Dante was taken aback for four reasons. Firstly, he was unfamiliar with the name "Miller" until it unexpectedly appeared in his own name. As the system was infallible, he deduced that the only explanation was that his parents were still alive, which he deemed impossible.
This was because the orphanage where he spent his first five years of life had explicitly informed him that his parents had perished in a gate opening, leading to a potential misunderstanding.
Curiously, Dante did not even entertain the notion that his parents might still be alive, dismissing it casually.
In addition to his confusion over his name, Dante was also perplexed by the inconsistencies in his physical makeup. Despite his evolution, the values of his power parameters, including attack power, defense, and stamina, were disproportionate and did not align with what would be expected of a typical human body at the start of a mage journey.
These numbers represented his current base strength, and they were not in line with what his body should have naturally possessed.
However, what shocked Dante the most was his exceptionally high mana level. The widely accepted cap for newly awakened beings was a maximum of one hundred points, yet he possessed double that amount. This revelation left him dumbfounded and unsure of how to comprehend such an anomaly.
Adding to Dante's bewilderment was the realization that he had obtained Magnus' Unique Meta Trait. Upon seeing the name of the ability, he immediately checked his back where he knew the tattoo would usually be located.
To his surprise, it was still there and had not been consumed by the black cyclone tattoo on his neck like his other tattoos. This discovery further added to the mystery of his current situation and left him feeling both shocked and perplexed.
The last time Dante had seen Magnus was approximately five years and six months ago. Magnus had disappeared mysteriously after staying with Dante for the first six months of their meeting, leaving behind one of his many swords, and Dante had not heard from him since.
Despite his surprise at inheriting Magnus' Unique Meta Trait, Dante did not feel particularly joyous. He knew how powerful and formidable the ability was, and with it came a sense of increased responsibility towards Magnus. This realization weighed heavily on Dante, and he felt the crushing weight of his newfound responsibilities.
The fourth and final reason for Dante's surprise was the realization that the core of his abilities seemed to be marked by ominous tags. Even the fire element he had awakened was due to the obviously ominous Abyssal Power, and now he had received another power marked with a ''Cursed'' tag. What was exactly this ''Curse Of Theia''
This discovery left him feeling uneasy and uncertain about the true nature of his abilities, as well as the potential consequences of possessing such powers. The ominous tags only added to the mystery surrounding his past and present, and Dante felt as though he had stumbled upon a secret he was not meant to know.
Dante couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that lingered despite his newfound powers. His abilities seemed to cover every aspect of his being, from physical strength to mental faculties, skills, and the energy to fuel all of these processes.
He couldn't help but think that this was the nature of humans, to hope for everything but have nothing, yet he now had everything to get what he wanted. Nevertheless, the ominous tags left him feeling uncertain about the true source of his powers and what they meant for his future.
He was aware that with great power came great responsibility, and he was unsure if he was ready to bear the weight of that responsibility.
Dante let out a tired sigh, feeling the weight of his newfound powers and responsibilities. ''So ironic,'' he muttered to himself. He realized that there was not much he could do about his situation at the moment.
If he was just a pawn being controlled by someone else, the only way to break free would be to become stronger and break those puppet strings. Despite his uncertainty, Dante knew that he needed to focus on getting stronger, no matter what lay ahead.
At the end of the day, he realized that nothing had really changed, and he had to keep moving forward. With a determined look on his face, Dante took a deep breath and began to prepare himself for the journey ahead.
Unbeknownst to Dante, his change in mentality had not gone unnoticed. Elrid, who had been watching him closely, couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope in his usually harrowing eyes.
For the first time, Elrid felt as though Dante might have what it takes to succeed. However, he decided not to mention anything to Dante, not wanting to overinflate his ego.
Elrid knew that the journey ahead would be treacherous, and he didn't want Dante to become complacent or overconfident. Instead, he would continue to watch over Dante, silently supporting him from the shadows as he prepared himself for the challenges that lay ahead.
Elrid kept his dream to himself, knowing that it was something that most people of the Abyss race used to share before their demise. The idea of walking on the illusionary, Abyssal Path was something that had fascinated his people for generations, although the true concept of the path had been lost over time.
Regardless, the dream of walking on the Abyssal Path remained a source of inspiration and motivation for Elrid, and he secretly hoped that Dante might someday be able to achieve it.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Elrid descended back into Dante's subconscious, determined to continue watching over him and helping him in any way he could.
Despite the challenges and uncertainties that lay ahead, Elrid couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement at the prospect of what Dante might accomplish in the future.
''Elrid, I need your help entering the Abyss Dimension once again.'' Despite the potential annoyance, Dante asked Elrid for help in entering the Abyss Dimension. The weight of his burden was so heavy that he no longer cared about any potential outbursts or tantrums.
Dante braced himself for a possible reprimand for his ignorance, but to his surprise, Elrid patiently taught him the method without any scolding or criticism.
Without overthinking, Dante focused his mind and descended into the Abyss Dimension through his consciousness, unlike his previous entry when he entered with his physical body.
(A/N: Sea of consciousness, subconscious, and consciousness can be used interchangeably)
As he felt the familiar heat wave, he suddenly materialized into the fiery dimension. However, it was a different location from his previous visit in the same dimension, as shown by the similarity in the surroundings.
His arrival was promptly greeted by the imposing presence of a horde of lava golems, wielding thick spiked clubs as they marched forward. Assessing the situation, he targeted a single golem to gauge the collective strength of the horde, using his range to his advantage.
He carefully inspected the golem, taking note of its physical features. Its body was made entirely of molten lava, with a rough and jagged texture. Its eyes glowed a bright red, while its massive arms were adorned with thick spikes that looked like they could cause serious damage.
He also noticed that the golem's movements were slow and lumbering, suggesting that it lacked agility. Taking all of this into account, he prepared to engage in battle- even though it was bound to be a deadly fight.
As he attempted to move forward, he became paralyzed with fear. The army of golems suddenly bowed down before what appeared to be a mountain of molten lava.
Suddenly, the mountain seemingly came to life, revealing a towering ten-meter lava golem. This golem was unlike any other he had encountered, emanating an aura akin to the dragon he had battled before, but even more intense and fiery.
The golem's presence was both awe-inspiring and terrifying, and its towering size and powerful form made it clear that this was a creature not to be trifled with.
Its molten lava core seemed to glow brighter as it approached, casting an eerie orange light across its rocky exterior. As the golem raised its club, the sound of grinding stone filled the air, and the ground trembled with each heavy step.
It was as if the very earth itself was rising to do battle, and the lava stone golem was its fearsome champion. Any who dared to face this creature head-on would be met with a fierce and unyielding opponent, one whose sheer size and strength could crush them in an instant.
The lava stone golem was truly a force to be reckoned with, a living embodiment of the raw power and fury of the earth itself. As the lava stone golem strode forward, it produced a low, rumbling sound akin to the shifting of tectonic plates or the growling of a volcano.
Its eyes glimmered with intense heat, while its movements were slow and methodical, suggesting unwavering confidence in its invincibility.
All of a sudden, the giant's head swiftly turned towards Dante's position. Despite its towering size, the golem surprisingly materialized before Dante with remarkable speed.
Caught off guard, Dante didn't have a chance to react before being crushed under the colossal club. Unfortunately, this time it wasn't a premonition; he was truly dead.
In his hotel room, Dante jolted up from the bed in agony as an excruciating pain coursed through his body. The pain was soul-wrenching, both figuratively and literally, as his consciousness bore the brunt of the agony from his death in another dimension.
With his determination steeled, he entered the dimension once more, hoping to find himself in a location with less deadly foes. However, fate seemed to have a cruel sense of humor, as the same cycle repeated itself. Each time he entered, he would be met with death in a matter of seconds.
''I can't bear this any longer. This will be my final attempt. If I don't succeed this time, I won't try it again today. I'll just postpone the time for the dungeon run. '' In a tired and weary voice, Dante muttered to himself as he replayed the memories of his past failed attempts and deaths, all within the span of the last five minutes.
As he entered the dimension once more, Dante found himself perilously close to the massive golem again.
Without wasting a second, he tensed his leg muscles to their limit and propelled himself in the opposite direction with all his might, trying to put as much distance between himself and the looming threat as possible.
The enormous golem cast a dismissive gaze at the tiny creature scurrying away in desperation. It decided to let it go, having already derived enough amusement from its futile attempts to survive.
There were more pressing matters to attend to, like the impending war that would determine the hierarchy of power in this dimension. An insignificant being like the rat posed no threat to the grand scheme of things.
Little did Dante know, a war was brewing in the dimension, and he was about to find himself caught in the middle of it.
As he fled from the golem, he had no idea of the dangers that awaited him in the days to come. The scent of conflict was in the air, and the forces that would soon clash were far beyond his imagination.
Dante had gone from being the hunter to becoming the hunted, with no idea of the threats that loomed over him. In this new reality, he was nothing more than prey, vulnerable to the whims of the more powerful entities that controlled the dimension.
It was only a matter of time before he found himself entangled in the conflicts that would decide the fate of this world, with no choice but to fight for survival.