After the vision cleared, Ethan cautiously approached the creature to see if it was still alive. If it was, he would have to deliver the finishing blow to end its suffering.
Of course, these creatures never stay dead for long. They have a way of respawning almost daily, driven by some mystical dungeon powers.
As he drew nearer, he could hear the faint, labored croaks of the fire toad.
"CROAK!"
Suddenly, sensing his presence, the bloodied and battered fire toad emerged from the rubble with a chilling roar. Its eyes glowed with a mix of pain and defiance, and its body trembled as it struggled to rise.
Despite its severe injuries, a violent red aura enveloped it, flickering like flames around its wounded form. The air around it seemed to shimmer with heat, distorting the space and casting eerie shadows on the ground.
The creature's once vibrant scales were now dull and cracked, leaking a dark, thick fluid that sizzled as it hit the scorched earth.
It was clear the fire toad was on the brink of death, but the aura suggested it was channeling its remaining life force into one last act of defiance. Each breath it took was ragged and shallow, accompanied by weak embers escaping from its mouth.
He understood that it was clinging to life with every ounce of strength it had left, preparing for a final, desperate stand.
The giant toad began releasing an abundant amount of fiery breath from its mouth, turning the whole area into a blazing inferno. Flames surged and crackled, engulfing everything in their path.
However, Ethan remained unharmed, shielded by his E-Rank skill: "Blaze Guard." The flames licked harmlessly around him, leaving him unscathed in the midst of the firestorm.
Frustrated by its failed attempt, the toad revealed its fiery tongue, aiming to crush him into a bloody mess. He swiftly dodged using [Inferno Leap], the heat of the toad's attack barely grazing him as he moved.
Undeterred, the giant toad lunged at him with its massive paws, intent on turning him into a meat paste. Each strike was powerful enough to shatter bones, but he evaded them by repeatedly casting [Inferno Leap], his agility keeping him just out of reach. He could see the fury in its eyes as it became more desperate.
Gradually, the giant toad's movements grew sluggish, and its attacks became erratic. It was exhausting itself, and he knew it was time to strike.
Seizing the perfect opportunity, he activated [Muscle Enhancement], feeling a surge of strength course through his body. Then, he prepared his titanium runic sword and activated [Azula Sword Strike].
With a final burst of speed, he used [Inferno Leap] to close the distance and finish the kill, plunging his sword into the toad with a powerful, precise strike.
"Slice!"
"Bang!"
Finally, the giant toad fell to the ground with its head cleanly severed. Green blood gushed out, spreading everywhere and filling the air with a pungent, metallic smell. The sight was both gory and triumphant.
Ding!"
[ Congratulations! You have leveled up. ]
[ Congratulations! You have leveled up. ]
Whoa! Two levels in a row!
Ethan had finally reached level 10 as a hunter. The journey had been fraught with challenges, but the outcome was worth it. He felt a surge of pride and relief wash over him.
He approached the toad's corpse, and after a moment, it triggered a monster drop. Shimmering lights and items materialized around the body. He eagerly examined his loot.
[ Skills:
[ Predator's Instinct (E) - Passive. Allows the user to sense danger up to a certain limit ]
[ Enraged Boost (E) - Active. Temporarily increases magical power output by 50%.]
[ Items:]
[ Fire Toad's (Elite) Tooth: Rare material for crafting weapons and artifacts.]
[ Fiery Boots: Made from Elite Fire Toad's skin and bones. They grant the user agility +8 and high jumping ability. ]
"Nice!" he smiled, satisfied with his rewards. A smile spread across his face as he imagined the new possibilities these rewards would bring.
Two good skills and two rare items—both are going to help him a lot. Still, he regretted not being able to cast skill absorption on the boss monster.
Then, he looked around the floor, hoping to find something useful. According to his knowledge, there should be a dungeon core around here. With renewed fervor, he started searching for it.
However, after scouring every corner, he couldn't find it anywhere.
"Where is that thing?" he muttered in frustration.
"Click!" Just as he was about to lose all hope, a hidden chamber opened in one corner of the wall with a soft mechanical sound.
Peering inside the chamber, he found the dungeon core he had been searching for. It was a large, rounded ball, encased in a shimmering magical barrier. The core pulsated with a faint, otherworldly light, its surface etched with intricate, glowing runic patterns.
The barrier looked formidable, but he knew it wouldn't be a problem. With his Appraisal skill, he could decipher its weaknesses, even if only slightly.
Concentrating, he used his skill to analyze the barrier. Gradually, he unraveled its enchantments, and the protective field dissipated.
The dungeon core was now exposed, radiating its powerful energy in its glorious, shiny form. It was the heart of this dungeon, and holding it in his hands felt like a significant victory.
"Can I really take it for myself?" he asked himself, sounding unsure.
He touched the dungeon core and tried to move it, but it didn't budge an inch. It was magnetically glued to the stone altar somehow.
Gradually, he increased his strength using all his boost skills, but he still remained unsuccessful.
"Huff!" He sweated, finding the task incredibly challenging. Not even a level 20 individual might find this task possible.
What should he do? He didn't want to leave it just like that. It would leave a bad taste in his mouth. He was expecting a good reward from it, after all.
He pondered hard on the matter. Time was running out before he was cast out of the dungeon.
Just as he was deep in thought, an idea suddenly crossed his mind. Rather than removing it, why not use [Skill Absorption] on it? Although he didn't know if it would work, it was worth a try.
"Skill Absorption!"
"Ding!"
[ Congratulations! You have acquired a special skill: Monster Breeding.]
[ Monster Breeding: You are now capable of breeding monsters in a dimensional space. You can summon them whenever you wish. Current Level: 1 ]
[ Current summonable monsters: Fire Toads and Flame Serpents. Unit: 5x.]
[ Note: Summoning units will consume your mana directly.]
He stared at the system panel in shock. He had gained an overpowered skill just like that. It would be extremely helpful for solo dungeon clearing next time.
"Rumble!"
Just as he was celebrating, the whole dungeon started shaking crazily as if it was about to collapse. He noticed a crack forming on the dungeon core's surface as if it was about to shattered. Had he caused this somehow?
There was no time to ponder. He hurriedly sprinted toward the exit, using all the speed he could muster. Fortunately, he had put on the Fiery Boots. They helped him leap side to side, narrowly avoiding falling rocks and collapsing walls.
Unfortunately, In his haste, he dropped the Fire Toad's teeth on the way without even realising it. It was already about to spill out because of it big size. So it was somewhat expectable.
Well, no matter. His life was more important than a teeth, I guess.
After a tense escape, he was lucky enough to make it out of the dungeon alive.