The arena's eerie silence seemed to press down on Michael as he made his way toward the far end, where the old rotting wooden gate stood. The pristine door he had entered through remained firmly shut, leaving him with only one option. As he walked, he couldn't help but notice how vast the arena truly was—an imposing space that took him nearly five minutes to cross. Every step echoed in the emptiness, the sound of his boots on the sand amplifying his growing sense of unease.
Finally reaching the gate, Michael hesitated. Two gleaming lights shone from the other side, casting an otherworldly glow through the gaps in the wood. His heart raced as he imagined what could be waiting for him—more monsters, perhaps even deadlier than the HobGoblin. But as the gate creaked open, revealing what lay beyond, his fears proved unfounded.
The room beyond was bathed in a soft, ethereal light, emanating from a massive orb embedded in the ceiling. The illumination revealed an elevated platform, upon which two chests sat, each radiating a different kind of allure. The first was ancient and worn, its brown wood showing signs of age and history. The other was a striking contrast, a chest seemingly carved from a single, massive crystal, its surface shimmering like a gem in the low light.
Michael approached cautiously, memories of countless stories warning him about mimic chests flashing through his mind. But as he tentatively reached out and opened the brown chest, it did so without resistance, revealing a small brown pouch nestled inside.
His curiosity piqued, Michael cast a detection spell on the pouch. The results were more than he could have hoped for:
—
Combination Compartment: Add two of the same rank of Beast Cores, and a core of the next higher tier will appear in the pouch. By adding only one core in the pouch, it will uncombine to the next lower level.
—
For a moment, Michael could hardly believe his luck. The Combination Compartment was exactly what he needed for his long-term goal: reviving Valencia. He knew that to bring her back, he would need two SS- cores, and this pouch offered him a path to achieving that without the need to constantly battle increasingly dangerous mobs. However, the reality of the situation quickly tempered his excitement. To upgrade from an F- core to an SS- core, he would need a staggering 262,144 F- cores. The thought of gathering such an enormous number was daunting, to say the least.
Still, the possibility was there, and that was enough to give him hope. He carefully stored the pouch in his inventory, where it appeared elegantly displayed on one of the pedestals, a tangible reminder of the arduous journey ahead.
Turning his attention to the light blue crystal chest, Michael found it much heavier, its lid requiring all his strength to pry open. Inside, nestled in a bed of soft fabric, were two small orbs. Upon closer inspection, they revealed themselves to be exactly what he needed: 2 kilograms of Divine Crystals. His breath caught in his throat—these crystals were rare and invaluable, exactly what he needed at the moment
Without hesitation, he spent one of the crystals to open the shop, eager to see what treasures it might hold. The shop menu unfolded before him like a grand tapestry, each category offering a wealth of options:
—
Shop Menu
[Weapons]
[Armor]
[Essentials]
[Artifacts]
[Materials]
[Non-Essentials]
[Lifeforms]
[Skills]
[Search...]
[Casino]
—
The variety was overwhelming, but Michael's eyes were immediately drawn to the Casino option. His heart skipped a beat as he remembered his old gacha addiction from his past life. He knew the odds were never in his favor, but the allure of the unknown was too strong to resist. He selected the Casino option, and the interface shifted to display the current gacha prize:
—
Gacha
Spend Divine Crystals to use!
Today's Item: Angel-Elf Hybrid Slave
Guaranteed after 100 Rolls!
[1 Roll] [10 Rolls 20% Off!]
1Kg per roll.
—
Michael's eyes widened in shock. The very idea of acquiring a lifeform, let alone an Angel-Elf Hybrid, was both thrilling and unsettling. He knew he should save his last crystal for something more practical, something that could directly help him in battle or in his quest to revive Valencia. But the temptation was too strong.
With a mix of excitement and apprehension, Michael initiated the roll.
—
Rolling…
[C- Item Obtained!]
Ring of the Midnight Flow
Description: A simple yet elegant ring crafted from dark silver with a faint, ethereal blue glow emanating from the engraved symbols on its surface. The ring's design is minimalist, with a small gemstone set in the center, resembling a drop of liquid moonlight. The gem pulses gently in rhythm with the wearer's heartbeat, subtly indicating its connection to the flow of mana.
Effect: The Ring of the Midnight Flow passively boosts mana recovery by 10%, allowing the wearer to regain their magical energy at a faster rate. Additionally, during the midnight hour, the ring's power doubles, enhancing mana recovery by 20% instead. The wearer also experiences a slight calming effect, helping them to focus better while channeling or regenerating mana. — Michael stared at the ring in his hand, a mix of surprise and satisfaction washing over him. He hadn't expected to get anything useful, but the Ring of the Midnight Flow was more than just useful—it was exactly what he needed. With his reliance on magic for survival, the boost to mana recovery was invaluable, and the ring's calming effect would help him focus in the chaos of battle.
—
Sliding the ring onto his finger, he felt a subtle pulse of energy flow through him, as if the ring was already beginning to work its magic. He took a deep breath, feeling a sense of calm settle over him. For the first time since his transformation into Azrael, he felt a glimmer of hope—like perhaps, just perhaps, he had a fighting chance.
But the realization of what he was up against quickly returned. He was still in a dungeon, with no clear way out, and the challenges ahead were bound to be even more daunting. He would need to be smarter, stronger, and more ruthless than ever before.
Steeling himself, Michael took one last look at the now-empty chests before turning toward the door behind the chests. The arena had given him power, but it had also taken something from him—his innocence, his humanity. As he walked through the darkened corridor leading away from the arena, he could feel the weight of his new title pressing down on him, a constant reminder of the path he had chosen.
With each step, the corridor seemed to narrow, the darkness closing in around him. The air grew colder, the shadows deeper, but Michael didn't falter. He had faced death and came out stronger. He would continue to fight, to survive, and to claim the power he needed to bring Valencia back.
And as he walked into the unknown, the ring on his finger pulsing in time with his heartbeat, Michael knew one thing for certain: he would stop at nothing to achieve his goals, even if it meant becoming the very thing he once feared.