His shocked party members quickly regained their composure, exchanging glances filled with admiration and respect for Ethan. They nodded in agreement and moved to finish off the Rock Titan, feeling a deep sense of gratitude.
Although they knew they hadn't truly earned this victory, they were took the opportunity in order to stand beside him as equals in the future. If only possible that is.
However, before joining the others, Lenora rushed to Ethan's side to check on him.
"Ethan, are you alright?" she asked, her pretty face etched with worry.
Ethan smiled reassuringly. "Yeah, I'm fine. No need to worry. Go and join them."
"But…" Lenora hesitated, her concern evident.
Ethan's expression grew stern. "No buts. Go."
Reluctantly, Lenora nodded and went to join the others, though she kept glancing back at him with concern as she walked away.
Ethan watched her actions and shook his head. "This little girl!"
After a while, as the dust settled and the echoes of the Rock Titan's final cries faded into silence, the cavern returned to an eerie stillness. The only sound was the labored breathing of Ethan and his companions, each of them trying to comprehend the magnitude of what they had just accomplished.
"Ding!"
"Congratulations! You have leveled up."
"Congratulations! You have leveled up."
"You have received 10 attribute points to distribute freely."
"Nice!" Ethan exclaimed as he reached level 17. The level up notification was really soothing to his eyes, because these attribute points makes his body stronger little by little. They strengthen the vessel where all those Mana were kept, and skill engraved on the soul.
Otherwise, if they used such powerful skills without strengthening the vessel, they would had been crushed long ago because of their own skill's drawback.
Ethan's party members stood in awe as they processed the aftermath of the battle. The notifications of their level-ups chimed in their minds, signaling not just an increase in strength but also a validation of their efforts.
Each member felt the rush of power that came with their hard-earned experience, but they knew deep down that it was Ethan's overwhelming might that had secured their victory.
Ethan quickly allocated his 10 attribute points, feeling the familiar sensation of his body becoming stronger, more resilient. The level-up notification was more than just a reward—it was a reminder of how far he had come and how much further he could push himself. The extra strength would fortify his body, allowing him to wield even more power without fear of the physical toll.
[ Level: 17 ]
[ Strength: 37 ]
[ Agility: 36 ]
[ Defense: 34 ]
As he finished, he glanced at his companions, who were still marveling at their own advancements. He checked and found out that they had powered up by 4-5 levels since they started grinding in this dungeon. It was really a significant progress to them, when they were stuck at a bottleneck.
Lenora, who had been reluctant to leave his side earlier, was now engaged in animated conversation with Iris and Marcus, discussing the significance of their achievement of conquering the dungeon.
Ethan couldn't help but smile as he found joy seeing them so excited. Only then he felt truly alive.
"Ethan," Lenora called out, her voice breaking through his thoughts. She approached him with a smile. "We've all leveled up, but I think it's time we started thinking about what comes next. We've got some spoils from the Titan's drop, but we need to figure out how to distribute them."
Cedric and others also approached holding the spoils in their hand.
Ethan looked at the glowing treasure with intrigue.
Skill Books:
1. Lava Shield (D)
2. Earthquake Stomp (D)
3. Lava Wave (D)
4. Rage of the Titan (D)
Items:
1. Rock Titan's Armour (D) (Physical)
2. Titan's Ring (D).
Among the spoils, there were also three Mana orbs of varying grades.
After some discussion, they distributed the spoils and skills. Since they had all reached level 20 and gained a new empty skill slot, the new gained D-Rank skills would be especially useful for them. They were eager to fill their slots with these newly acquired skill books.
Marcus chose the Earthquake Stomp skill, while Lenora took the Lava Shield. Iris, not finding a suitable skill, claimed the Titan's Ring to further boost her magical abilities. Cedric opted for the Rock Titan's Armor, fitting his close combat style. Ethan acquired the best skill: Rage of the Titan. Lastly, Yona, finding no other choice, temporarily took the Lava Wave skill.
These skills weren't permanent like bloodline skills—they could be replaced at any time.
Ethan quickly equipped the skill, and looked at skill's description feeling more confident than ever.
"Passive- Rage of the Titan (D): When the user's health falls below 30%, it activates automatically, increasing user's overall power by 200%.
It was lifesaver skill, which can be proven very useful at critical times of life and death. It was similar to Berserker's Might skill, but not completely.
Ethan also got a Mana Orb as a share. It was D-Grade and he quickly absorbed it, increasing his Mana Reserve by 120 points.
His party members also did the same and glanced at him as if they were watching something incomprehensible.
Despite not reaching level 20 like them, he casually equipped another D-Rank skill so casually. They labeled him as 'Monster' in their mind.
Ethan shrugged, understanding It's was inevitable.
After a while, Ethan and his party were expelled from the dungeon in a flash, instantly reappearing outside. The warm sunlight contrasted sharply with the dark, cavernous depths they'd just left behind.
They expected to be greeted by the familiar sights of the forest and the distant chirping of birds, but what met their eyes was far more horrifying, making their blood freeze.
Scattered across the rocky terrain were countless bodies, some half-devoured, others dismembered beyond recognition. The ground was slick with blood, and the air was thick with the stench of death and decay. The once serene forest had been transformed into a grotesque tableau of carnage.
A silence fell over the group, their triumphant smiles fading into expressions of shock and horror. Iris let out a small gasp, her hand instinctively flying to her mouth to stifle a scream.
Cedric's eyes widened in disbelief, while Marcus gripped the hilt of his sword so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Leonora stood frozen, her previous excitement drained from her face, replaced with a look of dread.
Their reaction was understandable considering they have never seen such a massacre of human before.
Ethan, however, remained calmed. His eyes scanned the scene, quickly assessing the situation. His years of experience from his previous life had hardened him, although the site human dead bodies were a little grotesque, he felt nothing else. He himself had killed one human before.
"What happened here? Is this another attack from the demons?" Iris asked, her voice tinged with panic.
"No, this isn't the work of demons," Ethan replied, examining the bodies. "Judging by their injuries, it looks like they were attacked by some kind of ferocious beasts."
"Ferocious beasts?" Marcus questioned, doubtful. "But the wilderness is far from the city, how did they enter in the city? And what about the city walls?"
As they pondered his questions, a sense of foreboding settled over them. Something was definitely wrong in the city. Ominous premonitions gripped their hearts as they began to worry about their families and friends. The earlier jovial mood was replaced by deep-seated fear.
They hurriedly searched for any means of transportation to reach their district, but found none. Every vehicle was broken, their drivers lying dead nearby.
"Screech!"
Suddenly, a sharp cry pierced the air as a Griffin swooped down from the sky.
Their attention snapped upwards as they watched the Griffin land swiftly before them. A middle-aged man, dressed in the official attire of the city government, dismounted and hurriedly approached, specifically kneeling before Lenora.
"My lady, thank the gods you're safe. My Lord is extremely worried about you. I need to take you to his side immediately!" the man said urgently, his tone serious.
"Wilbert?" While the others were surprised, Lenora recognized the middle-aged man immediately. He was one her father's trusted men.
She asked anxiously, "What's happened, Wilbert? Is my father alright?"
Wilbert stood up and replied, "He's fine, but the city isn't. The city is under siege from a beast rampage, escalated by the demons. Let's go, my lady, we don't have time."
"But… my friends…" Lenora hesitated, glancing at her companions.
"Don't worry about us, Lenora. We'll be fine," her friends reassured her, understanding the urgency of the situation. The revelation of her noble background was clear to them now, but this wasn't the time to dwell on it.
Ethan also urged her to go, and after a moment of hesitation, Lenora climbed onto the Griffin gracefully, holding tightly onto its feathers.
Before departing, Wilbert glanced down at the group and said, "Little fellas, you should head to the relief camps if you don't find your families at home safe." With that final piece of advice, he ordered the Griffin to take off, soaring swiftly into the sky.
However, Wilbert's last piece of advice couldn't make the situation any worse, their anxiety grew more while thinking about their loved one's safety.