Step up to conquer the Dungeon 32 The day that changed everything part 1

when we returned home mother was already waiting for us, she looked me right in the eyes and then asked, " Mortimer how are you?" her voice was soft and comforting. I answered, " Not so good." At that mother got excited. she hugged me and started to cry. her hug felt comforting so we remained like that for some time. after we parted father asked, "So what do you want to do now?"

"I think I will go upstairs and use the crystal then train a bit," I answered him.

dads response was not what I expected, " I think you trained enough for today. Why don't you watch a movie with us?"

I was confused but then I realized that dad is still worried about me. so, I stayed and watched a movie with both of them.

After the movie, it was pretty late but I still wanted to use the crystal. I activated it and a flood of new info appeared in my brain.

The information was too much for me, so I went and took a shower to digest the new information. I could have looked at my PAS to know what the choices are but I felt it was better to use the regular way.

After the shower, I knew what my two choices were the first one was redundant as it allowed me to always regain mana, the second one was more interesting for me it let me convert my mana into a type of barrier that protects me from attacks, but binds it till it is used up and stops me from regaining mana by resting while the barrier is around me.

This made the choice pretty easy for me. as the skill locked in place, I felt how I could turn my mana into this barrier. As I tried it nothing happen except that I felt my mana being reduced, and something invisible surrounding me. I converted more mana into it and felt this invisible thing turning thicker. I tried to touch my skin and still could. I took out a needle and tried to prick my finger. But the needle was stopped by this invisible barrier. when that happens I felt how a bit of mana returned but it felt empty. when I tried to turn it back into this barrier I couldn't. I took some steps and felt how this mana filled back up, once it was filled I could use it again to turn it into this invisible barrier. I put my PAS back on and looked at the skill description.

Protective Aura LV 0

Let's the user turn mana into an aura that will protect the user from harm.

Aura blocks the natural regeneration of mana.

Mana that turned into the aura can't be used till expended.

Attributes: Mana, Vitality

I looked at my other skills and saw that stepping had reached level 7, shield mastery level 6 and Trident mastery was already at level 4. with that I had reached level 5 and needed to raise my skills by 9 more levels to reach six.

I also looked at my Attributes My Mana attribute was the highest with 70 next was Reaction with 2,3 followed by Agility with 1,7, then Endurance with 1,6, then Strength and Dexterity with 1,4 for both of them, Vitality was still at 1.

I knew that leveling my skills raised my attributes, but it was still surprising two know that I could now react more than twice as fast as before.

After checking my info on my PAS I went to bed. The next morning I ate with my parents and then went to school.

In school I saw Hank, he was back from the hospital. I went over and greeted him with, " Hey, your finally back from the hospital."

He turned around and said, " Dude, were your really that out yesterday. We talked to each other."

I looked at him and was speechless. after a bit of time, I asked, " Did we really talk yesterday?"

"We talked more or less, dude, your responses were kinda short," he answered.

Remembering back yesterday was in a kind of haze. I remember I went to school yesterday but not what I did there. Realizing how much it had hit me emotionally. I thought about entering the dungeon again and I got scared.

without me realizing tears started to run down my cheeks.

" What's wrong, dude? Follow me," said Hank surprised and hurriedly pulled me out of the classroom so the others wouldn't see me.

The teacher saw us and wanted to say something but didn't after he saw me.

We moved to the roof were we talked I told Hank what happened and he listened. He then asked me, " Then what do you want to do, dude?"

" I wanna continue being a diver but, right now I'm scared to enter the dungeon. I just don't know what to do." I answered him in a shaking voice

"What exactly are you scared of dude?" he asked in a confident voice.

I thought about it and then answered, " I'm scared of other dying, I'm scared of myself dying, I'm scared of being weak, I'm scared of being helpless."

" Then isn't it easy dude, just don't be weak when you enter the dungeon, just go as far as you are sure to take dude. That is all you need to do," he said as if it was the simplest of things to do. "but how do I do it" I asked unsure of his solution.

"You just need to repeat the floor till there aren't any dangers you can't face any more. It just that simple dude. So what do you say should we enter the dungeon today and let you face your fears." he said with way too much confidence for my liking. I just nodded.

Chapter end