This first-kill announcement stirred up the World channel once again.
[World] Cain: What the heck? Are they treating the Challenge Dungeon like an Experience Dungeon? The best time for the Experience Dungeon is 20 minutes, and they cleared the Challenge Dungeon at the same time for a first kill???
[World] Misty: My teammate asked why I suddenly kneeled… ⊙▽⊙ When I showed them the announcement, they knelt with me…
[World] Clear Sky: Aren’t you guys exaggerating? Their team is 10 levels above the dungeon, clearing it faster with level suppression.
[World] Bear Hardship with Equanimity: You have a point, but do you really believe that players at the same level could clear it this fast?
[World] Lone Boat: I believe it! I’m sitting here obediently, waiting for the pros to share the strategy (smiling emoji).
[World] Jia Tu: No wonder the top players suddenly want gear for level 25 and above. They must be prepared to tackle the Abyss Dungeon, right?
[World] Pathfinder: I remember the Abyss Dungeon requires 15 people! I’d better level up quickly! Just in case the pros need an extra teammate, I’ll be ready!
[World] Evernight: Bro, that’s a great idea! High-DPS Assassin here, looking for a party in the Forest Cemetery Experience Dungeon!
Meanwhile, inside the dungeon, Soul Chaser and Plume Ink were circling the treasure chest, muttering to themselves.
“Heaven above, Earth below, grant Brother Ran a purple gear!”
“Heaven above, Earth below, grant Brother Ran a skill book!”
Ran Qi: “……”
Brothers, it’s the year 3000 of the Galactic Calendar. Are you really still engaging in superstitions?
Xiao Bai found their behavior amusing, fluttering its small wings and chirping along as it flew around behind them.
After they circled for a while, Soul Chaser looked at Ran Qi with a serious face and said, “Brother Ran! It’s time for you to shine!”
Ran Qi shook his head with a smile and stepped forward to open the first chest.
[System] Congratulations! You have received [Holy Light – Skill Book] and a special item [Abyss Fragment].
[Holy Light – Skill Book]
Can Learn Level: 30
Limited Profession: Priest
Description: Open it to learn the skill [Holy Light]. Cast time: 3 seconds. Cooldown: 5 minutes. Summons holy power within a 3-meter radius, rapidly healing all players within range for 15 seconds (healing effect ends if the caster moves or dies).
“Haha, we really got a skill book! And it’s a group healing skill! This will be incredibly useful in the Abyss Dungeon!” Plume Ink was thrilled, feeling that his prayers really worked.
“Our Brother Ran just got even stronger. He’s probably the first priest to have learned four skills! The ultimate healer!” Soul Chaser joined in with some enthusiastic praise.
As the only priest in the team, the skill book was naturally given to Ran Qi.
In reality, Ran Qi’s skill tree was fully maxed, so he didn’t actually need skill books. When his level met the requirements, his skills would unlock automatically. But since he had joined Night Owl’s fixed team, he hadn’t had a chance to unlock new skills openly. Although he had already activated Holy Light, he couldn’t use it.
Now, with the skill book in hand, he could finally use this new skill openly. He decided to keep the book to gift to Feng Tian later.
Ran Qi then contributed 10 gold as a ‘hard work fee’ to the team.
Night Owl: “You don’t need to give that much.”
“It’s fine, I’ve got money,” Ran Qi replied, then added playfully, “I made it by scavenging junk.”
Night Owl: “…”
Ran Qi’s casual comment nearly made him choke.
Then, Ran Qi opened the second chest.
[System] Congratulations! You have received high-grade material [Poison Vine of the Man-Eating Flower] and a special item [Highest-Level Attack Rune – Recipe].
[Poison Vine of the Man-Eating Flower]
Grade: A
Description: High-grade material can be used to craft weapons with toxic damage.
[Highest-Level Attack Rune – Recipe]
Grade: A
Description: A reinforcement rune recipe. Learn it to master the creation of top-level Destruction Runes, which increase base weapon attacks by 20%.
“Are these two items good or not?” Soul Chaser and Plume Ink crowded around, confused.
“Of course they’re great! When has Brother Ran ever gotten bad loot?” Sword at Fleeting Time rolled his eyes at them. “This Poison Vine is a core material for weapon crafting, and the Attack Rune is one of the hardest-to-obtain enchants. Both are rare and valuable.”
“I knew that, but doesn’t crafting Grade A weapons require high skill proficiency? And there’s only one of these materials! Feels powerful, but also like we won’t be able to use it…”
“Exactly! I know how valuable a rune is, but you need to master Alchemy first to even use it! Alchemy is considered the hardest of all life skills!”
Ran Qi overheard their conversation and chuckled, saying, “No need to worry about that. Leave it to me, and just get ready to upgrade your gear.”
“Long live Brother Ran!” The group cheered immediately.
“Alright! Since we’re in good form, let’s go claim the first kill for Blackstone Mine’s Challenge Dungeon too!”
As the players on the World channel mentioned, their team had a level advantage in the Forest Cemetery, which made things easier. But Blackstone Mine was different. It was a level 25 dungeon, and even the low-level monsters here had absurdly high attack power. If they weren’t careful, they might really find themselves in trouble.
But with Ran Qi’s Holy Light skill, they employed the same tactics as in the Experience Dungeon: Plume Ink and Sword at Fleeting Time, being the fastest runners, would lure the monsters, while Soul Chaser and Gu Le, with their area attacks, provided cover.
Of course, they didn’t pull every monster at once. Instead, they drew about a dozen at a time.
After pulling them together, Ran Qi used his area healing skill, and everyone jumped in to wipe out the monsters as if they were slicing through butter. Once Holy Light’s cooldown ended, they drew the next batch, steadily progressing until they faced the chameleon boss.
The group was extra cautious when facing the boss, as it had numerous area attacks, especially its deadly poison spray, which was more powerful than in the Experience Dungeon. Although Ran Qi could heal the team, Holy Light only restored health and didn’t remove poison effects. If two or more people were poisoned at the same time, it could spell disaster. So when they saw the boss’s belly bulge, everyone scrambled to dodge.
It seemed like this boss had a personal vendetta against Ran Qi. He noticed the boss’s head facing right, so he ran left—only for the sneaky chameleon to whip around and spray poison in his direction.
Luckily, the team was on high alert after the previous encounter, and they immediately used skills to buy Ran Qi some time. Gu Le, who was nearby, raised his massive shield, blocked the poison, and led Ran Qi to safety.
“Ahh! My shield! Its durability is down to 30 and dropping fast!” Gu Le cried out.
Because Gu Le shielded Ran Qi with his body and shield, Ran Qi avoided the poison entirely. Although Gu Le got slightly poisoned, a Purification spell resolved it, but the shield’s durability was plummeting.
When an item’s durability hits zero, it’s permanently destroyed, so no wonder Gu Le was so upset.
“It’s fine… If it breaks, I’ll make you a new one after we’re done…”
“Make me an even better one, okay?” Gu Le demanded.
“Sure…”
Ran Qi sighed internally, feeling that a priest’s short legs were always a liability in critical moments. He resolved to stock up on speed potions and enchant his boots with a Gale Rune for speed once they finished this dungeon.
He wanted to be the fastest priest out there!
“Chirp, chirp!” Xiao Hei, who had been napping on Night Owl’s shoulder, suddenly became furious at the boss for targeting Ran Qi. Letting out a few fierce-sounding chirps, it soared up and spat a cloud of ominous black mist at the boss.
At that moment, Night Owl received a system message.
[System] Your pet has successfully triggered the Curse of Misfortune skill, increasing its skill level.
Looking up, he saw the chameleon boss slowing down, its attack damage reduced.
“Quick! Xiao Hei has triggered its curse skill! The boss’s attack power has dropped by 10%! Focus fire!”
“Roger!” The team unleashed their skills with all their might.
Sensing danger, the chameleon boss attempted to activate its survival skill, blending in with its surroundings to become invisible.
But before anyone could start looking, Xiao Bai flew over to a dark rock, furiously stomping its little feet.
Night Owl caught on and hurled a fireball at it, revealing the boss.
The chameleon reappeared in a sorry state—it seemed this boss was unlucky to encounter its two little nemeses.
When the boss finally fell, Xiao Hei wasted no time darting over and snatching up the dropped loot. Thankfully, Night Owl had adjusted the loot settings in advance, so the item went straight into the team’s inventory.
[System Announcement] Player [Night Owl] and their team have pummeled the Demonized Chameleon, causing it to flee in disgrace, leaving behind [Knight’s Blade].
[Knight’s Blade]
Restriction Level: 25 or above
Limited Profession: Assassin
Grade: A
Durability: 200/200
Attributes: Basic Attack +75, Accuracy +22, Constitution +19, Critical Strike +10
“A purple dagger!” Sword at Fleeting Time’s eyes gleamed with excitement. Finally, he was getting a purple weapon and a rare one at that!
Not only was he thrilled, but the World channel also buzzed with excitement.
[World] Unyielding Mountains and Rivers: It’s them again… every time, it’s them on the announcements! I’m convinced they’re official testers!
[World] September Sky: What’s the problem? What’re you gonna do about it?
[World] June Snow: Watch your attitude! Careful, or the pros might put a bounty on you!
[World] Cain: A purple weapon for an assassin! I’m jealous!
[World] No Happiness: The blue weapon I just got from the boss suddenly doesn’t seem so appealing…
Sword at Fleeting Time eagerly contributed 5 gold as a token of appreciation to the team, then equipped his new dagger. It was completely black with vivid red patterns, looking undeniably stylish.
Motivated by the purple item drop, the team eagerly charged toward the next boss. Along the way, they didn’t waste a single beehive, which Xiao Bai dutifully gathered for Ran Qi.
The last boss was supposed to be the most difficult, but Night Owl’s team had already mastered its weaknesses, making the fight surprisingly easy. They secured another first clear victory.
[System Announcement] Congratulations to players [Night Owl] [Soul Chaser] [Plume Ink] [Sword at Fleeting Time] [Coke] [White Dye] for clearing the Blackstone Mine Challenge Dungeon in 29 minutes, 01.95 seconds, and getting SSS-level evaluation. Additional reward of [Gold Treasure Chest].
[World] Jia Tu: This speed is ridiculous! The final boss alone usually takes over half an hour to beat! And they cleared the challenge dungeon that fast??
[World] Curly Hair: Don’t forget they already achieved the speed-clear record for the experience dungeon! They must know some quick-clear tricks we don’t!
[World] Lone Boat: Same thing as always—waiting for the pros to share their strategy!
[World] Few Words: Exactly, please share the strategy, big shots! May you be blessed with good fortune!
[World] Twilight: May you prosper! Please, help the noobs out!
But Night Owl’s team wasn’t paying attention to the World channel; they were too busy eagerly watching the two gold treasure chests.
“Heaven above, Earth below…” The two superstitious players were back at it.
[System] Congratulations! You have obtained the accessory [Knight’s Ring] and the special item [Abyss Fragment].
[Knight’s Ring]
Restriction Level: 25 or above
Limited Profession: Mage
Grade: A
Durability: 200/200
Attributes: Basic Attack +70, Intelligence +25, Constitution +19, Basic Defense +66
Ran Qi got a purple ring, and since it was exclusive to mages, the highly valuable item went to Night Owl.
“Quick, open the next chest!” urged Soul Chaser and the others, eyes shining with anticipation.
[System] Congratulations! You have obtained [Glacial River – Skill Book].
Ran Qi’s luck held strong as he pulled out another skill book, this time a multi-target spell for mages.
[Glacial River – Skill Book]
Can Learn Level: 30
Limited Profession: Mage
Description: Open it to learn the skill [Glacier River]. Cast time: 3 seconds; cooldown: 1 minute. Channel icy power over a 4-meter area around you, creating an ice field that deals 110% magic damage + Intelligence. Affected enemies experience a 6-second slow and sluggish state.
“Awesome! Brother Ran, you’re amazing!”
Although Night Owl had high attack power, he’d always lacked an AOE skill, which limited his efficiency in farming monsters and grouping enemies in dungeons. With this new skill, he could finally hit multiple targets at once.
In the game <Magic Realm>, level 30 marked a major milestone, where players could transfer to a new main city and unlock a broader skill tree. At this point, players could choose from two specialization paths within their class.
For example, Priests could become Holy Priests, focused on healing, or Temple Priests, oriented toward support.
Archers could become Rangers or Archery Masters, where the latter used longbows for ranged attacks, while Rangers favored short bows for agile, mid-range attacks.
Assassins could specialize as Shadows, experts in speed and agility, or Venom Fangs, who focused on poison attacks.
Warriors had the option to become War Gods, akin to berserkers with high attack power, or Swordmasters, who leaned toward defense and had various aggro-manipulation skills.
Mages could choose between Battle Mage, specializing in close combat, or Elemental Mage, who wielded the powers of nature’s elements like fire, ice, water, wood, and earth.
Even though fireball and glacial magic were quite different, becoming an Elemental Mage would allow Night Owl to expand his skill tree freely.
“Ahhhh, why are they all mage items?” Soul Chaser was exasperated.
Plume Ink sighed, “Yeah, I feel a little jealous…”
“Alright, I’ll give you all some gold as thanks. Does that work?” Night Owl generously distributed 15 gold to the team, calming down their envy.
“Since we’re done with the dungeon, let’s all head to Sina City for our job changes.”
“Sounds good. Let’s go!”
With everyone at level 30, it was time to visit the new main city and switch classes. The entrance to the Abyss Dungeon was also located just outside Sina City.
“Wait…” Sword at Fleeting Time suddenly called out, “The GM messaged me again, asking if we could write a guide for the two challenge dungeons we just cleared. Also, boss, have you thought any more about the live stream?”
After securing two more first kills, the GM contacted them again, asking if they’d share their strategies on the forums and consider livestreaming the Abyss Dungeon. The GM even sweetened the deal, offering each team member eight Physical Exchange Coupons if they agreed to the stream.
“Ask if they’d consider giving each of us 10 coupons, since Jiangnan’s team will join us,” Night Owl said. The Abyss Dungeon was a team effort, so any benefits should go to everyone involved.
Sword at Fleeting Time nodded, “Alright, I’ll ask!”
A short while later, the GM responded.
“The GM agreed! But they want to know when we’ll be tackling the Abyss Dungeon so they can promote it on the official site.”
Night Owl replied, “Okay, we’ll need some time to prepare. We’ll let them know once we’ve set a date.”
Not everyone in Jiangnan’s team had reached level 30 yet, and both equipment and skills needed upgrades. Abyss Dungeon was extremely challenging; they’d only managed to beat the first boss during the beta test. To increase their chances of success, thorough preparation was essential.
“Got it.”
![Fake Sweet Omega [BL]](https://www.freenovels.net/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/僞裝甜O.png "Fake Sweet Omega [BL]")
