[Successfully Defeated: Veilmist (Evolved) - Level 45]
[+6,000 EXP]
[+3,000 Additional EXP]
[Successfully Defeated: Veilmist (Evolved) - Level 45]
[+6,000 EXP]
[+Shrouded Cloak]
[Successfully Defeated: Veilmist (Evolved) - Level 45]
[+6,000 EXP]
[+3,000 Additional EXP]
[LEVEL UP!]
[LEVEL UP!]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
After successfully killing the Veilmist, Sun could finally breathe a sigh of relief. However, he remained cautious, not wanting to let his guard down in case there were more monsters in the area.
Losing his way and not finding the door he entered from wasn't a concern for him since the system could assist him in that regard. Right now, he simply didn't want to venture too far from his current location due to his depleted strength.
As the mist dispersed and vanished, Sun found himself pondering a few questions. He couldn't help but wonder about the skill the Veilmist had attempted to use.
It was rare for a monster to fail casting a skill, and in his future time, this only occurred in very specific circumstances.
"System, what happened back there? Why didn't the skill fully activate? It seemed like the mana dispersed along with the magic circle," Sun asked, not expecting a definitive answer from the system but curious nonetheless.
[It's one of the effects activated by your greatsword. It's called 'Nullify,' a powerful spell that temporarily disrupts and neutralizes the magic of your opponent upon contact. It creates a momentary void in the flow of arcane energies, which caused the spell to deteriorate and break,] the system explained, shedding some light on the matter.
"Oh... I completely forgot about that. I thought it was just a rare occurrence. But with only a 10% chance, I can't abuse this. However, once it activates, it will surely surprise the enemy greatly," Sun said, thinking through the various scenarios where Nullify would come into play. A smile appeared on his face, knowing that this sword would be greatly feared by mages.
"Now that I've leveled up, I should have another 30 free attribute points. But before that, System, can you check the dropped item?" Sun requested, prompting the System.
...
Name: Shrouded Cloak (B)
Description: The Shrouded Cloak, an enigmatic garment made of dark fabric, envelops the wearer in an aura of mysterious secrecy, concealing their presence and intentions from prying eyes.
+10 AGI
Activation Skill: Shadow Veil - The Shrouded Cloak grants the wearer enhanced stealth capabilities, partially obscuring them from sight and reducing the chances of detection. While wearing the cloak, the user gains a subtle boost to agility and nimbleness, enabling swift and silent movement. However, the stealth effect automatically deactivates upon being discovered or entering combat.
Cooldown: 6 hours before it can be activated again. ...
"What the hell, this is amazing," Sun exclaimed as he read the description. With his current 30 free attribute points and a well-balanced attributes, this would be a reliable piece of equipment for a while.
"I'm not really focused on an Agility-based attribute, and with only +10 AGI, which is quite low for a B-rank equipment, the skill it provides is comparable to at least an A-rank equipment. The cooldown must be the reason for its lower rank," Sun analyzed aloud as he further examined the equipment.
Without hesitation, he equipped it immediately and pulled up his System to allocate some of the free attribute points, while saving some for emergencies.
"Open my Attribute System," Sun commanded, and a transparent screen appeared before his eyes.
...
Name: Sun Ether
Level: 8 (7,000/18,000 EXP)
Title: Cosmic Traveler
CLASS: Warrior
HP: 2000/2000 (175/sec)
MP: 630/630 (80/sec)
Strength: 58 (+15)
Intelligence: 60 (+15)
Stamina: 40
Constitution: 40
Agility: 55 (+15)
--------------
Free Attribute: 20
--------------
Active Skill: Cosmic Burst (F) [25.0%] | Auraforge (F) [18.5%]
Passive Skill: Cosmic Absorption (F) [0.0%] | Soulforge Ascendance (EX) |
========
Skill Name: Authority (???) - Level: 1
Skill Name: Ancient Cosmic Inheritance
1st Seal: (Unlocked: Soulforge Ascendance (EX)
2nd Seal: (Unlocked: Authority (???)
3rd Seal: (LOCKED)
...
"This is great! Even though I'm only Level 8, my attributes are comparable to someone at Level 20 to 25. With this cloak skill, I'll be safer during my hunts," Sun remarked. He activated the cloak skill, blending into his surroundings and disappearing from sight. Unless someone had a special skill or high enough level to detect him, finding Sun would be nearly impossible.
With the skill active, Sun swiftly ran in a direction, eager to explore the area and gather information about potential enemies he might encounter.
...
Currently in Eden, formerly known as Earth, three months have passed since the cataclysmic event. Surprisingly, the activation of Emergency Aero-Dome Shields in various areas of countless cities helped mitigate the damage, although some cities couldn't be completely defended and were destroyed during the expansion.
Nevertheless, the surviving cities managed to save important information necessary for their recovery efforts. They faced numerous challenges, such as housing, power supply, water supply, and food supply.
Within the first month, when people returned from the Dimension, the corresponding teleportation that was meant to take them to safety didn't occur. Instead, they instantly returned to the exact place they had left, resulting in a significant death toll.
Some individuals fell from the sky, while others were teleported to dangerous areas like forests inhabited by countless beasts. Millions of people lost their lives in just one day, but the fortunate ones gathered together and formed groups.
Leaders were assigned to delegate tasks and responsibilities as they worked to rebuild society. During this time, one of the hunters encountered the Dwarves and Elves, races that had been transported alongside humans.
The ability to communicate and collaborate with these races proved valuable, as Dwarves excelled in craftsmanship and construction, while Elves possessed great expertise in imbuing magic into items. By combining human technology, dwarven craftsmanship, and elven magic, the process of rebuilding society accelerated.
By the second month, cities had managed to restore their power and water supply. Food became a focus, and a temporary solution was found in the form of nutrient bars concentrated with monster meat.
These bars were supplemented with ingredients to extend their shelf life and a touch of mana for bodily enhancement. The bars were produced in automated factories, making them cost-effective. Continuous enhancement was achieved by supplying an appropriate amount of mana or using monster beads obtained through monster hunting.
Many different tools and weapons were made in the process, utilizing the body parts of monsters such as blood, bone, intestines, etc.
The three races worked together, although occasional issues arose due to the deep-rooted animosity between Dwarves and Elves. However, with humanity at the center of the alliance, they set aside their conflicts for the time being.
After three months, prosperity began to take hold. Countless new cities emerged, and the ones that were destroyed managed to restore their former glory. The pinnacle of their achievement was the creation of a city called "Elysium of Harmony,"
Where races could coexist in peace and harmony. Here, human technology merged with magic, greatly enhancing their efficiency with the help of the Dwarves.
Within a month, this city was built, complete with automatic drones and droid assistance. Its robust defenses prevented countless monsters from entering, making it a safe haven for its inhabitants. Despite the relative peace, they continued to improve their defenses and enhance their powers to resist potential enemies.
They also discovered the location of a Dimensional Crack and developed equipment to temporarily stabilize it. However, permanently closing it required raiding the crack, and the stabilization could only last for a limited time, typically about a month. Failure to clear the crack within that timeframe would result in a "Monster Flood."
The first event of a Monster Flood claimed countless lives among the different races, but they quickly fought back and defeated the enemy within a day. In the second event, they were better prepared with new equipment and defenses, resulting in fewer casualties. Some were fortunate to suffer only minor or major injuries but managed to survive.
As for the third event, it never occurred because they successfully cleared the Dimensional Crack and stabilized it. Additionally, they developed a prototype to detect the difficulty of a Dimensional Crack before entering it. This allowed them to assemble elite teams comprising members from different races, capable of clearing the crack based on its difficulty level.
...
Somewhere in the City of Elysium of Harmony, beings of different races walked the streets, engaged in conversations and trade. Vendors sold monster carcasses, blood, and bones, while others sought to exchange equipment. However, the most prominent voices echoed from the recruiters, calling out for adventurers to join their expeditions into the Dimensional Cracks.
"Ergo Mercenary is recruiting a level 15~20 Priest and Archer for a normal difficulty Dimension raid! We have 3 available slots, negotiable item drops, and a reward of 25,000 credits upon completion!"
"Come one, come all! We need 2 more slots filled. You'll receive 50,000 credits after the raid!"
"I've finally found you! Our destinies entwined on this very street. What do you desire after the raid? Credits? Items? Or perhaps... my body?" The bystanders quickly distanced themselves from the situation, while the man being offered looked disgusted.
"Dude, you're a man! What are you even talking about? I don't need your credits, items, or... your body. That's disgusting!" The man exclaimed, running away.
"Wait! Wait for me, brother... or should I call you handsome?" The other man with bulging muscles said, sprinting after the fleeing man.
This terrified the man even more, who shouted, "Get away from me!" Tears streamed down his face.
Two men ran, one in tears and the other... blushing?
Many people observed the intense chase happening in the city and couldn't help but feel concerned for the victim. Among them was a girl walking down the streets, her hand clutching a bag tightly.
"Wow, what's going on here? I was only gone for a few days, and now there's this big muscular guy chasing another guy. Did he do something to provoke him?" the girl wondered aloud, trying to make sense of the situation.
"I better keep moving," she thought, picking up her pace and heading in a specific direction. After a while, she arrived at a towering white building that exuded a modern and sophisticated aura. The high-tech structure was a masterpiece of architecture, with four meticulously designed pillars adding to its sleek and elegant appearance.
Entering the building, she approached a woman in her twenties at the reception desk. The woman greeted her warmly.
"Welcome to the Data Nexus Center. May I have your name and who you're looking for?" the receptionist asked.
"My name is Lily, and I'm searching for someone named Sun Ether. He should be around the same age as me, about 19 or 20 years old. I'm wondering if there's any information available about his whereabouts," Lily inquired.
"Sure! Let me check on my end for a second," the woman said, waving her hand and summoning a holographic keyboard. After typing for a few seconds, she replied to Lily.
"I'm sorry, but there's no information about this person in our database. There's also no record of contact with him in any city. This could mean that he hasn't visited any city or perhaps he has been teleported to a distant location. The worst-case scenario is..." The woman paused, choosing not to finish her sentence.
Lily felt a wave of sadness wash over her upon hearing the news. She wanted to cry, but she held herself back and took a deep breath. She thanked the receptionist and made her way outside.
'It has been three months. Most people have returned from wherever they disappeared, but you haven't. Where exactly are you right now?' Lily thought, visiting the Data Nexus Center every month in hopes of finding any news about Sun.
"I will definitely find you. I will wait, no matter how long it takes!" Lily resolved in her mind. She refused to give up on Sun. She knew he was alive; she just didn't know where he was.
As she stood in front of the building, gazing up at the sky, she heard a voice calling her name.
"Here she is! I knew she would come to this building. It's her routine every month," the voice said. Lily turned towards the source and saw a man dressed in simple leather armor, carrying a bow and a quiver on his back.
"What do you want, Harold?" Lily asked.
"Boss, we've been looking for you. We managed to secure another slot for a Dimensional Crack. They said we can go anytime soon," another voice chimed in beside Harold.
"Hmm... How many of us are in this raid, and what are their levels, Elina?" Lily asked.
"Well, we have at least 15 people, 8 of them with a minimum level of about 20, 4 at level 30, me and Harold at level 45, and you, boss, at level 55," Elina replied, counting the members and announcing their levels.
Lily listened to Elina's response, briefly looking back at the building before continuing on her way. She accessed her system and changed into her armor, made from the thick hide of a monster she had slain. It was much stronger than regular iron-plated armor. Equipping her spear, she walked a distance away.
Some people noticed Lily, Elina, and Harold and stopped to talk amongst themselves.
"Wow, that's Lily, one of the top 10 strongest hunters in Elysium Placement, right?" a guy said as he spotted Lily.
"What do you mean top 10? I heard she leveled up to 50. There's talk that she's already surpassed the 50s. She must be at least in the top 3," a girl said enthusiastically, clearly a big fan of Lily.
"What are they doing here? Looks like they came from the the Data Nexus Center building. Are they searching for someone?" a bystander wondered aloud.
Lily paid no attention to the conversations happening around her. She continued walking until her silhouette could no longer be seen in the distance. However, unbeknownst to them, someone in the crowd was observing them with a different intention, far from simply talking about them.
"Data Nexus Center, let's see what your intention is..." the observer said before disappearing into the crowd, never to be seen again.