Blinking away the blur of sleep, Leo became aware of just how ruined his body still was. With no idea how much time had passed, he looked around slowly, trying to figure out where he was without moving his head.
Similar to the time he had fought against the Soldier Antling, he had pushed his body a bit too far, only this time a lot more.
If pushing past your limits needed a mascot, he was probably it.
He lifted his gaze to the lab’s ceiling. Metallic hooks hung overhead, each carrying something he didn’t want to identify. A pained breath slipped out of him. Ashley’s face replaced them, her eyes forming tears as she looked at him.
“You’re awake!” she yelled excitedly.
“You’ve been out for like…10 hours?” She spoke fast, relief pouring out. “I slept, walked around a bit. There wasn’t much to see. Well… apart from the gore.”
“The Alpha dissolved like the rest of the wolves and deers did but there wasn't any crystal. I’ve healed you up, but there was a lot of damage so it took a while. Especially your arm.”
Her relief shifted to a scold. “All of the bones were shattered, Leo. You really overdid it.”
There was no refuting those words. He already knew it.
“I feel like shit,” Leo croaked out. “Did an exit show up or anything after the Alpha died?”
She gave him an assessing look, as if trying to figure out if he would take her words to heart.
“Not that I can see,” she replied with a shrug. “The quest thingy has changed, it says we have to destroy the source of corruption now. I have a feeling that it’s related to a crystal that’s next to the tank of where the Alpha came out of. I haven’t touched it yet though. I wanted to wait for you to wake up.”
Leo nodded slightly, the effort from the simple act almost being too much.
“I’m going to need a little more time before I can get up, if that’s okay?”
Ashley nodded. “Yes, that’s fine. We seem safe here so you can take your time to rest,” she replied without worry.
Sleep took him once again, until he woke after an hour or so. His body still ached but he felt well enough to move.
Sitting upright, he looked for Ashley. She was standing at the console where the maniac had been doing his experiments next to the Alpha tank. He planned to go over there shortly but first; the notifications he hadn’t gotten to yet.
Starting with the kill notification on the Alpha.
You have slain: Mawroot Alpha – Level 15
Experience increased for defeating a higher-level enemy
+100 Store Credits
Your Pugilist class has reached Level 11
Stat points distributed
+1 Free Point
Your Pugilist class has reached Level 12
Stat points distributed
+1 Free Point
Two level ups was definitely a surprise. One would have been fine. Two was awesome.
He could admit it—the Alpha was the hardest fight of his life, no question. So maybe only two levels was not that much…
If not for whatever power had exploded out of him, pushing the beast back enough to stave off death, his new journey in this world would have ended.
Would every enemy he fought in this new world require him to pull out some miraculous strength in order to survive? If every enemy was like that… How was anyone supposed to survive? The thought dragged his mind straight to his sister.
He decided that he would try and take less reckless risks. And by less, he meant becoming strong enough that it was no longer reckless. Only calculated.
Moving on, his skill upgrade was next.
Mana Strikes (Common)
Upgraded to
Refined Mana Strikes (Uncommon)
Refined Mana strikes (Uncommon)
A Pugilist may not wield weapons, but is far from powerless.
Your mana control has been strengthened, thus increasing the efficiency and power of your blows.
Channel Mana through your strikes to enhance their force, damage and penetrative power.
Scales with Agility and Wisdom
Cooldown: None
That was just the kind of upgrade Leo was hoping for. In his battles against the wolves, soldier ant and the alpha, what he felt he was lacking most was the ability to penetrate tough hides and defenses.
It wasn’t just that his strikes could pierce tougher hides now—he could feel the mana tearing through enemies internally, not just at the surface.
His status page was next and it had some great increases.
Name: Leonidas Hawkins
Level: 12
Race: Human (F)
Class: Pugilist
Health Points (HP): 330/330
Mana Points (MP): 240/240
Stamina Points(SP): 270/270
Stats
Strength: 36
Agility: 49
Endurance: 27
Vitality: 33
Toughness: 20
Intelligence: 24
Wisdom: 18
Will: 22
Free points: 2
Bloodline: Bloodline of the Elements
Essences
Fire (F)
Fuel The Fire (Uncommon)
Ice (F)
Ice Spike (Common)
Lightning (F)
0/2
Earth (F)
0/2
Titles
Bloodline Originator
First Blood
Class Skills
Unarmed mastery (Common)
Refined Mana Strikes (Uncommon)
Powerful Haymaker (Common)
Iron Repetition (Common)
Race Skills
Multiversal Polyglot (Unique)
Identify (Common)
His Agility was nearly five times what it had been when he arrived in the tutorial four days ago. It was making a huge difference to his speed in fights. Without it, he doubted there would have even been a fight with the alpha. Likely slaughtered in an instant.
His other stats were not keeping up as well but those could be fixed down the line. He briefly reflected on how his stats were coming along and what he should be focusing on.
Agility kept him alive, sure–but fists alone still meant taking hits. Strength mattered more than he’d realised when he’d first considered his stats.
His skills were starting to reflect both Agility and Strength. With his Iron Repetition rewarding him for landing many strikes in a row and then increasing his power. He considered placing his free points into Strength but held them for now.
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Intelligence was a consideration for free points too. Ice Spike was quickly becoming a staple of his fighting, not to mention the cost of Refined Mana Strikes.
After looking over all his stats for a bit he joined Ashley at the console, his legs worked just fine now. He tried swinging his arms and still felt aches down his right. It would be a while before he could go around punching with all of his force and then some, again.
“Hey, find anything interesting?” he asked Ashley as he approached.
“Oh! You’re up! I’m glad to see you’re doing better,” she said, turning from the console and giving him a smile.
He smiled back. “Thanks Ash. Glad to be up and about again—thanks to you. That thing was no joke, huh?”
Her eyebrow raised in question. “Ash? Think you can call me by a nickname already?”
Leo just shrugged. “If you don’t like it then I won’t do it.” He noticed her tone was the same that she used to tease him about his skills and wasn’t falling for it.
She gave him a pouty look, as if Leo had spoiled her fun. “I don’t mind, Ash is fine.” She grinned.
“I’ve been trying to do something with this console while you’ve been asleep, see if I can’t figure out how to maybe open the door or something but nothing seems to work,” Ashley said, changing the subject.
“You said you were waiting for me before interacting with the crystal, what crystal was it you were referring to?” Leo asked.
“Oh, yeah. Here, let me show you.”
She guided him towards the back of the tank. There was a purple, glowing crystal situated within a glass container. The crystal was about the size of Leo’s head—give or take.
The container had tubes running from it towards the ground beneath, breaking off into different directions including the tank that had housed the Mawroot alpha. If Leo had to guess, this was what they were looking for.
“Think that’s the source of corruption?” Ashley asked.
Leo nodded. “If I was a betting man, I’d pin my money on it.”
“What should we do then? Unplug it from all the tubes?”
Leo gave her a side-eye, pursing his lips. He had an idea but he knew Ashley would make fun of him for it. His poker face was not very good.
“You just want to punch it, huh?” she said, failing to hide the smile tugging at her lips.
“Go ahead then, do your thing.” She stepped back, gesturing with an open palm.
Leo moved in and drove his fist into the tank. A dull ache flared up his arm.
The glass gave little resistance, his fist crashing into the crystal within and cracking it down the middle.
Retracting his arm, he looked upon the crystal, cracked and unchanging. It still pulsed with the same rhythm as before. He was about to hit it again when the crack splintered, branching off all over the crystal in a chain reaction until it crumbled into pieces.
Instantly the room started to feel a little better. Lighter and less rotten.
He received a notification.
Source of corruption destroyed 1/1
Quest complete!
Dungeon has been completed.
Calculating rewards…
Gold Rank reward granted.
Gained Title: Dungeon Delver I
A flash of light appeared within the lab, ten feet or so in front of him. Illuminating the room for a moment as it did.
It was a golden chest of sorts sitting upon a pedestal. It was reminiscent of a pirate chest you’d see—like something straight out of a movie. A swirling dark portal appeared behind it directly after.
Leo sighed with relief, they had a way out and had finished the dungeon. Not to mention that sweet, sweet loot sitting in front of them.
The anticipation of what could be inside the chest had him not even considering the title he’d received.
“Shall we open up the chest?” he asked.
Not waiting for an answer, Leo walked to the chest and touched the top of it, it swung open as items materialised within.
Looking inside, he first saw a robe sitting on top of the other items. Leo reached out and picked it up while identifying it.
Lifebark Robes (Uncommon)
Robes designed from the bark of the trees that grew within the facility known as The Beast Pens. They have been cleansed of the corruption that once lay within them, the living bark now grants life and protection to those who wear it.
Enchantments:
Lifebark
Self repair
+3 Vitality, +1 Intelligence, +1 Wisdom
Requirements : Level 8+ in any combat related class
The robes he held had a soft, mossy feeling to them in his hands. The light green silk was very pleasant to touch.
There was brown bark swirling up the torso in thin strips that continued along the arms and over the hood.
The bark was sturdy and firm to the touch. It was a really nice piece of equipment. A massive upgrade from the starting gear they had. He handed them to Ashley without hesitation.
“Here, Ash. These are really good, you should put them on instead of your healer robes,” Leo said casually.
She just held the robes in her hands as her eyes went wide, she must have been using Identify on them.
“Are you sure?” she asked quickly.
“Of course, it looks like there is another piece of equipment in there anyway, hopefully it’s good for me, if not then I'm not mad.”
“Thank you, Leo,” she said while clutching the robes to her chest.
Leo didn’t get the big deal about it. It was great healer loot, so he gave it to the healer. There weren't any ulterior motives at all.
Impatiently, he checked the next item and was beyond pleased at the result, a wild grin plastering his face.
Gi of the Relentless Fang (Uncommon)
Crafted from the remains of beasts that once roamed the forests of the Beast pens, this Gi will strengthen those who wear it, enhancing their physical abilities.
Enchantments:
+3 Strength, +2 Agility +1 Endurance
Self Repair
Level requirement : Level 8+ in any combat related class
It made his current armour look like scraps.
Looking down at said armour, he finally noticed how bad it was. It was cut to absolute ribbons and hanging on by a few threads.
It was grimy, torn and ready for an upgrade.
Leo held up the item and looked it over. The upper portion was sleeveless, designed to allow full mobility of the arms, it did mean that he would have less coverage but that wasn’t a big deal. His current armour basically had no sleeves left anyway.
The material was thick, crafted from what felt like beast leather, with the inside feeling like a treated cloth of some sort. It was very lightweight for how solid it felt.
The Gi extended all the way to his feet, with the trousers and in particular the shins being quite reinforced with the leather, those would help him absorb impact from his kicks.
It was coloured a deep, earthy charcoal base with accents of bone-white and faded crimson. Leo had to admit, even with his terrible eye for fashion and style that this thing looked badass. The stats were perfect for his build so far and was basically like getting a level up.
Excited to put the gear on but hesitant to just strip, Leo checked out the other items in the chest, placing his armour to the side.
There were two small rings and two crystals next to them. He could instantly tell that the crystals were Essence crystals so identified the ring instead.
Dimensional Storage Ring (Common)
A common commodity of the multiverse. A ring that can be used to store items within a dimensional storage space.
Enchantments:
Basic Storage
Requirements: Humanoid Race
Inventory items!
Most games Leo played had some sort of inventory system to them, whether that was some kind of infinite space backpack or unrealistic pockets that held hundreds of bullets. What they had in common was that it was storage for whatever you needed. So deliciously useful.
Leo picked up one of the silver, common looking rings and placed it on his finger.
He felt some mana seep into it and immediately he could tell that he now had a storage space where he could place items. He tried to put the Gi of the Relentless Fang inside it, it responded without fail and the item disappeared.
Trying to remove the item then after, the gi appeared directly in his hands again.
A thought struck him—could he equip gear directly from storage?
Placing the armour once again back into the storage ring, he then focused on replacing his current attire with the gi in the ring. It took a bit of focus and weird mental system gymnastics, but after around ten seconds, the gi materialised on his body.
Instantly he felt the boost of the equipment infuse his body as strength coursed through him. A “Woah!” came from behind him. He turned to the source of the noise, finding a stunned Ashley.
“How did you just make it appear on your body?!” she asked excitedly. “Were you a quick change artist before?”
“Here, catch.”
Leo tossed her one of the rings from the box.
She deftly caught the ring in her hand. Looking it over for a second before asking. “How do I make it work?”
“Just pop it on your finger and imagine yourself storing the item in the ring, it's pretty intuitive. Then once the item is on, imagine yourself swapping the robe you’re wearing with the one in the ring and it should do as you asked.”
“Okay, I’ll give it a shot. Turn around just in case I end up naked.”
Leo turned, going back into the box to see if there was anything else. Sadly it was only the crystals. Two of them. He wondered if the dungeon always awarded two of each item or if it was based on how many people cleared them.
He would only be able to find out after he cleared another dungeon—should he find another.
Leo took the last two crystals out and popped them in his storage ring. He would ask Ashley what she would like to do with hers once she was done changing. In the meantime he remembered that the dungeon clear awarded him with a title and checked it out.
Dungeon delver I
You have cleared your first dungeon by triumphing over your foes or solving dangerous puzzles, earning glorious rewards. Continue delving through dungeons on your journey to power. Upgradeable title.
+1 All stats
Upgradeable title? That implies there are more dungeons. Leo considered as he examined the title.
A tantalising thought. On top of the loot and levels from actually clearing the dungeon, it would award him with potentially more stats. He conveniently chose to ignore the fact that he almost died. Internally deeming it as worth it or par for the course.
“It worked!” The voice pulled him from his thoughts.
Turning around, he saw Ashley wearing the Lifebark robes. The mossy green silk and swirling bark looked incredible. She was like a dryad of sorts. A creature of nature and human combined.
“Looks good,” he complimented.
“You think so? You don’t look too bad yourself,” she said, eyeing him up and down. “Very punch-manny.” Her fists came up in a mock fighting pose as she jumped from side to side.
Leo gave her a flex of his sleeveless bicep in jest, her eyes widened as she paused. Leo didn’t even notice.
“Oh yeah, before I conveniently forget,” Leo took one of the Essence Crystals out of his storage ring and handed it to Ashley. “This one’s yours.”
She looked at him, confused for a moment, “I’ve already unlocked both my skills, though. Don't you have, like, fifty more to get?”
“I took one of them, but this one is yours to do with as you want. The crystals could be valuable in the future.”
“You can have it. Having you get stronger makes me safer at the same time.”
“I appreciate it. Thanks Ash.” Leo smiled.
He took the crystal back and held it in his hand.
“Which Essence will you get a skill for next, you think?” Ashley asked.
Considering it for a moment, Leo replied, “Lightning I think. I’ve been excited for this one.”
“Well, get on with it then, I want to get out of here soon. You've had a lot of sleep, I’ve just been bored.”
Leo smiled, then activated the crystal. The power surged through his body, traveling through his body and down into his core. He expected the brief surge followed by a notification.
But that wasn’t what happened.
Before he knew it, he was on the ground.
A Transmigration Progression Fantasy
LitRPG Transmigration Progression Anti-Hero Lead Grimdark High Fantasy Local Protagonist Non-Human Lead
Death is a minor setback for the Night Lich.
Quill, commander of the Rotten Scourge and the most feared necromancer of the Westlands, is cornered by the Circle mages. In a final act of defiance, he casts a soul-transfer, only to awaken in the frail body of an elf orphan with his Black magic stripped away.
Yet fate grants him an ironic gift: a rare White Core fractured by Black. Creation is stained with death and decay, but when light meets darkness, it instead births something strange. Something unique. Something unstoppable.
Quill will claw his way back to power, forging a new army with centuries of forbidden knowledge. He’ll master reanimation along with creation–and this time, revenge will be absolute.
But dancing with death always comes at a price, and the Forgotten World doesn't take kindly to a missing soul.
