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Chapter 46

  Joe threw a glance over his shoulder and found Franklin's eyes shut. Luckily his mana signature was still visible but barely.

  Franklin's body was beyond burnt, it was basically humanoid charcoal at this point. How he was still alive was a miracle, most people would be nothing but ashes by now.

  Joe sighed with a heavy heart. “That old man won't be able to hold on for too long. I have to finish this quickly. The least I can do is get him to see his princess.”

  Franklin's determination and resilience had earned him extra points in Joe's book. No matter what happened, they were both escaping this Dungeon alive.

  A sharp screech escaped the Dungeon Boss's beak. The bird was clearly not happy to find Joe dismiss its attack so easily. The Winged Beast had lost a lot of mana during its battle with Franklin and it was still leaking mana as it tried to heal its severed wing. Unfortunately for the Phoenix, things didn't seem to go its way. Even its healing flames were struggling to reconstruct its missing wing.

  This was an opportunity, and Joe had every intention of making it count.

  He exhaled, as mana bubbled up inside his chest.

  Joe was still not completely healed. His arms and stomach still had recognizable burnmarks but the pain associated with them was no longer there. The same could be said for his ribs, they weren't one hundred percent fixed but they close.

  [Skill Activation: Outsider’s Enhancement X3]

  [-735 Mana Points]

  [Current Mana Pool: 3,770]

  [Passive Skill: Weaponry]

  [Total Skill: 92 → 429]

  [Total Strength: 100 → 425]

  [Total Speed: 100 → 376]

  A rush of mana gushed out Joe's frame. His muscles tensed as they absorbed and took in as much mana as possible. Joe's aura pressed hard on the surface, marring it with spiderweb cracks. He crouched low expanding the fractures through the shear might of his legs. A smirk drew itself on the young man's face as he engulfed the [Scorching Dagger] in flames. [Skill Activation: Burn]

  [-105 Mana Points]

  [Current Mana Pool: 3,665]

  [Total Skill: 429 → 509]

  With the crackling fire of his blade and the raging whirlpool of his mana, Joe sprung forward without a second thought. His movement neared untraceable as he devoured the space between him and the Dungeon Boss in moments.

  With a firm grip, Joe brought down his dagger in a swift vertical arc.

  The Dungeon Boss used its left wing to cover itself in a last ditch effort to form a block.

  Unfortunately for the beast, it didn't work.

  Joe's dagger bisected the wing in half, dividing it into two separate pieces.

  The mana beast shrilled in pain. Enraged, the beast opened its maw as mana coalesced inside its mouth and as the beast was about to launch its attack.

  A surge of fire pieced through its open beak appearing on the other side of its head. Its built mana destabilized, triggering an abrupt blast inside its own head, aiding to its destruction.

  [Mana Tool Skill: Flame Thrust]

  [-100 Mana Points]

  [Current Mana Pool: 3,565

  [Total Skill: 509 → 609]

  As the colossal bird fell on its back finally there was blood at last. Joe's body embraced the liquid as it drenched his figure. The bird thundered to the ground, shaking the entire Dungeon.

  The dust settled and Joe was revealed looming over his defeated foe. And with blood running down his face, the young man was beside himself with joy.

  Finally, it was over.

  [You Have Slain The (Lvl 60) Dungeon Boss ‘Red Phoenix’]

  [You Have Leveled Up]

  [Level Increase: 49 → 55]

  [+80, 000 Gold Pieces]

  [You Have Cleared The First Layer Of The Scorching Cave Dungeon]

  ? Your Mana Pool Has Been Replenished

  ?? +4 Additional Attribute Points To All Attrubutes

  ?? +1 Dungeon Item

  ?? +4 Potions.

  ?? + 50,000 Additional Gold Pieces.

  [Total Gold Pieces Earned: 210,000]

  As notifications flooded Joe's mind, his knees buckled under his weight and he slumped to the floor. Nothing was broken but exhaustion was finally rearing its ugly head. He kept his eyes glued to his notification screen as Syr kept the wave of messages coming.

  [The Mana Tool (Scorching Dagger) Has Leveled Up]

  [Level Increase 17 → 22]

  [The Mana Tool (Scorching Dagger) Has Reached A New Sub Tier]

  [Low Common Mana Tool → Middle Common Mana Tool]

  [The Scorching Dagger Has Unlocked A New Seal]

  [Scorching Dagger Unlocked Seals: 2/ 5]

  [Mana Tool: Scorching Dagger]

  ?? Tier: Middle Common

  ?? Level: 22

  ?? Effect: The Scorching Dagger's flames are enhanced, adding extra fuel to each and every every attack.

  ?? Boost: +10 Skill Points To All Of The Scorching Dagger's Skills

  The Scorching Dagger glowed briefly in Joe's grip after it reached a new Tier. When the light dimmed, the [Scorching Dagger] was spotless. All the blood it harbored was cleansed and replaced by glistening stainless steel. Joe could even see his reflection.

  But that wasn't all. The [Scorching Dagger] had grown by 5 or 6 cm. It wasn't a major boost in length but it was noticeable. This was something Joe did not expect since [The Black Blade] was pretty much unchanged after its upgrade. Still, the young man was pleased to see his dagger increase in size, the extended reach could prove vital on the future.

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  After a few seconds of tilting the dagger around, Joe stored it in his inventory.

  He then darted his eyes to Syr's other messages when suddenly a blue glow shrouded his body. The light only lasted for a few seconds before it vanished. What it left behind was a completely restored [Black Sheep] and [Black Gloves] Joe's damaged equipment was stitched together like nothing happened.

  The tears on the [Black Gloves] were sealed. Joe could feel the increased elasticity when he played with his fingers. The gloves were tighter and tougher than before. Joe even punched the floor for testing and they came out unscathed. Still, Joe wasn't completely sure they could come out unharmed if he fought something stronger than the ‘Red Phoenix. Improvement was still Improvement though, so In that regard he was pleased.

  The [Black Sheep] also felt tighter around his body, when Joe stretched the fabric it was more elastic and durable.

  Now the light made sense, his equipment had been upgraded!

  [The Black Sheep Has Leveled Up]

  [Level Increase: 9 → 11]

  [The Black Sheep Has Reached A New Tier]

  [Lower Common → Middle Common]

  [Equipment Upgrade: Black Sheep]

  ?? Effect: Enhances the fabric of the black blade increasing its durability. The Black Sheep's ‘Self Repair’ is enhanced allowing the black blade to stich itself together more efficiently should it be damaged.

  ?? Boost: +10 Defense Points To All Of The Black Sheep's Skills.

  It was all standard stuff but Joe was happy with it nonetheless.

  [The Black Gloves And Black Boots Have Leveled Up]

  [Level Increase; 8 → 10]

  [The Black Boots And Gloves Have Reached A New Sub-Tier]

  [Lower Common → Middle Common]

  [Black Gloves]

  ?? Effect: Enhances the fabric of the black gloves making them much more durable while also giving them an extra boost when attacking. The Black Gloves gain enhanced ‘Self Repair’ allowing them to stich themselves together quicker should they be damaged.

  ? Boost: +10 Strength Points To The Black Glove's Skills.

  The effects of the [Black Gloves] and [Black Boots] were pretty much the same with both of them not differing much from the [Black Sheep] but what intrigued Joe was the part about the skill boosts. He expected the [Black Sheep] to have it since it had multiple skills, so he wasn't surprised. But when he saw it on the [Black Gloves] Joe guessed what had happened, the [Black Gloves] had gained a skill.

  [The Black Gloves Have Unlocked A New Skill]

  [Black Glove Skill: Puncture]

  ?? Effect: Allows the Black Gloves to erect multiple 10cm long spikes from anywhere on the gloves.

  ?? Boost: +30 Strength Points

  Joe got his confirmation and he couldn't be happier. He looked at his gloves with sparkling eyes and he immediately put [Puncture] to the test. Joe erected as many spikes as he could with both gloves and he got the answers he was searching for.

  As it turned out there was a limit to how many spikes he could create. Based on his testing the limit was 10 for each glove. The spikes came out in every section of the glove and he could move them around pretty easily. Their pointy tips were sharper than needles, giving the skill a deadly edge. Joe could already think of many ingenious ways to put them to good use.

  Joe was disappointed to find the [Black Boots] didn't gain a skill, but he was able to get over it since [Puncture] was such a cool skill.

  [The Skill (Outsider's Enhancement) Has Leveled Up]

  [Level Increase: 23 → 25]

  [The Skill (Outsider's Perspective) Has Leveled Up]

  [Level Increase: 7 → 8]]

  [The Skill (Weaponry) Has Leveled Up]

  [Level Increase: 8 → 10]

  [You Have Unlocked A New Passive Skill (Mana Recovery)

  ?? Effect: Allows you to recover your mana quicker by absorbing the mana around You

  ?? Note: The rate at which you recover mana will double if you remain stationery.

  ?? Boost: +10 Mana Points/ 30 Seconds

  Joe received the usual skill level ups but that's not where his attention was focused. All his concentration was on his new skill, and upon reading Its contents, his heart fluttered with joy.

  Joe knew almost immediately how valuable this skill was. The ability to recover mana during battle was exactly the kind of thing he needed. If he got the skill to a high enough level, Joe would no longer have to rely on mana potions when things got rough.

  [Updated Attributes]

  [Mana Pool: 6,200 / 6,200

  ? Skill: 110 → 126 (+2 Class Boost Attribute Points)

  ? Strength: 107 → 123 ( +15 Black Gloves Passive Boost Points)

  ? Speed: 107 → 123 (+15 Black Boots Passive Boost Points)

  ? Defense: 84 → 90 (+30 Black Sheep Passive Boost Points)

  ? Mental Strength: 75 → 81

  Additional Attributes: 8 Additional Attribute Points

  Joe had been waiting for his Attribute Window and it did not disappoint. Seeing his two weakest attributes move closer to triple digits is what brought a satisfied smile to his face. The increase in passive boosts for his equipment was also nice to see.

  “Give 4 points to my defense and mental strength attributes.” Joe ordered Syr as he pushed himself back to his feet

  [Updated Attributes]

  ?? Defense: 90 → 94

  ?? Mental Strength: 81 → 85

  Joe's body was doing better than he expected, he had used [Outsider’s Enhancement X3] for 8 seconds and did not worsen any of his injuries. He expected to break a few bones but instead was only met with mild exhaustion. It was weird, he had been so used to breaking his limbs at this point it felt strange when they didn't twist and turn after he activated [Outsider’s Enhancement X3] Joe chalked it down to him gaining better control of his skill and it made sense, considering [Outsider’s Enhancement] was no longer a beginner level skill. If he kept X3 to under ten seconds per burst, Joe was confident he could avoid getting himself injured.

  Joe's eyes fell to the Dungeon Boss's corpse. He activated [Predator] absorbed the giant Phoenix without much trouble.

  [A (Lvl 60) Mana Beast Core Has Been Added To Your Inventory]

  “Split the core in half and use the pieces to upgrade the Scorching Dagger and Black Blade.”

  Syr did just that.

  [The Black Blade Has Leveled Up]

  [Level Increase: 25 → 27]

  [The Scorching Dagger Has Leveled Up

  [Level Increase: 22 → 25]

  Joe turned around and made his way to Franklin's sleeping form. On the way, he went through his messages again and that's when he saw the rewards he received for clearing the first layer. Most of the rewards were pretty average; they were good but nothing to write home about. The reward that piqued Joe's interest the most was the Dungeon Item and before he could question Syr about it, he was pleasantly surprised.

  [Dungeon Item: Blazing Feather]

  ?? Effect: Boosts the user's mana and allows them to rapidly heal from injuries related fire. The feathers' healing capabilities are dependent on the severity of the injury.

  ?? Boost: +100 To Your Defense Attribute

  Syr had learned, he gave Joe the information without him needing to ask.

  Joe read the text Syr provided and he couldn't believe his eyes. This was exactly the item he needed right now. Joe was starting to develop a theory about how Dungeon Items worked, but he decided to let it rest for the moment.

  He retrieved the Dungeon Item from his inventory when he reached Franklin. The feather was smothered in fire but it didn't burn Joe's hands, Joe had no idea if it due to his gloves or that the fire simply wasn't harmful. Based on the Item's effect his gut was leaning to the latter.

  Joe knelt on one knee and placed the feather on Franklin's chest.

  The old man didn't react, he showed no sign of discomfort and his eyes remained shut.

  Joe stepped back and gave Franklin some space and that seemed to do the trick.

  A bright flash of orange covered the old man's form. It only lasted 10 seconds before it dimmed and disappeared. In its wake Franklin's mana signature spiked, but unfortunately the old man's injuries remained. He was still in the exact same state he was in 10 seconds ago with only the minor jump in his mana signature being the difference.

  Franklin slowly opened his eyes, “don't bother boy. I'm a lost course.” He said, with a hoarse voice. “Most of my injuries aren't from the Dungeon Boss's attack. They're from my own skill.”

  “Your own skill?”

  “Yes. the skill I used Everblaze is a Forbidden Skill among the members of the Amber Family. It increases the strength of the user's fire but it also does a number on their body. The flames enhanced by Everblaze are so powerful it is said very few healing skills in the world can reverse Its effects. That's why It's a forbidden skill. The minute I overused it, my fate was sealed. Sorry kid…. looks like I'm gonna to die here….” Franklin closed his eyes, resigning himself to his fate.

  Joe thought about feeding him a healing potion but based on how Franklin described Everblaze, Joe doubted it would work.

  Joe strode forward. He picked Franklin up despite his protest. He placed the old man on his back and tried to secure him as best as he could.

  The old man's body scorched Joe's spine. The heat it exuded was something else. But with [Elemental Block] Joe was able to endure it. That wasn't the only problem though, Franklin's body was weak and fragile. It felt like his body could wither away at any moment. Joe did his best to be careful and ensured the old man wasn't damaged any more than he already was.

  “I may not be able to help this old man but I know who can. Forbidden skill or not, Shelly can help him.”

  Joe had absolutely no doubt Shelly could do it, and with them moving on to the next layer to meet up with Shelly and the princess, Franklin just had to hold for a few more seconds.

  [You Have Unlocked The Hidden Layer (The Dead Zone) Transportation To The Hidden Layer Will Now Begin]

  “Wait what? Hidden—”

  Before Joe could finish his question a bright light shrouded both him and Franklin and their frames disappeared without a trace.

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