Chương 11: New Support Skill

Dante followed the trail of the Founding Goblin and soon found what he was looking for.

The Founding Goblin stood beside a hill, surrounded by normal goblins. By the way it commanded its subordinates, Dante concluded that this was not the same Founding Goblin from the last settlement he destroyed.

There were only five normal goblins. Seeing he's already level 10, Dante felt confident.

Suddenly-

He dashed forward towards the goblins!

Shrieekk!!

The goblins spotted him and charged in his direction.

"I can do this!" Dante encouraged himself, raising his dagger.

Bang!

An arrow whizzed past his side, embedding itself in the ground. Dante looked up to see the Founding Goblin armed with a bow and arrow.

Squinting, Dante activated his skill, Concentration, and swiftly dodged to the side. A sword narrowly missed him.

With a precise slash, Dante severed a goblin's head.

"You gained +50 Exp!"

Without waiting for another attack, Dante swiftly closed the gap with another goblin, thrusting his dagger. It pierced through the goblin's neck, and blood spurted out.

Shrieeekk!

The Founding Goblin bellowed in fury as it watched its subordinates fall. It swiftly raised its bow and fired another arrow at Dante.

Having invested points in agility, Dante's body control, balance, and reflexes had vastly improved. Sensing the arrow hurtling toward him, Dante contorted his body at an unusual angle. The arrow missed again, and in one fluid motion, Dante struck with his dagger.

Thud! Thud! Two heads tumbled to the ground.

Dante exhaled, his skill now on cooldown.

The Founding Goblin, witnessing its fallen comrades, made a calculated decision to confront Dante directly. However, it did not charge recklessly. Instead, it retrieved a sword from its back.

This was not Dante's first encounter with a Founding Goblin. He was familiar with their combat style, having observed from his previous duties as a squad's "errand boy."

Dante rushed forward, this time refraining from activating his skill. He wanted to gauge his true capability against a Founding Goblin.

Bang!

The clash of sword and dagger resounded. Dante's grip remained steady, confirming that his strength could rival that of a Founding Goblin. He smirked and pressed forward for another clash.

Unexpectedly, the Founding Goblin delivered a swift kick, catching Dante off guard. He staggered back, momentarily taken aback by the move.

"You certainly live up to your reputation!" Dante exclaimed, addressing the Founding Goblin, regardless of whether it understood him or not.

Gathering himself, Dante lunged once more, keenly observing his opponent's movements. Their weapons met, each displaying equal strength. In a bold move, Dante raised his free hand and delivered a punch, the same strategy the Founding Goblin did.

Bang!

The goblin staggered backward. Dante's heart raced with exhilaration, hidden by his mask that bore a triumphant smile.

He allowed the Founding Goblin a moment to recover before they clashed again.

***

After a strenuous battle, the dying wail of the Founding Goblin echoed.

"You gained +200 Exp!"

"Congratulations! Quest Completed!"

"Rewards: Support skill (Random)"

As the notifications chimed and the screens lit up, Dante couldn't contain his exclamation of surprised.

In addition to gaining 200 Exp, Dante also acquired a support skill.

"But it's random?" Dante mused, already having a suspicion. He checked his inventory and found a gleaming book occupying one of the slots.

"If I'm going to acquire another skill, then I will have to undergo another ritual," Dante contemplated. He then decided to change his location to a safer spot. Eventually, he discovered a cave nestled beside a cliff. After ensuring no monsters were nearby, he entered and settled down.

Upon opening his inventory and expressing his intention to use the radiant book, a prompt appeared in his mind.

"Do you want to open a Skill Book (Random)?"

"Yes!"

Ding!

The confirming sound resonated in his ears.

In an instant, Dante's vision was engulfed in brilliant light. When he regained his senses, he found himself in a dimly lit space surrounded by books emanating various glows. Some were golden, others were white, a few exuded an ominous dark mist, and a handful emitted a medley of vibrant hues, also among them were some simple looking books.

Dante observed this spectacle in wonder, and yet another screen materialized before him.

"Start selection?"

"Start," Dante answered, filled with anticipation.

"Randomizing..."

The books began to whirl around Dante in a clockwise motion. They started off slowly, then gradually picked up speed. His clothes fluttered, and his hair swirled around him.

He waited with bated breath.

As the books spun faster and faster, they eventually reached a speed where they were nothing but a blur. Then, suddenly, they came to a halt, as if someone had slammed on the brakes.

Before Dante's widened eyes, a single book floated in front of him.

Upon observing its unassuming appearance, Dante thought that it was likely an ordinary skill.

"Congratulations! You have obtained a support skill, Invigorate."

"Skill Description: Can remove the fatigue of your target and energize them."

"Energy Consumption: 25"

As Dante looked at the screens detailing the skill he had acquired, he couldn't help but offer a wry smile. He was gradually coming to terms with the fact that the skills he would receive in the future would likely all be support-oriented. In fact, he was certain of it—if the system were human, it would be thinking along those lines.

"Do you want to learn?"

"Well, it's better than nothing." Dante acknowledged. Though he felt a twinge of disappointment that he wouldn't be wielding any flashy skills like a flaming sword or magic abilities, he still accepted it.

The radiant books surrounding him vanished, and the once-dark space abruptly turned blindingly white.

Dante knew he would never forget this place—it was where he acquired his very first skills.

At the age of 16, individuals showing the potential to be a Holder are summoned to this place for their ritual. Mana pours in, reconstructing their bodies to match their skills. Some even develop extra limbs or wings.

However, Dante's skill merely enhances his concentration, resulting in a body and mind stronger than a regular human's.

In this white expanse, Dante watched as the mana gradually manifested, converging towards him. They encircled him, but just as they were about to make contact, a translucent screen erupted from his body, repelling the mana.

Dante's anticipation for the reconstruction vanished, replaced by shock.

"System! What happened?!" Dante shouted at the system. The translucent screen that emerged from him bore the same properties as the one he always saw when a notification appeared.

The mana attempted to approach Dante, but the translucent screen held its ground. Even as the mana grew denser, the screen remained resilient. Eventually, the mana receded, causing the once white space to fracture and collapse.

When Dante opened his eyes, he found himself back in the cave, and a notification chimed.

"You've acquired a support skill, Invigorate!"

However, instead of satisfaction, a frown etched across Dante's face.

"System! Why did you do that?!" Frustration simmered within Dante as he realized the chance for mana-driven reconstruction had slipped through his fingers.

"Access Denied!" The screen blared in red letters, leaving Dante to ponder the mysterious turn of events.

"Again?" Dante's frown deepened. He attempted to discern the reason but came up empty-handed. He decided to set the matter aside for now.

"I should concentrate on the present," Dante resolved, heading out to test his newfound skill. Without enough clues to unravel why the system blocked the mana, he mulled over the situation. It struck him that when the system first appeared in his consciousness, the mana within him vanished.

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