After eight days, I finally felt well enough to get out of bed and walk around. When I checked my els, they had all grer—not just the main els, but also the sedary ones and the smaller new ones. Sedary of the sedary? I didn’t know what to call them, so I decided on the name ‘Phase 2 els’. I also felt well enough to address the blinking red dot finally.
The first message that greeted me was unlike any I had received before. It didn’t appear on the usual transparent s but on a golden one, in a beautiful calligraphic script and with runic decorations.
Through the mists of time and the a whispers of the are, a profound transformation has takehin you. The threads of magice disparate and elusive, now dan harmony at your and. You have learo weave spells together with the finesse of a master artisan crafting a tapestry of light and shadow.
This newfound symphony of magic marks a pivotal step on your path, heralding your emergence as a true Wizard. The stars themselves seem to shimmer in aowledgment, their light weaving into the fabric of your destiny.
tinue, dear spellweaver, for the realms of magiow unfold before you, awaiting the touch of your enlightened hand.
“What the hell?” I muttered, scratg my head. I checked my profile, and uhe Wizard Abilities, I had a new ability: Spell Weaver [Novice]. Additionally, I noticed that the Minor Spell Adaptation skill had disappeared from my general skill list. I tried to poke it, and, of course, there was no additional information.
What else is new?
The following message was more straightforward:
Level Up+3 to all statsWizard Battle Master level 6
Level Up+3 to all statsWizard Battle Master level 7
That was always nid wele, although I thought the dungeon run deserved more than two levels based on difficulty alohe following message made me feel better about it:
Level up+3 intelligence, +3 wisdom, +2 vitality, +3 free pointsHealer Level 12Stat points: 3
My Luck was on 47, and I was dying to find out the level 50 ability, so I added the spare points to Luck.
Milestone ReachedLuck Level 50You have reached araordinary milestone. Luck at level 50.
At this level, your e to the forces of fortune deepens, granting you a unique and invaluable advantage. Uhe active ability you gai level 20, this ier of Luck subtly yet powerfully enhances your survival instincts and alters the very fabric of fate.
Your Luck will now actively interveo steer you away from immi danger, giving you a heightened sense of awareness. This intuitive guidance will either nudge you toward fortuitous outes or warn you against potential hazards. It’s a subtle, almost imperceptible force that enhances your internal warning system, helping you avoid perilous situations.
However, this doesn’t mean you are invincible. While you still enter trouble, your Luck will noute circumstao help you escape dire situations. Fate itself will bend to your advantage, creating opportunities for your survival. Whether it’s a sudden insight, an ued escape route, or a twist of fate that averts disaster at the st moment, your Luck will ge the course of events to protect you.
Imagine being pursued by relentless foes; your Luck might cause a rockslide that blocks their path, or a hidden alight appear just in time for you to take cover. If you find yourself in a deadly trap, an unanticipated distraight give you the moment you o break free. Even in the most hopeless sarios, your Luck will work tirelessly to turn the odds in your favor, transf potential tragedies into narrow escapes.
Trust in your Luck, for it is now a vigint guardian, ever watchful and ready to guide you through the most challenging of adventures. Embrace this newfound power a lead you to the destiny that awaits.
“Very nice,” I said to myself, giving the system a thumbs up. That marked the end of the messages, and I felt disappointed. Given the dungeon’s difficulty, I expected more, so I decided to iigate.
I asked Mahya, leaning against the doorframe, “Did you gain levels from the dungeon?”
She nodded, setting dowools she was using. “Yes, one.”
“Only one?” I raised an eyebrow, folding my arms.
“My Bdesinger css was at level 32,” she expined, wiping her hands on a rag. “It’s very difficult to earn levels when they’re that high. One level is great.”
“Thanks.” I gave her a thumbs-up and smiled.
, I went to Al, who was sharpening his sword with focused iy. “Did you gain levels from the dungeon?” I asked, approag him.
“Of course,” he replied, not looking up from his task.
“How many?” I leaned in, curious.
“Five,” he said with a hint of pride, finally meeting my gaze.
“What level were you whearted it?” I asked, crossing my arms.
“My Heavy Warrior css was at level six. Now it is at eleven.” He gave a satisfied nod, clearly pleased with his progress.
“Thanks,” I said, patting him on the shoulder before turning away.
Al’s gains were more like I thought they should be. I thought that maybe, again, the holdup, in my case, was the wizard css. I remembered Lis said that I had enough fighting for more levels.
Oh well. Even though I learned little from the versations, it was still iing.
For the few days, I indulged iion—no training, learning, or anything else. I read an excellent thriller, cooked good food, pyed and roughhoused with Rue, a myself heal.
After a week, Mahya came to me with an idea, her eyes sparkliedly. “I think we should do a new ritual, ect you to the new core, and put it in the house. It’s more important for the house to have a bigger core. We take the house core for the boat. It doesn’t need a bigger one.”
I looked up from the book I was reading, intrigued. “What does it entail?” I asked, closing the book aing it aside.
“We do a new ritual of e and ect you to the new core. That’s basically it. Theake the old core for the boat. The rest is my responsibility,” she expined, her hands gesturing animatedly as she spoke.
“Don’t you want to be ected to the boat core?” I asked, tilting my head in curiosity.
“It’s your boat. You paid for it,” she said, shrugging.
“So? You worked on it. It’s more yours than mine by this point,” I pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah, okay. I’d love to be its master. It will be easier to trol it myself instead of ing to you with everything,” she admitted, smiling.
“How do we do the ritual?”
She gave me a book, ope to the correct page, and showed me the ritual. The Rune nguage was even the same one I learned for the ritual I did with Rue. I was gd since I still didn’t feel like returning to school.
The ritual retty straightforward, yet intricate in its design. A rge ring of runes formed the outer boundary, each symbol meticulously drawn to ensure accuracy. Ihis ring was a smaller circle designated for the core, surrounded by ruwo ected circles fhis tral area, positioned perfectly for me to pce my hands and el my mana.
Uhe previous ritual, this one didn’t require the special mixture of ash and soil. Instead, it relied solely on the precision of the drawn ruhe final stage involved an inner ring for the core, which had to be inscribed with the intended dungeon master’s blood, ensuring a potent e.
Four smaller circles with runes were at the four ers of the ritual space. These acted as duits, linking the core to the house’s structure and promising a seamless iion of power. I liked the simplicity and elegance of the ritual.
It took us three hours to draw the ritual, and while we worked, I asked Mahya, “The staff and armot have a crazy lore. Is it true?”
“I don’t think so. My father told me that the items were created by the dungeon as a reward. The older and more advahe dungeon, the better the rewards, and the more information is given with the items. This was an a dungeon. I think it was at least five hundred years old or even older. So the items are great, and a lot of information es with them.”
“So, the lore se is basically the dungeon bullshitting us?”
“Yeah, pretty much. It adds fir to the item and raises its value a lot. But that’s basically it.”
Good to know. Don’t trust dungeons—they lie.
“What did you get?”
She showed me two items.
Shadow Dancer’s Bde
Item Type: Magical Sword
Description: This sleek and elegant sword is fed from a rare, ented metal that absorbs light, giving the bde a shadowy, almost ethereal appearahe hilt is ed in dark leather, providing a fortable grip, and is adorned with small, intricate ruhat glow faintly in the dark.
Properties:
Shadow Step: Allows the wielder to phase into the shadows, being nearly invisible for 10 seds. This ability be used to evade attacks or position oneself for a surprise strike.Silent Strike: Enhahe wielder’s attacks to be silent and more deadly, increasing damage dealt from stealth by 50%.Agility Boost: Increases the wielder’s agility and reflexes by 30%, allowing for faster and more fluid movements in battle.Dark Vision: Grants the ability to see clearly in plete darkness, making the wielder a formidable oppo in low-light ditions.Appearahe Shadow Dancer’s Bde is a long, slender sword with a bde that seems to drink in the surrounding light, giving it a shadowy, almost insubstantial appearahe hilt is ed in supple dark leather, providing a secure and fortable grip. The ruched into the bde and hilt glow faintly, creating an aura of mystery and danger.
Lore: The Shadow Dancer’s Bde was crafted by a secretive guild of assassins who specialized in covert operations and silent eliminations. The bde has passed through the hands of many skilled warriors, each adding their own enhas and entments to its already formidable power.
Ethereal Wind Cloak
Item Type: Magical Cloak
Description: This lightweight, shimmering cloak is woven from threads of pure wind magic, giving it ahereal, almost translut appeara flows and moves as if caught in a stant, gentle breeze and feels cool to the touch.
Properties:
Wind Step: Grants the wearer the ability to move with the speed and grace of the wind, increasing movement speed by 40%.Evasion Aura: Creates an aura that makes the wearer harder to hit, increasing dodge ce by 25%.Aerial Agility: Enhahe wearer’s agility in the air, allowing for more precise and trolled movements during jumps or falls.Wind Shield: Creates a protective barrier of wind around the wearer, redug damage taken from physical attacks by 20%.Appearahe Ethereal Wind Cloak is a flowing garment that appears almost translut, shimmering with a soft blue light. It moves stantly, as if caught in an unseen breeze, and feels cool and light to the touch. The edges of the cloak are embroidered with intricate patterns that seem to shift and ge with the wind.
Lore: The Ethereal Wind Cloak was created by an a order of wind mages who revered the air element. The cloak is imbued with the essence of the wind, granting the wearer unparalleled speed and agility. It is said that those who wear the cloak hear the whispers of the wind guiding them on their path.
“Wow, those are nice,” I said, admiring the items. “And the wind shield is an excellent substitute for the mana shield you verted.”
Mahya nodded, a smile spreading across her face. “Yes, and yes,” she said, her eyes twinkling with satisfa.
“Oh, I almost fot,” Mahya suddenly called out, her voice breaking through my thoughts. “These are the items that Rue got from the dungeon. You had already passed out, so I put them away. He didn’t want to put them on until you saw them.”
Phantom Paws Boots
Item Type: Magical Boots
Description: These sleek, lightweight boots are crafted from a bination of ented leather and wind-infused fabric, making them exceptionally fortable and durable. They are desigo enhahe familiar’s natural agility and speed.
Properties:
Enhanced Agility: Increases the familiar’s agility and speed by 30%, allowing for quicker and more precise movements.Silent Steps: Allows the familiar to move silently, making it easier to sneak up on enemies or avoid dete.Wind Dash: Grants the ability to perform a quick dash in any dire, c a short distance almost instantaneously.Featherlight: Reduces the weight of the boots to nearly nothing, ensuring they do not hihe familiar’s natural movement.Appearahe Phantom Paws Boots are sleek and stylish, with a dark, almost metallic sheen. The fabric is intricately woven with patterns that seem to shift and ge with the light, giving the boots ahereal appearahe soles are reinforced with additional padding, providing both fort and prote.
Lore: The Phantom Paws Boots were crafted by a legendary wind mage for his loyal familiar. The boots are desigo enhahe natural abilities of their wearer, allowing them to move with the speed and grace of the wind itself.
Ethereal Colr
Item Type: Magical Colr
Description: This elegant colr is made from a bination of ented mithril ahereal threads, giving it a shimmering, almost otherworldly appearahe colr is adorned with small, glowing ruhat provide various protective and enhang effects.
Properties:
Mana eling: Allows the familiar to el mana more effectively, increasing the potency of its abilities by 20%.Protective Aura: Creates a protective barrier that reduces ining damage by 15%.Enhanced Perception: Grants the familiar heightened senses, improving its ability to detect hidden enemies and traps.Regeive Boost: Enhahe familiar’s natural regeion, allowing it to recover from injuries more quickly.Appearahe Ethereal Colr is a beautifully crafted piece with a shimmering mithril band and glowing ruhat seem to float above its surface. It is lightweight and fortable and desigo be worn at all times without hindering movement.
Lore: The Ethereal Colr was created by an A Order of Druids who sought to enhahe abilities of their animal familiars. The colr is infused with powerful entments that provide both prote and enha, making it a prized possession for any magical creature.
“Rue, e here!” I called out, my voice eg slightly in the quiet room. Within moments, I heard the familiar sound of paws thudding against the floor as Rue bouowards me.
“John called Rue? What is it?” Rue’s telepathic voice was filled with curiosity aement, his tail wagging furiously.
“I have something for you,” I said, smiling as I pulled out the Phantom Paws Boots and the Ethereal Colr from my ste. The items glimmered softly in the light, their magical properties almost palpable.
Rue’s eyes widened with excitement, even though he already knew about the items. “For Rue? Johhem now?”
“Yes, these are for you,” I firmed, kneeling to be at eye level with him. “These are the rewards you got from the dungeon. Mahya put them away because I passed out, but now you get to see them.”
Rue’s excitement was iious. He bounced on his paws, his tail a blur of motion. “Rue waited! Rue wanted John to see! Rue is so happy now!”
I gently fitted the Phantom Paws Boots onto his feet. Rue seemed to move with even mrad agility the moment they were on, almost like he was gliding. “These will make you faster and help you move silently,” I expined, watg as Rue tested the boots, darting around the room with effortless speed.
“Rue feels light! Rue run so fast now!” His telepathic voice expressed awe and happiness.
I ughed, adding, “And they will protect your paws from the snow you hate.”
I didn’t know how he ma, but his tail wagged even faster.
, I carefully pced the Ethereal Colr around his neck. The colr shimmered, and Rue stood still momentarily as if sensing its enhas. “This will help you el maer and protect you from harm,” I told him, running my hand over the smooth, glowing surface of the colr.
“Rue feels strong! Rue feels safe! Thank you, John! Rue loves John!” Rue’s mental voice was almost a squeal of delight, his eyes sparkling with pure joy.
I ughed, feeling a warmth spread through me at his happiness. “I’m gd you like them, Rue. You deserve it for being such a brave and loyal friend.”
Rue leaped up and licked my face, his tail wagging furiously. “Rue loves John! Rue will protect John always!”
That got me curious, so I left Mahya to tinue drawing the ritual a looking for Al.
“Al, could you show me the items you got from the dungeon?” I asked, curiosity piquing my i.
Al looked up from his book, nodding with a serious expression. “Of course, John. I was waiting for the appropriate moment to present them to you.”
He stood up and reached into his ste, pulling out two impressive items. The first was a massive shield that seemed to pulse with a protective light, and the sed was a dark, double-edged sword with glowing runes.
“This,” Al said, holding up the shield, “is the Titan’s Bastion Shield. It is crafted from a unique alloy of mithril and ented steel, providing exceptional defense.”
He theed the sword. “And this is the Giant Syer’s Sword, fed from a blend of mithril and ented obsidian. It is especially effective against giant and oversized enemies.”
I took a moment to admire the items, appreciating the craftsmanship and their powerful properties. “Wow, Al, these are incredible! gratutions on such impressive rewards.”
Al’s usually stoic face broke into a rare smile. “Thank you, John. I am honored by your words. These items will undoubtedly enhance my bat capabilities signifitly.”
Titan’s Bastion Shield
Item Type: Magical Shield
Description: This massive shield is crafted from a unique alloy of mithril and ented steel, which gives it incredible strength and surprising lightness. The front of the shield is engraved with powerful ruhat pulse with a steady, protective light.
Properties:
Unyielding Defense: Increases the wielder’s defense by 40%, signifitly redug ining damage.Shockwave Impact: Upon blog a heavy attack, the shield releases a shockwave that knocks baemies within a 5-meter radius.Resilient Aegis: Provides a temporary 20% boost to the wielder’s health when their health drops below 30%, sting for 10 seds.Elemental Resistance: Grants 30% resistao fire, ice, and lightning attacks.Appearahe Titan’s Bastion Shield is an imposing piece of equipment, standing nearly as tall as a person. Its surface gleams with a silvery sheen, and the ruched into the metal glow with a faint, protective light. The edges of the shield are reinforced with additional yers of ented steel, giving it a robust and iructible appearance.
Lore: The Titan’s Bastion Shield was fed by master bcksmiths uhe guidance of an aitan. It was desigo withstand the fiercest of battles and protect its wielder from even the most devastating attacks. The shield has been passed down through geions of warriors, each adding their own enhas and entments.
Giant Syer’s Sword
Item Type: Magical Sword
Description: This heavy, double-edged sword is fed from a blend of mithril and ented obsidian, giving it a dark, lustrous appearahe bde is etched with ruhat glow faintly in the presence of giant enemies.
Properties:
Giant’s Bane: Increases damage dealt to giant and oversized enemies by 50%.Heavy Cleave: Allows the wielder to perform a powerful cleave attack that deals signifit damage to all enemies in a wide arc.Strength Boost: Increases the wielder’s strength by 20%, enhang their bat effectiveness.Imbued Edge: The bde be temporarily ented with elemental energy (fire, ice, htning) for additional damage.Appearahe Giant Syer’s Sword is an impressive on with a dark, reflective bde that seems to absorb the surrounding light. The hilt is ed in dark leather, providing a fortable grip, and is adorned with small, intricate ruhat glow when the sword is near giant ehe bde itself is broad and heavy, designed for maximum impact.
Lore: The Giant Syer’s Sword was created by an order of giant hunters who dedicated their lives to proteg their nds from giant threats. The sword has been used in tless battles, its edge never dulling and its prowing with each victory iant foe.
I smiled at Al, feeling genuinely happy for him. “You deserve these, Al. You’ve worked hard and fought bravely.”
Al ined his head slightly. “Your aowledgment means mue, John. I shall wield these with honor and dedication.”
After we finished drawing the ritual, we carefully pced the core in the ter of the runes drawn in blood. This core was much rger, the size of a medium-sized watermelon. The sight of it was awe-inspiring, its surface shimmering with a deep, pulsating light.
This time, I already knew what to do. I pced my hands owo corresponding circles and flowed mana into them. As I did, I felt a warm, tingliion spreading from my palms up my arms. The runes glowed softly, and a low hum filled the air, vibrating through the floor beh us. The core responded, its light intensifying as it synced with my mana flow, creating a e that felt almost alive.
I kept p mana until I reached the point where I couldn’t anymore. I experienced a build-up of pressure in my head, which eventually intensified into a searing pain before ceasing. And I felt the core and the house. It also felt hungry.
“Why does the core feel hungry? There is enough mana in the air.” I asked, fused.
“It’s not hungry for mana but for materials.”
I looked at her, utterly fused. “Materials?”
She ughed when she saw my expression and said, “e on.”
Whe to the support post of the house, she asked me to open it. I watched as she removed the inal core, which I still felt ected to, and pced the new core in its spot. She produced a long piece of wood from her ste and pced it on the magic circle drawn on the floor around the core. Instantly, the wood was sucked in and disappeared.
I jumped in surprise, staring at the floor, then touched the floor cautiously. Finally, I looked at Mahya in plete shock. “Did my house eat the wood?”
“Yes,” she replied, a hint of amusement in her voice.
“Why?” I asked, still processing what I had just seen.
“You have two options,” she expined, her tourning more instrual. “You wait until the dungeon verts enough mana from the air to create hings in the house, or you feed it various materials, and it will use them to build what you want.”
I looked at her with wide eyes. “Seriously? Why didn’t Lis say anything?”
Mahya chuckled. “It was a surprise. He khat I inteo tiraveling with you, so he was sure that at some point, the core would grow enough that this a would be an option, and I would expin it to you. I promised him to describe your rea iail when that happened.”
I shook my head, half-amused, half-annoyed. “When you write to him, tell him he’s amazing but also annoying. ime I want to know things like that right away. I would have adored my house even more.”
She grinned. “I remember your reaore is impossible.”
I stuck my to at her, and she ughed again.
We spent the hour feeding the house. We fed it most of the wood left in Mahya’s ste from Tuone and Rat Isnd. I also fed it all the sand I had collected from Rat Isnd because it turned out that it didn’t need ready-made gss. The house already knew what to do with the sand.
Did I mention my house is fantastic? I’ll repeat it: my house is amazing!
We tinued feeding the house with all the stones we had collected from the two dungeons—Tuone and Lumis. We added all the ores, including a rge amount of various metals we had brought from Earth, and most of the crystals I had harvested from the monsters. Al donated all his share of the ores and stones.
Mahya looked at me with a satisfied smile. “Tell your house to build the maximum it . You always tell it to shrink back ter, but let’s see what we’re w with now.”
I nodded, feeling a surge of anticipation. I mentally gave the and, instrug the house to expand to its maximum potential.
The transformation was immediate and breathtaking. Walls shifted, rooms expanded, aructures emerged seamlessly from the existing framework. The house seemed to breathe and groting to the materials we had fed it. My jaw dropped as I watched the incredible metamorphosis.
I had no words to describe the result; the parison was overwhelming.
OLD HOUSE
NEW HOUSE
