***Crackle***
Resounding echoes filled the room as a barrage of attacks rained down on Vyn from all directions.
The crystal orb at the center shimmered, casting ghostly silhouettes and phantoms of enemies that assailed him from every conceivable angle. Vyn nimbly dodged several strikes, but many more hammered against him with punishing force.
He gritted his teeth, a symphony of pain coursing through his body. Despite his ragged and bruised appearance, he remained upright, enduring the relentless assault thanks to the Radiant Veil—a shimmering shield that clung to his skin like a second, sturdier layer.
Earlier, he had tested the Radiant Veil's resilience and was surprised by its strength. Emboldened, he decided to push its limits against the crystal orb's multifaceted attack.
The orb was designed to challenge even the most seasoned warriors, starting its onslaught at a manageable level and gradually escalating in intensity. At first, Vyn managed the initial wave of elemental and physical attacks with relative ease. However, as the orb's output grew, the attacks surged in power, and now, he found himself teetering on the brink of collapse.
With each passing moment, the pace of the attacks quickened, leaving barely any time between each brutal assault. Small wounds blossomed across Vyn's skin, trickling blood that painted stark red lines down his limbs. The Radiant Veil, once vibrant and luminous, now dulled to a faint glow, akin to a lamp starved of oil, flickering desperately against the dark.
Vyn's jaws clenched tighter, and a raw scream of pain and anguish tore from his throat. At unpredictable intervals, a quick and vicious bolt of red-colored lightning would lance out from the crystal orb, striking him with unerring precision. The speed of the attack left no room for evasion, and each hit wracked his body with a searing heat and a jolt of electric agony that forced him to bellow out in pain.
The Radiant Veil was utterly overwhelmed by the attack's ferocity. Each lightning strike that hit his skin caused the body-strengthening technique to flicker and dim, like a distressed candle in a storm, temporarily disabled by the sheer force of the assault.
Vyn was all too familiar with this dreaded attack, notorious even among the perilous depths of D-rank dungeons. It originated from the Crimson Thunderbird, a creature infamous for its searing red-colored lightning. This lightning, besides packing the power of a raging storm, was also notoriously impossible to dodge for those unfortunate enough to be its target.
The attack didn't just hurt—it numbed. Its victims found themselves temporarily paralyzed, rendered immobile and utterly defenseless, a sitting duck in the violent world of the dungeon.
The Crimson Thunderbird, a ruthless executioner, capitalized on this paralysis. It swooped down with striking speed, faster than the gusts of a tempest, and its razor-sharp claws were usually the last thing its victims saw before their heads were abruptly severed from their bodies.
Just a day ago, if someone had told Vyn he'd be facing an attack reminiscent of the Crimson Thunderbird's fury with nothing but his bare skin for defense, he would have laughed in their face and accused them of spouting sheer madness. It was a reasonable reaction, considering the Thunderbird's usual role as the fearsome boss of some D-rank dungeons—its strength so monumental that it usually required the combined might and strategic planning of his entire party to contend with.
Though the Radiant Veil couldn't fully withstand the red thunder's onslaught, it proved its worth by blunting most of the attack's power. However, it left Vyn dealing with a painful aftermath. The lingering heat and shock were searingly intense, causing him to yelp and scream—a spectacle that would have been quite humorous had it not been so pitifully painful.
Vyn danced around, his movements erratic as he tried to shake off the unbearable heat, looking more like he was performing a bizarre ritual dance than a seasoned warrior in the midst of battle.
How had he suddenly reached this point? Vyn couldn't help but ponder over the bizarre turn of events. Perhaps the crystal ball had assessed his prowess—deeming him a high D-ranker after witnessing how he'd managed to endure most of the onslaught with minimal damage.
Had it then decided to ramp up the challenge to a boss-level attack? The thought alone made Vyn's head spin. What other monstrous attacks might it unleash next? He shuddered at the possibilities, deciding it was best to wrap up the defense test before any more surprises could manifest.
Just as he terminated the test, the crystal ball ceased its menacing glow and retreated back into a hidden alcove in the ceiling. Vyn's legs buckled, and he collapsed onto the ground, a heap of exhaustion and frayed nerves.
Before the test, he hadn't anticipated such a grueling trial; now, he was battered from head to toe, his clothes hanging in tattered remnants. A wry smile crossed his face as he considered his current state—perfect for testing the next item on his agenda: the healing technique. Indeed, there was no better test subject than himself, now barely recognizable in his battered form.
He was oddly eager to witness the miraculous repair he hoped his new ability would perform, much as his attack and defense techniques had amazed him earlier.
Lying on the cold, hard ground, Vyn recalled the details of the healing technique he had studied. He placed his palm over his chest, coaxing his Energy to flow as the manual had instructed. Suddenly, a bright glow emanated from his hand, casting a warm light that filled the room, which had dipped into darkness moments before.
A cool, soothing sensation washed over him, spreading from his palm throughout his body. Before his very eyes, his wounds began to mend, the torn flesh and bruises visibly healing as if time itself were being rewound.
[Host has learned a new skill: Radiant Recovery]
[Due to the nature of healing possessed by this skill, a significant portion of spiritual energy will be consumed per second when in use.]
The system's window blared these notifications, each announcement flashing with the subtlety of a neon sign in a dark room.
'Tsk!'
Vyn clicked his tongue in dismay, feeling his spiritual energy reserves plummeting faster than a comet falling from the sky. It was as if the system, this infuriatingly omnipotent arbiter of his fate, delighted in adding a sting to every gift. Why else would it give such a crucial healing skill a huge energy consumption? It must know, he mused bitterly, that this skill would be a game-changer in his future battles.
At this moment, Vyn could almost visualize several invisible leeches, each connected to him by an invisible hose, greedily siphoning his spiritual energy like a group of parched vampires. The sensation of his power draining away was akin to being repeatedly stabbed in the chest with a blunt knife—painful and unnervingly invasive.
Inwardly, Vyn made a solemn vow: despite the miraculous nature of this new healing ability, he would use it sparingly, treating it as a precious commodity to be deployed only in dire situations, perhaps, maybe in case where he had to snatch a teammate from the jaws of death.
As he lay on the training room floor, administering self-healing, the room itself seemed to pulse with urgency. A loud buzzing filled the air, a not-so-subtle hint from the training system that his time was almost up. The visual timers embedded in the walls began their final countdown, urging him to conclude his session.
With a heavy sigh, Vyn pushed himself to his feet, casting one last glance at his nearly mended body. He then strode out of the room, each step echoing in the now-quiet space.