I make my way down the dimly lit streets. The sidewalks are empty and there isn’t a single person in sight. My footsteps echo through the dark alleys as I walk straight toward the Dungeon Hub.

My mental clarity is unmatched, I know exactly what I have to do.

“I need to get back into that Labyrinth.”

If the association wants to force a mandatory contract on me, I’ll make it as hard as possible for them. I’ll train all night and sharpen my skills. If the offer they put in front of me resembles a slave contract in any way, I’ll just go rogue.

I already have a pretty good reputation as “The Flame Emperor” in the black market society here. If all else fails, I guess I’ll be fine…

I gulp.

“This is my decision. My unique skill is a special one. Possibly the most powerful skill there is, I need my freedom to use it to its full potential. I-“

My footsteps cease to echo into the night as I realize my error in wasted potential… I just spent 200PP… I could have upgraded my Absorption skill to legendary grade. With a sigh, I open my status and activate my All-Seeing Eye to check out my most important attribute.

____________________

Absorption

Info: This is a unique skill. Upon dealing the final killing blow to any creature, the caster has the capability to absorb its skills. Absorbed skills will be adapted to fit the caster’s biology.

Grade: No Grade

[Upgrade]

____________________

I click Upgrade without hesitation.

____________________

Upgrade: 50PP

[No Grade] -> [Special Grade]

Skills acquired using absorption will increase in grade class up to [Special Grade] upon casting.

A [Special Grade] hidden ability: After defeating opponents of considerable strength, there is a chance the caster will be able to absorb 5% of their open highest stat points. This will permanently increase the caster’s status. For every 5 levels that the opponent surpasses the caster’s own, the probability of triggering this passive ability increases by 1%.

____________________

I click upgrade and smile with satisfaction. I have 65PP left, I’ll keep the rest stockpiled for now. Legendary-grade absorption probably would have been incredibly good, but special-grade will be a neat increase for the time being. These things happen for a reason, right?

I begin walking again and make it to the dungeon hub less than 15 minutes later. This is a much more populated portion of the city. Late-night hunting isn’t too popular, but some still do it. Everyone has their own schedules after all. A dungeon’s environment doesn’t revolve around our 24hr clock, they’re always the same inside, so it’s the same diving experience.

I walk to the gates and show the nightshift guard my D-Class license to travel down into the hub. There’s less than half a dozen hunters down here. I get on the first train and get off at the first stop. It’s some random low-grade D-Class dungeon, I don’t even take the time to read what monsters spawn here.

The moment I’m inside, I draw my sword and activate Dungeon Walker.

The instant I do, my body becomes very light. A portal doesn’t even form. All I see are potential destinations in my mind’s eye, my physical body isn’t part of the equation. I lock onto an overlook in the mountains on floor 11 of the labyrinth and transport there without another thought.

With a grin, I look down at my sword, then up at the beautiful view of the mountains as a Griffin flies overhead.

“So that’s how Special Grade Dungeon Walker works. Nice.”

I activate enemy detection and begin teleporting around all 5 floors, 11 through 16. Without being noticed, I count just under 30 stragglers remaining. Most of them are on the 16th floor, continuing to train for their final test.

“I have plenty of time.”

I find myself a desolate area on the 16th floor with a group of High Ogres and take out a dagger to hold with my sword. Using all my stat-boosting skills along with my newest advanced fire-summoning skill. My body glows dark red with a hint of gold.

My flames crackle and twist as my sword begins to glow.

In an instant, I begin zipping around the battlefield. My strength and speed outdo these measly level 320s. Seconds later, four corpses fall to the floor in pieces, still burning bright with flames that show no sign of flickering out.

I smirk, then activate Dungeon Walker again. Without bothering to collect the loot, I find myself another group of monsters.

This continues on for about an hour. I get a feel for my new dual-wielding ability. The movements of my dagger and sword together feel much more natural. I can block with one and attack with the other.

I’ve been using wind magic with the dagger, and fire with my sword. The flames from my new advanced skill seem to actually not go out until the object they’re burning turns to ash.

After roughly 20 High Ogres, I gain 6 more levels. I’m level 321 now, there’s only two opponents in this labyrinth that are worth fighting now.

The floor 16 High Ogre King, and the Greater Demon up above…

The only problem is Rodrigo. He’s standing right outside the boss room, so the only way to go in and train would be to walk past him. That’s not a conversation I’m willing to have right now.

I use Dungeon Walker to teleport nearby and climb up a jagged rock ledge that looks down on the boss room portal from a distance. While sitting up against the large hard flat rock, I wait.

My breathing is slow, heart rate is steady, and mind completely clear. There’s only one mission to complete, get into that boss room without the A-Class examiner noticing.

About 30 minutes go by. The heat up here is getting very uncomfortable, but I take the pain and keep staring ahead.

A team of 4 finally arrives. My eyes perk up as I see Rodrigo giving them the usual entrance speech. A few seconds later, they all enter the spinning mass of energy.

“Now’s my chance.”

Quickly and quietly, I get down from the ledge and run over to the unsupervised portal. I look over my shoulder a few times while waiting for the necessary 30 seconds to pass so I can fight my own boss battle.

Just like that… I make it in! I re-activate my stat-boosting skills and get to work.

With a flash of light, the battle begins. A wave of High Ogres comes running at me, but I cut them down in seconds without much issue at all.

Running forward while activating my detection skills, two mutants come at me right on cue. With extreme speed and precision, I warp around them while plundering MP with every slash of my sword.

They both fall to piles of ash moments later. While wiping sweat from my forehead, the familiar sounds of the flaming High Ogre King ring out from behind me.

I ignite myself into a ball of fire to match its energy and jump into the air toward the beast with a glowing blade.

It’s a much easier fight this time around.

I know all of this Ogre’s tricks, and it doesn’t know a single one of my weaknesses. With a few well-timed Dungeon Walker teleportations and too many air slashes to count, I bring the King to its knees once again.

With a final swing of my blade, I defeat the boss. After all the battles in this room, my level went up another 5 times. I’m level 326 now.

The King dissolves and drops a mana crystal, nothing more. I’m transported to the long dark hallway and stop in my tracks. While staring at the spinning portal before me, I gulp and decide it’s not time yet…

With a deep breath, I use Dungeon Walker to transport myself back to my hiding spot. It seems the other team has not returned though… While scanning the area carefully, I enter the room again.

I go through the exact same fights, but this time it’s even easier. The King is slain and I gain 3 levels in total, bringing me to level 329. The boss did not drop any loot a second time in a row, just a mana crystal. When I transport back to my hideout up on the ledge, I see Rodrigo standing by the portal.

I let out a sigh.

“It looks like I’ll get 2 chances every time a team comes along.”

While waiting, I twirl my dagger and count the drips of sweat that fall from my forehead hitting the hot red ground below me as they sizzle into steam. Another full hour passes before a new team arrives.

I jump to my feet as Rodrigo gives them the talk and they all enter the portal. I get to face off another two rounds against the King.

After my inevitable double victory, I gain 6 more levels bringing me to level 335. The boss actually dropped a nice piece of armor. It’s a chest plate with 400+ defense, a bit too bulky for my style, I put it in my item storage and wait on the ledge above for another team to arrive.

Dripping sweat, and losing brain cells in the horrible heat up above, a third party meets with the tan-skinned examiner. They’re a party of 6, wearing copious amounts of gear giving off auras of various colors. They all look pretty nervous.

The lot of them enter normally, and I wait up above for the 30 seconds to pass.

Once they do….

I watch the spinning mass of energy turn dark grey, my face lights up with a smile and my eyes open wide.

That large team must have failed their raid…. That was quick…

This next boss is going to be a mutant.