The Manaverse

The Crypts, City Dungeon

Granite City

The Dungeon had been near capacity when the Crusaders had arrived, only leaving two open slots. So, they registered their new team with the Safe Zone and sent the girls in on solo runs.

Joy had done a bit better than Isabelle. However, she too had fallen to the appearance of the Stone Ranked Human Monsters. They, and everyone else who ran the dungeon, all seemed to run into the same issue. They were just too low on resources by the time they fought the bastards, leading to their deaths.

Even though a team of five had exited the Dungeon shortly after the girls went in, Jut, Diggy and Brick had waited for the girls to finish their attempts before heading in themselves. They had wanted to show their support and to see how far the two managed to get in case they had any new insights to share.

After multiple days of the Dungeon being open and being full nearly the entire time during the day, not a single person or group had managed to clear it. No one had even seen the boss monster yet. A couple had gotten close, but no one seemed able to defeat the Stone Ranked Monsters. This made Jut excited to try again. This time, he was going to make it to the damn Boss.

After getting a thorough report from the girls, they boys had entered. This time, Jut took the dungeon slowly. He methodically cleared the first hallway then looted all of the bodies. He even managed to keep an eye out for the fungi Isabelle had described and was able to collect a goodly amount. He noticed other collectable materials too.

On the wall, sticking out from under one of the coffins was a strange rock. Half of the rock was the same tan color as his club and sword while the rest was dark and dingy grey. It was glowing with a golden edge around it. When Jut looked at it closely, the System provided the information he was looking for.

Item: Stone Ore Node

Description: A clump of rock containing ore of Stone Metal. Ore Nodes form in areas of strong ambient Mana near Ascendant Beings. Can be used in many crafting projects to create various items.

However, Jut didn't have a pickax and he wasn't going to use his weapons to try and extract the ore. He was about to move on when Alex gave him the reminder he needed.

Why not use your Harvest Skill?

Jut smacked his own forehead. Duh. He reached out and touched the clump of rock and activated his Skill. His mana poured out of him and into the stone, much like when he harvested from a Monster. In a very similar manner, the dingy grey part of the rock dissolved and floated away. With a small clink sound, the remaining tan rock fell onto the floor of the crypt. Jut picked up the left behind piece of ore and dropped it into his inventory. It was rather uneventful. However, Jut was glad to know he would be able to farm materials in the Dungeon for his crafting going forward.

After listening to both Joy and Isabelle's encounters from their runs, Jut made sure to not step foot into the cascading light. Instead of heading down another hallway immediately, he waited. He wasn't sure if it would work, but he kept his patience. It took a full five minutes for something to happen.

Jut's eyes opened wide as he heard the stone lid of a coffin from the nearest alcove slide back and a pale, white hand reached out. The same visage of a Stone Ranked Human Monster followed. Jut grinned.

Joy had explained that she had cleared each hallway as quickly as she could. She didn't even loot the corpses. When she entered the center room after the last hallway, there were eight Stone Rank Human Monsters waiting for her.

After comparing her story to his, Isabelle's and Brick's, Jut had formulated a hypothesis. As the person running the dungeon cleared all of the hallways, it would release all of the Stone Ranked Monsters in the center room. He had guessed that if he waited after he cleared only one hallway, he would only be challenged by single Stone Ranked Monster. He had been right.

The Human Monster tilted its head, a cracking sound echoing through the room. It pulled its sword from the sheath on it's hip and gave him the same wicked smile the one that killed him had.

Jut pulled his own sword free and rolled his shoulders. He gave the monster his own grin. He also raised his hand, palm up and flexed his fingers at the monster, performing the "come and get it" gesture. Jut didn't know if the monster recognized it or not as their face didn't change but they did charge at him.

The monster closed the distance quickly, their sword raised for an overhand strike. Jut activated his Scaled Skin Skill, his Magical Strikes skill, along with Gusty Steps and Consequence. He would have blocked the strike with his own blade but was worried about the force behind the hit. He was unsure what the difference would be between the Minotaurs' strikes and this Monster's blows. Instead, he sidestepped and jabbed his weapon forward, driving the tip of his blade into the creature's stomach.

Unlike the Normal Ranked Monsters that fell apart in a single strike like scissors cutting paper, this attack had resistance behind it. It felt like what he assumed stabbing a person would have felt like before the System. The resulting blood spray from when he kicked the monster back off his blade was less realistic than he imagined it should be, an arc of red hitting his chest and face. The Monster also lost about a quarter of it's HP, the bar shrinking in his vision.

The Monster grunted a very human grunt of pain and raised their hand to the wound, trying to stop the bleeding. Jut watched for a retaliatory attack, which was a good call as the Monster lunged forward suddenly.

This time, Jut did deflect the hit, pushing the flat of his blade against the attack. He then kneed the monster in the stomach, right where his first attack had landed. This caused the monster to stumble back into the wall. Jut didn't hesitate to ram his blade into his opponent's neck, just as he had experienced in his first run.

"Payback is a bitch, eh?" Jut had to resist the temptation to look away as the red light in Monster's eyes faded, it dropped its weapon, and the HP bar above its head emptied slowly. Jut pulled his weapon free and let the monster fall to the ground only after the HP bar was completely gone.

When the corpse fell, it rolled into the circle of light from the ceiling. Jut froze and rose his blade. He expected to hear the mass amount of footfalls from all of the Normal Rank Monsters waking up. Yet, after a long, few minutes, he heard nothing.

Alex, why does my sword, which is normal rank, deal so much actual damage to this Monster's body? Jut asked mentally.

I don't know for sure but if I had to guess, I would say it's because you also used a Stone Rank Skill. Being Stone Rank yourself must have allowed the inferior weapon to deal actual damage to the body, not just the HP. I would also say that if you had a Stone Ranked weapon, you wouldn't need the skill.

Alex's response made sense. It still sounded like System bullshit, but he didn't question it further. He figured he would test the theory on the next Stone Ranked Monster.

Jut grabbed the Monster's heels and dragged it's body out of the light. He didn't want to miss the looting of his first Stone Ranked Monster after all. He froze as he looked down on the corpse. Joy's words from their earlier meeting rang in his ears.

"Just because they are Monsters doesn't make them any less human. They even have it in their name. There's no way I could loot them. I almost couldn't kill them."

Did it make Jut a horrible person for seeing the beast beneath him as something other than human? Because, he did. They were Monsters. The System created Monsters specifically for Ascendant Beings to fight for experience and to replenish the ambient Mana in the area. They were fodder. It was their purpose in existing. Just as Monsters considered him, and other Ascendant Beings, fodder for their own advancement.

Alex flashed the section of notification again that made Jut feel the way he did.

Monsters hunt Ascendant Beings and Magical Creatures to Ascend.

Jut decided then and there that he would not flinch away from killing any Monster while still respecting their existence. They were alive after all.

Jut bowed his head and said a prayer to no one for a Monster who would respawn after he left anyway. Then he solemnly knelt and activated his Harvest Skill.

The only difference from this looting and the looting of a Normal Ranked Monster was what was left behind. Jut received everything he usually received from the Normal Rank ones, Mana Chips, Copper Coins and body parts. In the same quantities too. There was only a single addition. It was a pair of leather gloves.

Jut examined the gloves, getting a description from the System.

Item: Leather Gloves of Constitution.

Type: Armor

Slot: Hands

Damage Resistance: Physical, slashing and some blunt damage.

Rank: Stone

Durability: 100%

Rarity: Common

Quality: Average

Characteristic: + 1 Constitution

Enchantments: None

Description: Stone Ranked Gloves made from the hide of a Monster. Provides moderate protection from Stone Rank physical damage.

Jut scowled, realizing he had never examined his store bought gear. He compared his current gloves.

Item: Leather Gloves

Type: Armor

Slot: Hands

Damage Resistance: Physical, slashing and some blunt resistance.

Rank: Normal

Durability: 98%

Rarity: Common

Quality: Average

Description: Normal Ranked Leather Gloves. Provides moderate protection from Normal Rank physical damage

Jut only hesitated putting the new gloves on for a single moment, wondering what kind of Monster the hide came from. Then he realized he couldn't do anything about it either way and turning down extra characteristic points would be a mistake. He stuffed his old gloves into his inventory before securing the new ones in their place.

The only difference in the new gloves' appearance was they were slightly darker than his old ones. Jut felt a small surge of energy, similar to what he felt when adding his free characteristic points. He shivered at the feeling. He hoped he would get more gear from the other Stone Ranked Monsters too.

Jut sorted through very familiar experience windows with only one new one.

Human - Monster Lvl 0 has died.

You gain Skill Experience.

You gain Experience.

So, the only indicator that this Monster was a different rank is the level being listed...got it. Alex didn't respond to his thought.

Jut waited for only a few more minutes before he chose another hallway at random and got to work. The act of fighting, looting, and gathering before taking on a Single Stone Ranked Monster became very repetitive very quickly. So, Jut allowed himself to hyper fixate on each task to see him through.

The only time he wasn't moving was when he was resting between clearing a hallway while waiting for the stronger Monsters to appear and after defeating them. He was careful to watch his Mana and Stamina closely to avoid a crash of any kind. He also watched his HP fall ever so slowly. Even if most of the Monsters fell easily, it didn't mean they couldn't get to him.

More than once, a hand or foot would reach him, knocking bits and pieces off his red bar. The first four Stone Ranked Monsters were all about the same. Slow and easily killed. The fifth through the eighth were progressively more dangerous. Only the last four were each able to land a direct hit or two on him.

Each time one of them struck him with their swords, Just would take the time and effort to activate his healing skill. The Regeneration status effect sent small waves of relief through him over the ten second duration, closing his wounds a bit and restoring between ten and fifteen percent of his HP. It still pissed him off that activating the skill was so difficult and that it required him to strike an enemy to work, but he made due.

Jut tested his hypothesis on the second Stone Ranker and wasn't surprised by his findings. His sword wouldn't penetrate the Monster's skin very far if he wasn't using his Magical Strikes Skill. Even if he used Gusty Steps and Consequence, all he would deal is a red slash across their skin.

The same principal applied when he tried fighting the Normal Ranked Monsters without activating his Magical Strikes Skill. They would take damage to their bodies, but he couldn't obliterate them quite a quickly as before. It made him a little jealous to know that Isabelle didn't need her Skills for her wand to tear through the beasts, but the loot he got made him understand why that was. They were protected from physical damage, not magical. That also explained why his Skill was so brutal, dealing some magical damage to them as well.

Jut had equipped each new piece of armor he received from the Stone Rank Monsters that were leather, which was about half. He got new boots which gave him one point in agility and some bracers that gave him one strength. He also received a cloth robe, cloth gloves, and chain mail pants. Jut decided to give those away to his party members once he got out of the dungeon.

The gear he was most excited for was what he got off of the seventh and eighth Stone Ranks.

The former gave him a ring, a small, tan band of Stone Metal that he placed on his right hand. Once on, he barely felt it. It didn't interfere with him putting on his gloves either, as if it wasn't there at all. The best part was the stat increase.

Item: Stone Ring of Wisdom

Slot: Ring

Rank: Stone

Durability: 100%

Rarity: Common

Quality: Average

Characteristic: +1 Wisdom

Enchantments: None

Description: A Stone Ranked ring made of Stone Metal that grants the wearer additional Wisdom.

The last Monster dropped a cloak. The outer side was the same color as the leather armor he was awarded with a soft, white fur lining that draped down to just above his knees. He was sad to replace the normal ranked version as it reminded him of Gunther but he gladly accepted the increase in stats.

Item: Leather Cloak of Constitution

Slot: Back

Rank: Stone

Durability: 100%

Rarity Common

Quality: Average

Characteristic: +1 Constitution

Enchantments: N/A

Description: A Stone Ranked, leather cloak made of Monster Leather and Fur that grants the wearer additional Constitution. Provides moderate protection from extreme temperature variations.

The fight with the eighth Stone Ranker had been very challenging. The Monster was faster and stronger than its fellows by a noticeable degree, being able to dodge and counter Jut's attacks. His only saving grace was the accumulated stacks of Vulnerability, letting his attacks do more damage. Jut had walked away with a deep gashes that dripped blood and less than twenty-five percent health. A review of the kill notification did have a clue as to why. Jut looked at it again while he allowed some time to pass.

Human - Monster Lvl 3 has died.

You gain Skill Experience.

You gain Experience.

Jut had to dismiss the window when a thunderous sound echoed from behind him. He turned quickly and saw something that caused fear and excitement in equal measure to course through him.

The giant coffin in the center was now open, the heavy lid having fallen to one side. From the coffin, a hulking form rose into view. Jut looked at the pop up window that appeared as he took in the beast.

Bone Horror - Elite Monster

Stone Rank

The creature that stood up out of the coffin had the head and abdomen of a Minotaur skeleton, the eye sockets glowed with the tell tale red of a Monster. It stood at least ten feet tall with a broad and powerful looking frame. It was barely tall enough to fit in the center room. Each arm was the tail of a scorpion, one with a hammer tip and one with a deadly stinger. It's bottom half reminded Jut of a kids action cartoon with giant animal robots that fused together, the legs and feet being the bodies and skulls of a dog and a cat monster. It was an unholy amalgamation of bones and fear-inducing menace.

The Elite Monster took one forward step towards Jut, stepping over the edge of the coffin The bones clanked together around its joints as it did so. Jut was almost too scared to react as the skull of a cat landed a few feet in front of him. Almost.

Jut felt his mana start to be consumed as he activated his equipped skills, his sword glowing with the effects. As the Bone Horror rose its leg for a second step, Jut acted. He struck at the rising leg a couple times in quick succession, feeling his body lighten a fraction as he acquired a few stacks of Haste.

The increased movement speed helped him attempt to dodge the hammer blow that was the scorpion tail arm. However, the attack still grazed him. While the blow hadn't knocked Jut back, he still felt his shoulder nearly brake as the edge grazed him.

Jut tried to turn and take advantage of the Monster's newly acquired Vulnerability stack, but was far too slow, even with his Haste. The last thing he saw or felt was a scorpion stinger jabbing through his throat and the already dark crypts fading as pain tore through his body.

Then, he was looking up, his body no longer hurting from damage, as his teammates were bent over him. Everyone was there, indicating his run had taken the longest.

Brick had a wide grin as he offered Jut a hand up. "Did you see it? The Boss?"

Jut grinned back. "I did, and all I can say is what the fuck?"