Mark searched the dragons' bodies for clues or useful items, but found nothing of note –
No strange artifacts, no mysterious scrolls, just scales, blood, and ash.
He stood up, deciding to check the status of the dragons and himself instead:
**TARGET STATUS (DECEASED):**
* **NAME:** Inferno Dragon
* **LEVEL:** 128
* **HP:** 0/150,000
* **MP:** 0/120,000
**TARGET STATUS (DECEASED):**
* **NAME:** Inferno Dragon
* **LEVEL:** 122
* **HP:** 0/120,000
* **MP:** 0/110,000
Then, Mark checked his own status:
**MARK'S STATUS:**
* **NAME:** Mark
* **CLASS:** Ancient Treant (Dark)
* **LEVEL:** 280 (+2 levels from killing dragons)
* **HP:** 73,000/118,000
* **MP:** 80,070/81,000
* **PASSIVE SKILLS:**
1. **Vitality Boost**
2. **Carnivore's Insight**
* **ACTIVE SKILLS:**
1. **Vines Control**
2. **Camouflage**
3. **View**
4. **Instinct**
Mark felt a surge of power from his level increase, despite still being wounded from the intense battle.
He considered resting to recover his HP or pressing onward...
Mark's curiosity got the better of him, and he decided to explore more information about his 2nd passive skill:
**MARK'S STATUS:**
* ...
* **PASSIVE SKILLS:**
1. **Vitality Boost**
2. **Carnivore's Insight**
Mark selected **Carnivore's Insight** to view more details:
**CARNIVORE'S INSIGHT**
* **Skill Description:** Chance to gain up to 9 active skills from consumed creatures.
* **Skill Mechanics:**
+ Acquired skills can be modified but not upgraded.
+ Replace one slot of choice when all slots are used.
+ Same skill description shares cooldown timer.
* **Consumption Methods:**
+ Eating monster flesh directly after killing.
+ Drinking potions made from monster extracts.
+ Using special items that grant skill absorption.
* **Acquired Skill Types:** Combat skills, Elemental skills, Support skills, and Mobility skills.
* **Current Acquired Skills:** 0/9 slots available
Mark realized this skill could greatly enhance his abilities by granting him access to skills from powerful monsters...
He wondered which skills he could acquire by consuming the Inferno Dragons' flesh...
Mark continued reading the details of **Carnivore's Insight**:
* **Skill Description:** ...
* **Additional Conditions:**
+ Consuming the brain or heart of the defeated monster increases the chances of acquiring skills.
Mark's eyes widened as he realized the importance of targeting specific organs.
He looked at the first Inferno Dragon's corpse and decided to act:
Mark ripped out the dragon's heart and held it in his hand, hesitating for a moment...
Then, he brought it to his mouth and ate it.
*Nothing happened.*
No new skills appeared, no notifications popped up.
Mark wondered if he had wasted the heart.
But then, he decided to try again with the dragon's brain:
Mark carved out the dragon's brain and consumed it.
**NEW SKILL ACQUIRED!**
**INFERNO FLAME**
* **Skill Level:** 7
* **Skill Description:** Unleash a wave of intense flames from your body, dealing fire damage to all enemies within a large radius.
* **Skill Attributes:**
+ Fire Damage: 4200-5200
+ Radius: 15 meters
+ Cooldown: 60 seconds
Mark felt a surge of excitement and power as he acquired this new skill!
He now had a total of:
**ACTIVE SKILLS:**
1. **Vines Control**
2. **Camouflage**
3. **View**
4. **Instinct**
5. **Inferno Flame** (Level 7)
Mark wondered what other powerful skills he could acquire from the second dragon's remains...
He looked at the second dragon's corpse and considered consuming its brain or heart.
Mark decided to consume the second dragon's brain:
He carved it out and ate it, expecting to acquire another powerful skill...
**Nothing happened.**
No new skills appeared, no notifications popped up.
Mark's excitement turned to disappointment.
He thought maybe the brain wasn't the right choice this time...
So, Mark consumed the second dragon's heart instead:
He ripped it out and ate it, waiting for a skill acquisition notification...
**Still nothing.**
Mark's disappointment turned to anger and frustration.
He had wasted the effort of consuming two valuable organs for nothing!
Mark slammed his fist on the ground, furious with the random nature of **Carnivore's Insight**
"Why such low chances of skill acquisition?!" Mark exclaimed aloud.
His HP was still low, and now he felt annoyed and exhausted...
Mark sat down amidst the dragon corpses, taking slow breaths to calm his frustration.
After a few moments, he felt his anger dissipate, replaced by curiosity about his new skill:
**Inferno Flame (Level 7)**
Mark stood up, deciding to test the skill and understand its mechanics.
He focused his mind on unleashing the inferno flame, feeling a surge of heat build up inside him...
Then, he activated the skill:
**INFERNO FLAME ACTIVATED**
A massive wave of intense flames erupted from Mark's body, engulfing the surrounding area!
* Flames towered 10 meters high
* Radius of effect: approximately 15 meters
* Heat was so intense it melted nearby stone
The dragon corpses were further charred, and the cave walls cracked from the heat.
Mark observed the skill's effects, noting:
* His HP remained unchanged (no skill cost in HP)
* His MP decreased by 4000 points (from 81,000 to 77,000)
* Cooldown timer started: 60 seconds remaining
Mark felt exhilarated by his new skill's powerful display!
Mark waited patiently for the cooldown timer to expire:
* 60 seconds...
* 59 seconds...
* ...
Finally, the timer reached 0.
**INFERNO FLAME READY**
Mark decided to test the skill again, this time actively controlling the flames with his hand.
He raised his right hand, focusing his mind on unleashing a smaller inferno flame from his palm.
**INFERNO FLAME ACTIVATED (MANUAL CONTROL)**
A stream of intense flames erupted from Mark's hand, obediently following his movements!
He waved his hand left and right, and the flames danced accordingly:
* Flames length: approximately 3-5 meters
* Flame width: about 1 meter
* Heat intense enough to melt steel
Mark experimented with different hand motions:
* Circular motions created a flame vortex
* Quick jabs produced short flame bursts
* Slow waves generated a steady flame stream
His MP decreased by 2000 points this time (from 77,000 to 75,000), likely due to shorter activation.
Mark grinned, thrilled with his newfound control over
Mark grinned, thrilled with his newfound control over **Inferno Flame**.
He decided to combine it with another skill - **Vines Control** - to test synergy effects
Mark attempted to combine **Vines Control** and **Inferno Flame**, wrapping flames around the vines.
But instead of a powerful synergy, chaos erupted:
* Vines wildly flailed out of control, slashing Mark's own skin
* Flames engulfed the vines too close to his body, burning his arms and torso
Mark leapt back, desperately extinguishing the flames on his skin.
He assessed the damage:
* HP decreased by 8,000 points (from 118,000 - 73,000 = 45,000 remaining, now 37,000)
* Burns covered 10% of his body
Mark winced in pain, realizing his mistake.
He decided then and there:
"I won't combine **Vines Control** and **Inferno Flame** again... clearly, they don't mix."
Mark used **Camouflage** to hide and rest, focusing on recovering from his self-inflicted wounds...
Mark exited the cave after partial recovery, eager to test **Inferno Flame** on actual enemies.
But as he emerged into the night air, he realized...
There were no enemies in sight. Only silence and darkness.
Yet, instead of disappointment, Mark felt an overwhelming sense of relief and joy.
He paused at the cave entrance, gazing up at the moonlit sky...
Tears of joy welled up in his eyes as he felt the cool night breeze on his face.
Mark thought back to his ordeal inside the cave - it felt like almost a month had passed, though he'd lost track of time:
* Fighting for survival against powerful dragons
* Discovering new skills and strengths within himself
* Pushing through pain, hunger, and desperation
He touched his face, reminded of his sacrifices:
* His left eye was gone, swallowed by the Dryad
* His right arm was rebuilt using the Dryad's remains, fused back onto him through his **Vines Control** skill
Mark felt an immense pride and gratitude towards his own unbroken spirit.
Mark's voice cracked with emotion as he whispered aloud:
"I... did it. I survived. I escaped."
Tears streamed down his face as he raised