Dante re-materialized with a jolt ducking behind a rock for cover. "Not again," he groaned, realizing he'd just been knocked out of action for the second time. His eyes widened as he caught sight of a sword quickly swinging to his neck from the back. Without time to react all went black again.

When Dante appeared once more, he found himself at the start of the zone, just before the passage widened. Acting instinctively, he quickly summoned Virgil to his side. Sweat ran down his face, and his heart raced. Even the message floating in his vision – Virgil leveled up – couldn't lighten the grim mood that had settled over him. 

"Close shave," Dante mumbled, but this time, the usual lightheartedness was missing from his voice. The gravity of the situation hit him: if Virgil had perished while he was 'dead', with the skill that summoned him - ‘Summon Dante Fellan’ - on cooldown, it would have been the end. He hadn't even checked Virgil's remaining HP, but the absence of both skeleton warriors told him Virgil was the last one standing. A close shave, indeed, and with the real specter of death.

As he stood there, his heart still pounding from the narrow escape, Dante became acutely aware of their dire predicament. Only hours before, he had been just a regular university student, concerned with grades, social life, and the latest update of his favorite online video game. Now, he was thrust into a stark reality of life and death, far from the familiar comforts of lecture halls and campus coffee shops.

The 'immortality loop’, once a clever strategy he'd taken pride in, now exposed its flaws. It was a stark reminder of how fragile their existence was in this harsh, unforgiving world. Death, previously an abstract concept confined to textbooks and late-night philosophical discussions with the pillow, had become an immediate and tangible threat. A simultaneous fall or a moment's delay in reaction could spell the end. The Game would be over, not just in this realm but possibly in every sense.

This realization forced Dante to grasp the seriousness of their situation. It was no longer an adventurous escapade; it was a fight for survival, demanding strategy, quick thinking, and a newfound maturity. Standing there, a firm resolve took shape within him. He mentally noted the immediate need to revive Virgil upon reappearing, ensuring the skill ‘Summon Dante Fellan’ was always readily available. This wasn't merely a clever tactic now; it was their lifeline, their sole bulwark against the finality of death.

"Still, it's one hell of a cheat," he thought, attempting to bring back a hint of his usual humor. But the smile that flickered on his lips was more a guise of bravery than a reflection of amusement. With this newfound understanding and a determination to adapt their strategy, Dante refocused on their available skills. They were not just instruments of combat; they were the essentials for survival in a game that had become perilously real.

Available Skills (SP: 2)

• Summon Skeleton Warrior (R1 L3) (1 SP): Summon a rank 1, level 3 skeleton warrior to fight by your side. Limit: 2, duration: 340 s, MP cost: 20, CD: 140 s.

• Summon Skeleton Archer (R1 L3) (1 SP): Summon a rank 1, level 3 skeleton archer to fight by your side. Limit: 2, duration: 340 s, MP cost: 20, CD: 140 s.

• Strength Infusion (R1 L1) (1 SP): Adds 5 points to the Might attribute of a summon. Duration: 180 s, MP cost: 10, CD: 120 s.

• Agility Infusion (R1 L2) (1 SP): Adds 10 points to the Finesse attribute of a summon. Duration: 200 s, MP cost: 15, CD: 120 s.

• Conjure Bone Weapon (R1 L3) (1 SP): Summons a rank 1, level 3, 1-H bone mace, bone sword, bone dagger or a 2-H staff. Duration: 340 s, MP cost: 12, CD: 140 s.

• Conjure Bone Armor (R1 L1) (1 SP): Summons a rank 1 bone armor. Duration: 300 s, MP cost: 5, CD: 180 s.

Dante couldn't hide his excitement as he scrolled through the list of available skills and points. 'Two Skill Points for leveling up?' He pondered whether this generous allocation of points would be a regular occurrence or just a special treat every five levels. His gut feeling leaned towards the latter, but he couldn't shake off the hope that maybe, just maybe, The Game had a soft spot for him.

His attention then shifted to the new summoning skill - the same skeleton archer that had almost derailed their quest. "Well, it actually did finish me off," he corrected himself with a chuckle, reminiscing about his sudden downfall. The irony of now being able to summon the very creature that had sent him to his temporary doom wasn't lost on him. He also observed that this skill began at level 3, a notable deviation from the starting levels of other skills he had encountered so far. This indicated that a skill's level might represent its inherent strength, rather than its progression or upgrades - a revelation that not all skills commenced at level 1.

Dante weighed his options for the second skill point. The necessity of leveling up the skeleton warrior summoning was a no-brainer, given its effectiveness in combat. However, he was torn about spending the other point on the archer or the conjure weapon skill.

He couldn't ignore the stark reality facing them: Virgil's current Level 1 weapon was woefully inadequate, its fragility becoming more apparent with each encounter. It was less a weapon and more a temporary tool, breaking with disheartening frequency. The root of the problem was becoming increasingly clear - the enemy skeletons they faced were growing stronger, particularly in terms of their Might attribute.

This increase in Might wasn't just a number on a screen; it translated into the skeletons having harder bodies and greater strength. In practical terms, this meant that even a direct hit from their current weapons would rapidly deplete the weapon's durability. Each clash, each impact with these tougher skeletons, significantly weakened the integrity of their Level 1 weapons.

This understanding crystallized the importance of upgrading the weapon conjuring skill. Without more durable and effective weapons, they would be at a severe disadvantage, especially as they delved deeper and faced higher-leveled foes. 

Upgrading the weapon conjuring skill would mean more durable, heavier weapons with reduced cooldowns and longer durations - a significant boost to their combat capabilities. On the flip side, while the idea of a skeleton archer was appealing, Dante had to admit that shooting arrows at bones was about as effective as throwing feathers at a tank.

With a decisive nod, Dante allocated his skill points:

Active Skills:

Summon Skeleton Warrior (R1 L3)

• Summon a rank 1, level 3 skeleton warrior to fight by your side. Limit: 2, duration: 340 s, MP cost: 20, cooldown: 140 s.

Summon Dante Fellan

• Summon Dante Fellan, MP cost: 0, CD: 180 s.

Unsummon Dante Fellan

• Unsummon Dante Fellan, MP cost: 0, CD: 180 s.

Conjure Bone Weapon (R1 L2)

• Summons a rank 1, level 2, 1-H bone mace, bone sword or bone dagger. Duration: 320 s, MP cost: 8, CD: 160 s.

Agility Infusion (R1 L1) 

• Adds 5 points to the Finesse attribute of a summon. Duration: 180 s, MP cost: 10, CD: 120 s.

With a calm nod from Dante, Virgil seamlessly employed his new skills. He summoned a Level 3 skeleton warrior, its appearance marking a noticeable upgrade in their combat capabilities.

Class: Skeleton warrior (Rank 1)

• Level: 3

• HP: 55

• MP: 9

• Might: 11

• Finesse: 7

• Mystique: 3

• Essence: 3

Turning to weaponry, Virgil conjured a Rank 1, Level 2 bone mace. The weapon formed smoothly in his hand, its enhanced durability and design evident. Virgil handled it with ease, testing its balance and weight.

Weapon: 1-H bone mace (Rank 1, Level 2)

• Durability: 50/50

• Weight: 3.2 kg

Dante observed with a sense of satisfaction. These advancements in their arsenal were crucial, and seeing them materialize bolstered his confidence in their strategy. His gaze shifted to the path ahead, winding beyond the treacherous rocky hills on either side. There was a certain allure to the unknown that lay before them, a challenge that beckoned them forward.

In a situation where caution might typically follow a brush with death, Dante found his instincts veering in the opposite direction. He recognized a crucial insight: the error lay not in their pace or approach, but in his delayed timing to trigger Virgil's summon at the critical moment. "Timing is everything," he thought, as a newfound clarity took hold.

"Welcome."

Startled, Alice found herself enveloped in silence, the familiar sounds of her world abruptly ceasing. The wind's caress against the windows, the comforting crackle of the fire, and the soft tread of servants' feet had all vanished into nothingness. Was this a dream? Had she faintly slipped away into unconsciousness? Yet the vividness of her experience belied the notion of a dream; it felt unmistakably real.

"Before we start, let's make things more... clear, shall we?" the voice proposed, and with those words, an unprecedented change unfolded. Light invaded Alice's existence, a phenomenon she had never before encountered, introducing a sensation so bewildering and intense it bordered on pain. This wasn't the absence of sound or the absence of touch, but something entirely different, something... visual.

The discomfort she felt originated from her eyes, a novel concept given her lifelong blindness. It was as if a thousand suns had chosen this moment to reveal themselves, their brilliance demanding acknowledgment from eyes that had never known their warmth. The sensation was sharp, akin to an acute sting, yet it carried with it a peculiar allure, a beckoning into the unexplored.

As her dormant eyes struggled to adjust, the darkness that had been her eternal companion began to dissolve, giving way to a riot of colors, shapes, and movements. This cascade of visual stimuli was overwhelming, akin to touching fire for the first time—not merely feeling its warmth but being mesmerized by its dance. This deluge of sight was disorienting, her mind reeling from the onslaught of information that her eyes conveyed for the first time.

Amidst the confusion and awe, Alice realized she was witnessing the world in a manner entirely unfamiliar to her. The realization that these vibrant impressions stemmed from her own eyes, which had lain unused since birth, was both terrifying and enthralling. She stood on the threshold of a new reality, caught between the darkness she had always known and the illuminating journey of sight she was just beginning to explore. In this moment of profound transformation, Alice understood that she was seeing for the very first time.