Ash and Raven returned to the inn and found Quinn and Rose waiting for them in front of the counter.
"So, how did you guys do?" asked Quinn.
"One Green ranked quest done. One more to ascend to Green." replied Raven with seriousness.
Ash silently went upstairs to the room without talking leaving all three of them. He felt the mission tiring and he also felt the weakness for the first time.
Even after getting legendary pet as a familiar, the ordeal with the bone lord definitely shook him up mentally.
He was feeling the affects of that now after he reached a peaceful place. There was also other question that was in his mind.
The Dark Bull demon was too weak compared to Bone Lord. The question has been in his mind ever since he defeated it. It only gave 400000 experience while the Bone Lord gave 600000 experience.
Ash went to his room, took a bath and jumped on the bed to see the stats.
Status:
Name: Ash Randell
Level 18
Class: Evoker
Subclass1: Locked
Subclass2: Locked
HP: 22000/22000
Experience: 391000/1100000
STR: 1650
AGI: 1655
VIT: 1635
INT: 1661
LUCK: 1645
Skills: Fire bolt(Active), Ice Wave (Active), Mind Immunity( Passive), Poison Immunity(Passive), Spear art (Active), Martial arts(Active), Blacksmith (Master), Alchemy (Master), Electric Arc(Active), Wind Cutters (Active), Blind Immunity(Passive), Acid Immunity(Passive), Enhanced enemy detection(passive), Energy Barrier (Active), Dark Chains (Active), Earth daggers (Active), Light Swords (Active), Dimensional Travel(Active), Transmutation (Active), Anti Rune Teleportation(Active), Continental Teleportation(Active), Curse immunity(Passive), Dark Immunity(Passive), Time Stop (Active), Space Warp (Active), Meteor Rain (Active), Fire projectiles (Active), Water Bombs (Active), Lightning Sword (Active), Earthquake (Active), Stone Skin (Active), Night Vision (Passive).
Timed Quest:
Complete 5 Blue Ranked Quests or 2 Green Ranked Quests.
Reward: 1500000 Experience.
Time Limit: 6 days
Penalty: System shut down for 5 days.
As expected the stat increase was quite low. The health has increased a bit.
"System, why was the Dark Bull demon too weak?" asked Ash.
"Host, the Dark Bull demon is afflicted with a very high level curse which completely sealed most of its powers" replied the system.
"What?"
"Yes host, the entire area around the boss room is filled with the curse. You have escaped due to the curse immunity, while Ms. Raven has escaped due to the divine energy surrounding her." said the system.
"Then why didn't I get the notification about it there?" asked Ash with his body trembling.
"Host, your level wasn't high enough to get any notification regarding the curse." said the system.
"So, that is the reason why I am also feeling weak and vulnerable right now?" asked Ash.
"Yes host. It did not have any serious effect but your body definitely got a backlash after the curse immunity resisted the curse" said the system.
"If I hadn't looted the skill books I would have been in danger" thought Ash.
"This is a headache. I will eat some food before I go to sleep" said Ash.
He went downstairs, ate some food and went to sleep on his bed.
In the Demon Hawk conglomerate....
A middle aged man with white suit and a blonde moustache is sitting on the table glaring at the people in front of him.
"You guys missed a potential loot?" said the person.
"We thought they would be easy prey but they were very cunning and escaped easily " replied the leader.
The person sitting is Patrick Lionhawk, the founder of Demon Hawk Conglomerate.
The people standing in front of him are Aqua Lion mercenary group.
"Hmm. Do they know your identities or any details linking you to our company?" asked Patrick with brows furrowed.
"No. They knew that we were following them but they did not know the identity of our group." said Ivan.
"Excellent. You can take your reward for the jobs you have done till now but leave immediately without anyone knowing." warned Patrick.
"Thank you." said Ivan and they all went down to collect the reward for the job.
"Is it a good idea to leave them?" came a voice from the side.
A man with a black butler suit came out.
"Don't worry Gunther. I can say that they did not lie with the genuine disappointment reflecting in their faces. There is a curse afflicted on all of them which has sealed their abilities." said Patrick.
"If you say so, My lord" said Gunther.
"Try to acquire information about the group which went to the ruins." ordered Patrick.
"As you wish." said Gunther and disappeared into shadows.
"Whoever you guys maybe, you might have escaped those mercenaries but you won't escape me." said Patrick with a vile grin looking into the moonlight through the window.
.The next day,
In the Inn,
Ash woke up and did his daily routine of martial arts, took a bath and came down to join breakfast for others.
"So, are you okay?" asked Rose with concern.
"I will not take a quest for 2 days. I am tired mentally and physically." said Ash seriously.
"What happened?" asked Raven with a serious tone.
Ash sighed and said "The room in the 4th floor is cursed and I was able to escape it because of my immunity to curses, but there is a backlash".
The three of them widened their eyes on hearing his words.
"So, that means did Raven got affected?" asked Quinn.
"No, she is protected by Divine energy. She is immune to poison, illness and curses" said Ash.
Quinn and Rose both looked at Raven with surprise.
"He is right. It seems even he became powerful after absorbing the skill books in the ruins." said Raven.
"Skill books?" asked Quinn with an excited tone.
"Yes, we all need to learn those skills before we proceed further." said Raven.
"Why?" asked Rose.
"These skill books contain powerful spells and immunities. You guys are going to need it if you want to survive." replied Ash.
"Come to my room and I'll make you learn the skills quickly" said Ash with a grumpy tone.
Ash decided to rest completely for two day before going on the next quest because his mental state looked disarrayed.
He was silent while eating and did not talk to others. They came to his room and he explained how to use the spells and immunities easily.
It took very less time for Quinn and Rose, while Raven struggled.
He sent them away after that and went into a meditative state. He sensed the magical energies and found the star. He started absorbing energy and released all the impurities overwhelming the body using the energy from magic array.
Ash collapsed after that and went into a comatose state.
[Host has entered the Dream Dimension]
[Host's body will be in the state of coma for 3 days]
[Host's body brought into a separate dimension]
[System has entered the safe mode]
Yesterday during night Ash suffered convulsions during night due to the backlash. He also had terrible nightmares.
The system has asked him to enter the Dream dimension to face the mental problem. Ash decided to do it because he does not want the issue to make him suffer.