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[Level Up] x48

[Addition New Stat Points] +377 Mental Strength

[New Skill] Craftsmanship [Mythic Grade]

[Red Hydra's Aura Detected: Bond Success]

[Accelerated Hibernation: 56%]

[Accelerated Hibernation: 89%]

[Accelerated Hibernation: Success]

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I open my eyes to see over half a dozen blue notifications covering my vision.

The sun is bright, making me squint my eyes as a cool breeze passes through my hair. I'm lying flat on my back, but when I try to sit up a dizzy, lightheaded feeling takes over before I rest my head back down onto a glossy cool surface.

White clouds pass by on my sides, and the sound of two massive wings flapping are the only things that my senses pick up.

In my mind, it feels like only a moment ago I defeated the Sector 2 leader, but to my body, it feels as if I haven't taken in sufficient nutrients or even moved a muscle in weeks. My bones ache, my mouth is dry, and my head is pounding.

I need to get back to my teammates. I'm sure I defeated the immediate threat, but it's unclear how much time has passed and what happened afterward.

Still, I can't let these notifications pass me by without taking a look... I finally got a crafting skill, on top of that it's a very high grade. Even in a dazed state, I know a Mythic Grade skill is something I've only seen on one other status before; Ember's.

At the thought, another realization hits me like a brick wall as I open up my telepathy skill.

"Ember! I'm awake. The Hibernation process is over!"

There's an instant response, and the slow rhythmic flapping of the wings on both sides of me starts to speed up.

"You're finally awake, Master. This is great to hear. It seems we've leveled up quite a bit too. You've been busy in that second body."

There's a small pause, then I respond.

"How long was I out for? I got a notification the process ended early, but I'm not sure how early."

At this, the throbbing sound of my own heartbeat in my temples only gets worse. I reach into my item storage and pull out leftover water and food from our travels through the desert. As I eat and drink while using self-regeneration, all of the aches and pains go away, but I'm still a bit disoriented. Ember responds.

"I'm unsure too. At least a week, two at most. Up in the skies, with only an unmoving artificial dungeon sun, it's difficult to tell the exact time."

"Understood."

I take another minute to gather my thoughts.

It may have been weeks to Ember since I last left him to calmly roam the skies in this dungeon, but it's only been mere minutes in my perception since I just finished up one of the most intense battles of my life.

"Let's head to the dungeon exit, slowly. I need some time to think."

He turns his body, gliding down. The wind in my face slightly picks up, but it feels good.

The calm and nonchalant attitude of Ember is always nice, but sometimes he could be perceived as a bit too calm or uninvested in situations. However, I like it this way. As long as I'm alive and we're getting stronger he's happy to not ask questions. The simplicity of our relationship is comforting.

[Status Open]

[Lv. 562]

My eyes immediately drift down from my updated level to my new skill. I activate my All-Seeing Eye for more information.

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Craftsmanship

Info: Craftsmanship allows the caster to mend, adjust and create magic items. The quality of these crafted items is based on their level, mana control, and the materials used in the crafting process.

Before crafting each item, the caster must choose a tier.

The first tier of Craftsmanship [No Grade] allows the crafter to mend, adjust, and create magic items with additional stat points in one category.

The second tier of Craftsmanship [Special Grade] allows the crafter to mend, adjust, and create magic items with additional stat points in two categories. It also grants the caster to convert these two stat point categories into percentage-based buffs.

The third tier of Craftsmanship [Legendary Grade] allows the crafter to mend, adjust, and create magic items with additional stat points in three categories. It also grants the caster to convert these three stat point categories into percentage-based buffs. The caster is capable of bonding element stones to items making unique growth-type weapons to be solely paired with a user.

The fourth tier of Craftsmanship [Mythic Grade] allows the crafter to mend, adjust, and create magic items with additional stat points in ALL categories. It also grants the caster to convert these stat point categories into percentage-based buffs. The caster is capable of bonding element stones to items making unique growth-type weapons to be solely paired with a user. In addition to outside materials, the caster is able to imbue copies of any skills or properties they own or make contact with.

Unique items, bonds, and materials used will vary the outcome of every crafting process.

Grade: Mythic

[Upgrade]

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My eyes move back and forth over these words for a full minute, thinking of all the possibilities there are with this skill.

The Sector 2 leader's armor must have been a product of a Mythic Grade Craft. Something that scrambles my perception skills while eating up all mana-based attacks with ease, as well as taking on Demonic Energy without much issue either.

Just as we break through the cloudline for the trees and mountains of wolf dungeon below to come into view, my eyes catch hold of another exciting number on my status.

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Proficiency Points(PP): 262

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"First I get a Mythic grade skill, now I even have enough points to upgrade the skill I've been saving up for this whole time. I've waited a long time for this moment."

A grin comes across my face, and my eyes practically glimmer as I scroll down and immediately use 250 points to click [Upgrade] on my very first skill.

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Absorption

Info: This is a unique skill. Upon dealing the final killing blow to any creature, the caster has the capability to absorb its skills. Absorbed skills will be adapted to fit the caster's biology.

A [Special Grade] hidden ability: After defeating opponents of considerable strength, there is a chance the caster will be able to absorb 5% of their opponent's highest stat points. This will permanently increase the caster's status. For every 5 levels that the opponent surpasses the caster's own, the probability of triggering this passive ability increases by 1%.

Skills acquired using absorption will now increase in grade class up to [Legendary Grade] upon casting. Old skills already obtained by the caster can now be upgraded to [Legendary Grade] after defeating an opponent with the same skill.

After an opponent is defeated, their Mana Control Proficiency(MCP) may be absorbed. For all opponents below 80% of the caster's level, 0.1% of MCP will be absorbed. For all opponents between 80% of the caster's level and the caster's level, 0.25% of MCP will be absorbed. For all opponents between the caster's level and 120% of the caster's level, 0.5% of MCP will be absorbed. For all opponents above 120% of the caster's level, 1% of MCP will be absorbed.

There is a 5% chance that any opponent above the caster's current level will allow 1 Proficiency Point(PP) to be absorbed.

Grade: Legendary

[Upgrade]

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The smile on my face grows and grows as Ember touches down to the dungeon ground. The new upgrades only made possible from my last battle make the opportunity ahead feel endless.

So, to make things simple... 120% of my current level just means adding 20%. If I were at level 500 and fought a level 600 or higher monster, I'd absorb 1% of their total mana control upon defeating them.

In addition to this, I finally have a way to upgrade my skills faster. I won't have to only rely on 1 PP per level up, I can farm them from monsters that are at my current level or above.

On top of all of this, I don't have to be cautious about absorbing [No Grade] skills anymore. With this new perk, I'm able to upgrade skills up to [Legendary Grade] as long as I absorb them from a newly defeated monster.

I sense the exit portal nearby, and want to check out one more thing before we leave.

Instead of just 1 from ranking up, there are now two permanent buffs in my status. One is the Emperor's Domain, and the other is the Red Hydra's Rage.

I haven't yet used my Emperor's Domain because my body double wasn't ranked up when I previously attempted to use it.

This is the ability that allows me to share my own skills with party members who are loyal to me within a given range.

The skill is a passive one, that I don't even notice is on unless I concentrate. Previously it pushed out about 10 meters on all sides, now after the whole ordeal I just went through it just barely touches 13.

"This one will take quite a while to upgrade."

There's no way to level up its effectiveness at the moment other than getting stronger. Although 13 meters of range is a neat trick, it won't be very useful in battle just yet. I still have to run a few tests with my team once I get back to Solara.

We make our way through a few patches of trees and finally make it to the blue swirling dungeon exit portal. I open up my item storage for Ember to get inside, but he hesitates and speaks through our link.

"It seems you've made another soul bond, haven't you?"