"I mean, it's your kill and this weapon should even be more helpful to you," Slicer added, mistaking the look on Malik's face as defiance.
"Nay… it's better off with you. And again, you should also take this Steel Fanged Boot. It'll increase your overall DPS."
Slicer couldn't help but feel grateful as he accepted both items. He stole a glance at Kenny and couldn't help but praise his Team Leader silently for her foresight.
"Young Star… there's a set equipment that's suitable for Swordsmen. It's called the Feral Steel Set Equipment. I've already given you the legguards. So here are the chestplate, the armguards, the gloves, and the pauldrons. It's a six-piece set equipment, and we've just gotten five pieces. Although you've still not reached the requirement for it, I think you should put it on… It's better than your current equipment."
Malik said this as Young Star's eyes flickered with sharpness. He wasted no time equipping the Feral Steel Set, its dazzling silver glint making everyone's jaw drop. Even Malik was drooling a bit for it, but he knew—deep down—that his own gear far outclassed this one. He just prayed they'd find the final piece, because only then would its true power bloom.
"With that being settled, let's move on to our Mages. Once again, we have two items for you guys."
Malik said, presenting a pendant and a robe.
---
Crawler Eye Pendant (Accessory)
Rank: Secret - Silver
Stats:
Elemental Damage: +10% to chosen element (fire, ice, lightning, etc.)
Magic Accuracy: +5%
Critical Hit Rate: +5%
Skills:
Elemental Sight: Increases elemental resistance penetration by 10%
Eye of the Storm: 5% chance to trigger a minor elemental explosion (dealing 20% of elemental damage) on hit
Passive Effects:
Elemental Affinity: +5% elemental damage when elemental weakness is exploited
Magic Amplifier: +2% magic damage for each element mastered (max +10%)
Requirements:
Level 10 (Elementalist)
Intelligence: 30
Class: Elementalist
---
Feral Ember Robe
Rank: Secret - Silver
Stats:
Fire Elemental Damage: +15%
Fire Resistance: +20%
Magic Defense: +100
Skills:
Feral Instinct: Increases critical hit rate by 10% when HP is above 50%
Ember's Fury: 5% chance to ignite enemies, dealing 10% fire elemental damage over time
Passive Effects:
Burning Passion: +5% fire elemental damage for each 10% HP lost (max +15%)
Warmth of the Ember: Restores 2% HP every 10 seconds in warm environments
Requirements:
Level 10
Class: Elementalist
Intelligence: 50
---
Angel Michael and Taiwo turned to each other after appraising the items. The two artifacts were simply heaven-defying in their own way, each bearing its own crown of supremacy. If only one of them could wield both.
"I'll give you the opportunity to choose first," Angel Michael said with a smile.
"Then I won't be polite," Taiwo replied with her own smile as she chose the Ember Robe. Being a mage specializing in fire elements, her choice was natural—instinctive.
Angel Michael nodded and took the pendant, slipping it around his neck. At that moment, his eyes flickered with light as they landed on Malik. Malik was standing there exuding a strange aura—something apart from the rest.
His entire body shimmered in a faint, holy-white glow, like a being summoned from some divine realm. The Elemental Sight skill had activated, and Angel Michael kept staring, trying to peer through Malik's veil—only for Malik to turn and meet his gaze.
With just a single look, Angel Michael instinctively retreated.
"Are you okay?" Taiwo asked as she rushed to his side, concerned by his strange behavior.
"Yes. I'm fine," Angel Michael answered, disabling the pendant's skill. But when he looked again, he saw nothing—only Malik's faint silhouette remained.
'What in the world was that?'
"Boss, I love that ring," Kenny's voice jolted Malik out of his thoughts. He turned toward her. First it was Slicer… now Kenny also called him Boss. Without even appraising the item, he passed the ring to her, and she slid it onto her finger like it might vanish any second.
"You can also have this…" Malik added, handing her a chestplate. She took it with the same urgency—without even bothering to appraise it—and immediately swapped it with her own.
The team instantly retreated several steps back.
"This feeling… it's just like when we were facing that Mini Boss," Tipa said, eyes wide with disbelief. Kenny's aura was surging like wildfire, radiating danger into the minds of her teammates. It was as if she had slipped into a berserker state… but she was just standing there, eyes fixed on Malik—who hadn't budged an inch.
"You should try to control your aura, or your teammates will keep running away from you," Malik chuckled lightly. Kenny nodded and dashed off to a distance, leaving only Malik behind—holding a torn piece of paper and a skill book in his hand.
Malik activated his Appraisal Skill and examined the skill book:
---
Appraisal: Stealth (A Rank)
Description: Allows the user to move undetected, striking from the shadows. Deals bonus damage from behind enemies and increases critical hit rate.
Effects: +20% critical hit rate from behind, +10% damage from stealth attacks
Cooldown: 2 minutes
Requirements: Assassin
---
"This is the skill from the Feral Crawler. To think I'd lay hands on such a technique. But it's limited to the Assassin class," Malik mused in mild disappointment—but decided to try it out anyway.
He opened the book.
Ping!
<
<
"Yes!" Malik chuckled excitedly. He'd just learned a skill exclusive to Assassins. This was going to be useful.
His gaze shifted to the torn piece of paper. He used his Appraisal skill on it—nothing. He called over his teammates to take a look, but none of them could discern anything either.
"Boss, it's just a piece of paper… you can just store it away," Slicer said, and Malik nodded. But just as he was about to do so, something sparked in his memory.
He stopped.
And then, he buried all five of his senses into the paper. He funneled every strand of his perception into it. No thoughts. No distractions. Just focus.
Minutes passed.
And then… the paper began to fade in his grip—turning to dust.
In that instant, a system notification rang in his mind.
Ping!
<
Malik's eyes snapped open. Bright—like stars flickering in the night.
He couldn't believe what had just happened.
"That was a cultivation technique," Malik muttered, his body trembling slightly from the shock.
And then, streaks of light enveloped him.
And just like that, his silhouette vanished from the second floor—alongside the rest of his team.