird liquid shot out from the Spider's mouth and hurtled towards him.
"Accel!"
Nathan dashed to the side and dodged it with ease. His body darted fast and dodged every long-range attack made by the spider.
The spider continued to twist its body and unleash its long-range attacks at him.
"Accel!"
"Accel!"
Nathan jumped quickly, somersaulted in the air, and dived to dodge every attack that came his way.
"I have to attack it quickly before I run out of stamina and end up dying like a silly clown who did nothing to attack his enemy!"
Nathan rolled forward, then dived rapidly, trying to get closer to it.
The spider threw web after web from its mouth, but Nathan swiftly managed to dodge them all every time.
However, the last strike hit his leg and made him freeze on the spot because of the webs that bound his leg to the ground.
"Shit! No, no, no, no, no!!!"
Nathan tried to cut the webs at his feet, but the spider threw another attack from its mouth. The dark-colored water ball was aimed directly at him.
Nathan tilted his body and avoided the attack.
He dodged the attack as he escaped from the spider webs that bound his legs.
Nathan jumped aside and ran back to the spider.
He was at a fairly safe distance. Nathan threw a slashing sword at the monster, hoping to make a lucky strike and make it. But the spider leaped impossibly high up into the air and dodged the attack.
[Nathan Gardner]
[Greed Meter: 73%]
"I will kill you and gain a lot of experience from you, ehehehe…." Nathan smiled broadly and leaped ahead to grab his sword that had fallen on the ground.
The spider had launched another attack, and again, he succeeded in avoiding it.
Nathan regained his position and immediately threw a sword slash in the air, this time with all the strength he had.
The spider screamed when its body was pierced by the sword.
The giant spider fell to the ground and started to thrash wildly.
"Acceleration!!!"
Nathan dashed and grabbed the sword's hilt, which was stuck in the monster's body.
He jumped back. "Acceleration!!!"
And with just the right momentum, he stabbed his sword back into the spider's body.
Nathan screamed, creating a deeper wound in the spider's body.
SCREEEE! The spider wailed in agony.
But its death wail merely spurred Nathan on and made him attack even faster and with even more savagery.
And after a few seconds, he finally did it.
The system notification he had been waiting for finally arrived.
[You've killed Rare Giant Swarm Spider Lv. 15]
[You received 154 experience]
[Level Up]
[Name: Nathan Gardner]
[Level: Unranked Lv. 6]
[Exp: 72/126]
[You received 6 stat points]
[You received 100 skill points]
Nathan smiled at what appeared in front of him.