[You have taken 15% damage]
[Upgrade weapon «Shield» in the «Inventory» immediately]
"What the hell!"
Inside his head was chaotic and he could not think straight.
Damon went into a frenzy.
Of course, who wouldn't?
Damon did not rack his brain to scale through the Riddle Game successfully, only to die just after that.
That was never in his plan!
He hurried to his inventory as Axon suggested to upgrade his shield.
As a [Tank] subclass player under the [Warrior] class, his shield was his most treasured tool of all and he hadn't realised it at first but he was not due for an upgrade on his weapon.
Even better, a free upgrade.
[Inventory]
«Shield»
[Level 1 – Acquired «Upgrade»]
Damon chuckled even with the current situation that he found himself struggling to survive through.
It was so unfavourable for him that he found it funny.
Anyways, he activated his free upgrade, boosting his level 1 shield into a level 2 and gained arm bracers instead of an actual shield.
Due to the disappearance of the actual shield that was boosted and morphed in the arm bracers, Damon was exposed directly to Symhar's mana for a moment.
However, in that near negligible period, he took a direct hit from the constant oozing of mana from the guardian's body that sent him flying back since he was unprotected.
[You have sustained a direct hit]
[-20 HP]
"Fuck," he breathed, turning on his back while still disoriented albeit briefly from the attack.
Damon didn't know what to feel.
He felt pain from the mana attack and shock at how quick his shield vanished.
He recalled upgrading to a level 2 shield and that was when the transformation to a level 2 shield began.
The enarmes of his old shield tightened around his forearm and instead of two leathery ropes, the enarmes transformed into arm bracers on both hands.
They shone and took the consistency of metal. Silvery in colour and sturdy on his forearms.
The arm bracers were more portable and better to wield than using the enarmes of his initial shield he'd have to always carry around.
Damon got back on his feet and raised his arms, crossing them in front of him.
"Equip shield!"
.
.
.
The arm bracers broke into four parts that floated and spun around in the air before spreading out.
"Awesome!"
Damon was amazed by the form of his new shield.
The four parts were connected to each other by the same form of energy that Symhar tormented him with, and that was mana.
The energy from his shield took the form of a large square plate that was about two metres high and stood firmly between him and the mana pressure exuded from the Floor Guardian.
Seeing this, Symhar put on a smug face. He was impressed with the player.
After a few minutes, Damon noticed that his HP was no more dropping and had remained stagnant at 490 points.
[You have gained a weapon skill, «Shield skill: Mana resistance»]
—––
SHIELD SKILL: MANA RESISTANCE
[Description]
Reduces the effect of mana-based techniques by 25%. First activation is unaccounted. However, subsequent usage of this skill will cost -150 EP.
—––
"Shield skill: Mana resistance!"
[You have activated «Shield skill: Mana resistance»]
[Damage effect has been reduced by 25%]
"The skill is a good thing but the cost, man..."
Damon felt more disappointed than happy about the skill.
The cost of using it made it nigh impossible to be repeated multiple times, at least at the level he was at now.
.
.
.
The shield he wielded put up sufficient resistance to Symhar's mana output, reducing the effect by a large extent.
"What's your deal!" he shouted at the Floor Guardian.
Symhar did not respond and just continued to exude mana.
After a little while longer, he was done and three doors appeared before Damon. separating him and Symhar.
"Those are your paths of ascension. Each one will lead you to the 2nd Floor."
Damon thought about what Symhar said for some seconds before responding.
It didn't make any sense to him that there were three different doors, all leading to the second floor of the Tower.
'Why three different doors then?' he thought.
He raised his hand as if he was seeking permission to speak.
"If they all lead to the next floor. Why three then?"
Symhar smirked.