[You leveled up.]
[New Level: 3]
[+20 Maximum HP]
[+10 Maximum Mana]
[Remaining Skill Development Points: 1]
[Remaining Stat Points: 3]
Without a moment's hesitation, he allocated all his stat points to endurance. As required by the Tank class, he focused on the most important attribute that would increase his chances of survival.
"Skill development point? Let's see what this is about."
A new window opened showing all his abilities. Next to each ability was a special box indicating development options. After carefully reviewing different abilities, he decided to choose Shield Bash, the basic attack ability. When he made his selection, a notification appeared on the system screen.
["Do you want to improve the 'Shield Bash' ability?"]
"Choosing an ability without knowing exactly what will improve? I wouldn't prefer gambling with my abilities. Well, since Shield Bash will definitely be my most used ability..." he said and pressed the continue button.
[Choose your path.]
[Stunning Shield Bash]
Type: Active - Physical Attack
Mana: 1
Cooldown: 30(+20) seconds
Damage: 120% of BSA + (Power × 2)
Additional Effect: Stuns target for 0.5 seconds.
Description: The user balances their weight and swings their shield to apply direct physical pressure. The strike both deals damage and disrupts the target's balance. Particularly useful in close combat to break the enemy's attack chain or create space for escape. Also works on Bosses.
[Quick Shield Bash]
Type: Active - Physical Attack
Mana: 1
Cooldown: 5 seconds
Damage: 200% of BSA + (Power × 2)
Description: The user balances their weight and swings their shield to apply direct physical damage. "Now I understand! I can modify abilities according to my fighting style. But which one would be more useful? With Stunning Shield Bash, I can stun even bosses for half a second. On the other hand, with Quick Shield Bash, I can attack much more frequently and deal more damage."
He circled around the Alpha Wolf's corpse for a while.
"If I had Stunning Shield Bash during the previous fight, I could have blocked the wolf's attacks much more easily. I am... whether I like it or not, a Tank. I need to stay alive as long as possible. The longer I survive, the better I'll adapt to the creatures' attacks."
[You have chosen Stunning Shield Bash.]
"I guess that's everything. I don't need to stay in this dungeon any longer."
He pressed the Emergency Exit button.
[Are you sure you want to Emergency Exit?]
[Your current quests will be canceled.]
After pressing "Yes," the world around him slowly began to darken and blur. The lights gradually faded, colors merged together, and his field of vision turned completely black. This transition process took a few seconds, and when the surroundings began to brighten again, he found himself standing in the familiar atmosphere of the Hub, next to the Misty Ruins passage.
Looking up at his surroundings, he encountered a lively atmosphere. People were excitedly rushing from place to place, gathering in groups and laughing together, while some sat in corners passionately discussing their future plans. The Hub's energy spread to every corner with its vibrant sounds.
"Hah! I'm really alive..." he said and continued observing the lively atmosphere around him, the rushing people, and the groups gathering in corners for a while longer. Fatigue was slowly starting to envelop his body. "I should go to the hotel and rest a bit. My stomach is also growling after this adventurous day. Should I eat something first?"
Two new notifications appeared before his eyes.
[Unlocked area: Twilight Pit
[Unlocked area: Endless Tavern]
"Let me check these unlocked areas first, then I'll go."
He pressed the "Follow" button on the screen. Blue markers appeared on the ground. He quickly started following the markers — he was tired and wanted to go to the hotel to sleep. It was gray in color, with a sign next to it reading "Twilight Pit: Level 3-8."
"Preview."
After this word, creature visuals, names, and possible loot appeared before him.
[Dark Crawlers (Level 3-4)]
[Usable Available Drops: Dark Scale, Dark Crawler Fang]
It resembled a long, pale-skinned alligator with no eyes.
[Gloomy Hunters (Level 5-6)]
They were semi-transparent creatures that looked like mist.
[Bone Walkers (Level 3-8)]
[Usable Available Drops: Beginner armor set, Bone Shield]
"Walking skeletons. They have many variations."
[Eternal Guardian – Mur-Azar (Boss – Level 8)]
[Usable Available Drops: Eternal Guardian Boss Chest, Echoes of the Last Command (Ring)]
It was a massive creature that looked as if carved from stone, with an armor-like body, carrying a shield.
"So this dungeon has its own Boss. At least I won't encounter it unexpectedly. But wait a minute..." his eye caught the "Optional Boss" text.
[The Warden of Hollow Flame - ???? - (Optional Boss - Level 10)]
[Location: ????]
[Activation Conditions: ????]
[Usable Available Drops: ????]
"This... somehow scares me. I need to move very carefully in the dungeon to avoid being caught unprepared. Thankfully, I now have an emergency exit button. If I find myself in a very dangerous situation, I'll press it immediately."
He carefully examined the creatures' images and possible drops, trying to commit every detail to memory. The armor sets and bone shield particularly caught his interest - these could definitely be useful in the future. However, facing these dangerous creatures in his current tired state wouldn't be wise. Taking a deep breath, he thought, "I'll definitely come back here later, but for now I need rest. It's best to first check out the Endless Tavern and then go to the hotel to rest."