Chapter 41 - 41
The increased damage of the nymphs over the Gargoyles is immediately apparent. In the description, they should only have a slight base advantage, but with the faster attack speed and the modifiers, it adds up to almost twice as much total damage in the end.
The packs they fight are overwhelmed, falling before they can even mount a proper defence. The massive trolls don\'t look fast, but perhaps because of their size, they cover a lot of ground. Their attacks are slow, but their walking speed easily keeps pace with the group and the attacking nymphs.
A group of enemies sits in what looks to be the final boss room: a Dark Elf, a gheist, treant, rock troll and wisp.
They\'re not sure what to make of this group, but they step forward cautiously, trying to prepare for anything.
Bright light envelops them when they enter the room, transporting the party to a different space entirely.
[Party fulfills the requirement: Five Fae Elements. The next area is unlocked. Rewards are granted.]
Five Fae elements? Cain has no idea what that means.
"Elf, Magic, Spirit, Nature and Elemental. The party members and summons." Char informs him when he looks to her for advice.
There are no monsters in this room, only a collection of carved wooden boxes. One with each of their likeness on it.
They decide to all go at once to maximize the excitement.
[Char Has Received A Spell Book]
[Elmira Has Received An Aura Book]
[Misha Has Received An Ability Book]
[Mythryll Has Received A Spell Book]
[Cain Has Received An Ability Book]
The entire group is speechless. 5 books at once? That sort of reward is unheard of.
Char looks over her reward, finding a [Channeled Lightning] spell. It\'s single target, but continues to hit until she stops channeling, an S Ranked attack ability.
Elmira receives an A Ranked aura ability [Pixie Dust] that increases magic damage done by all party members in the area. Convenient even for Cain, as the nymph damage is listed as magical damage in the skill description.
Misha gets [Blessing of Life] a passive that reduces the casting cost of her healing spells. S Ranked, it is a significant decrease in her mana usage. A thought that brings out a little happy dance from the overworked cleric.
Mythryll gains [Elfin Mirage] an A Ranked spell that creates duplicates of herself that cast the nature spells she knows. Vine Whip, Guardian Tree and Entanglement. Seeing how useful this can be, she puts a few more saved skill points into Vine Whip.
Cain gets a strange ability [Growth of Knowledge] an S Ranked Passive whose only description is "Allows user to increase knowledge with focused intent."
"Well, isn\'t that incredibly vague." Misha laughs, but Elmira looks like she has an idea what this ability might be.
"What if it lets Cain learn new forms for his summons by just focusing on the target? Don\'t you think that might be what it means?" The diminutive Pixie suggests.
"Once we get out of here, we will have to try on the next thing we want to have as a Summon." Cain says. "Until then, it\'s an S Ranked skill, it\'s nice just seeing it there."
[Participants will be ejected in 30 seconds] a notification comes in, and the group prepares for battle, instead finding themselves standing in an empty building on the edge of the village.
"Oh, ejected ejected." Elmira says with a giggle. "Better put the summons away unless you want to get in trouble."
Cain gets on it quickly, knowing there are people around, and Giant Cave Trolls aren\'t exactly stealthy.
"Got ejected did you?" a passerby asks, seeing them come from the building, looking around to get their bearings.
"Yeah, what happened? There was a notification then we\'re here." Mythryll adlibs.
"Happens to everyone, just a \'You are not worthy.\' And then you find yourself somewhere in the village. One unfortunate fellow ended up in the soup when his party was sent to the hotel kitchen."
"It sure is the fast way to get out of the dungeon though." Char laughs, making the fellow smile.
"Glad you\'re all safe, it can be dangerous in there. Myself, I prefer staying up here in town." He waves as he goes about his business.
The fairies are no longer giving Elmira threatening looks, now giving her sad glances as if she were a pitiful existence instead.
"You know, I almost preferred it when they hated me." She says sadly at the looks from a group of garden fairies.
"At least you don\'t have to worry about getting attacked at night anymore, and you can sit in Mythryll\'s hair instead of hiding." Cain jokes, making the pixie immediately take to the air to hop on to the Elf\'s shoulder, half buried in her tousled hair.
The Adventurers at the restaurant in the Inn welcome them back with cheers and a round of drinks. The first time you get sent back by the dungeon is a local rite of passage, and they\'re told to go write their names inside the building where they reappeared, pointing at the kitchen and the big pot with the name Thenassil on it.
"That was his first displacement. Most times you will show up near where you did the first time, so he walks out now." The chef laughs. "Good thing too, unwashed Elf is a terrible soup flavor."
A few more groups filter in during the afternoon, all having been displaced to their usual spots. Misha wants to check out the village tomorrow, see what new things they might have. Many of the townsfolk have high quality clothes, so she\'s hoping to get a recipe or two. She says she\'ll just buy outfits if she can\'t find recipes, but she needs some of the local fashion.
With the huge experience bonus from the dungeon quest, both Cain and Misha think they might make 50 with another run, so they\'re not in any hurry tomorrow, agreeing with Mythryll that a celebration is in order.
Every tenth level gives a class ability until level 100 when they either keep getting stronger or you can choose an advanced class. So the levels ending in zeros are much like birthdays according to her. A notion that both Char and Elmira wholeheartedly agree with, on the condition that there is cake.
Even the kitchen staff agrees that leveling milestones should be celebrated, and that they\'d happily make cake with just a few hours notice.