Chapter 1217 Spell Upgrades II
Michael and Gaya delved deeper into the convoluted maze, its paths twisting and turning in a seemingly endless tangle. The walls of the maze were high and imposing, crafted from dark stone that absorbed the faint light, casting long, ominous shadows.
"Are you sure we're not just going in circles?" Gaya asked, her frustration growing with every turn that led them seemingly nowhere. "This place is a damn labyrinth!"
"Patience, Gaya. Mazes are meant to be confusing," Michael replied, trying to keep his bearings amidst the ever-changing paths.
They encountered dead ends and deceptive turns, each pathway leading to more complexity rather than providing any clarity. The air was stale, and the silence was only broken by their footsteps and the occasional distant, eerie sound that seemed to come from nowhere.
"Damn it, this is pointless!" Gaya cursed, kicking a loose stone in annoyance. "We could be here forever at this rate."
Michael paused, examining the patterns of the walls, looking for any signs or markers. "We need to find a system to navigate this. Let's mark our path. Maybe we can find a pattern or a clue."
They began marking the walls with scratches, trying to map out their journey. Despite their efforts, the maze seemed to defy logic, its layout a complex puzzle that tested their patience and resolve.
"I swear, if I find Silvaris, I'm going to make him eat these walls," Gaya muttered under her breath, her voice echoing slightly in the vast expanse of the maze.
"Focus on the task at hand. We'll deal with Silvaris later," Michael advised, though he shared her sentiment.
Hours passed as they ventured through the labyrinth, their progress slow and arduous. The maze was a formidable obstacle, designed to disorient and frustrate its travelers. But Michael and Gaya were not ones to give up easily. After pausing amidst the seemingly endless twists and turns of the maze, Michael mused aloud, "Silvaris always says we need to think like a thief, right? So, what would a thief do in this situation?"
Gaya, leaning against the cold wall, looked thoughtful for a moment. "A thief would look for the path of most resistance, not the easiest one. Traps mean we're heading somewhere important," she suggested, her eyes scanning their surroundings.
"Exactly. Let's keep an eye out for anything unusual or dangerous. It could lead us to the right path," Michael agreed, his gaze sharp and focused.
They proceeded with renewed purpose, carefully observing the maze for any signs of traps or hidden mechanisms. After a while, they stumbled upon a pathway lined with ancient skeletons, their bones scattered haphazardly across the ground.
"Look at this," Gaya pointed out, crouching beside one of the skeletons. "These poor bastards look like they were taken out by traps. We must be on the right track."
"Finally, some good news," Michael sighed, though he remained vigilant. "But let's not end up like them. Watch your step."
As they advanced, Gaya's eyes darted around, looking for any hidden dangers. "Damn, this is like walking through a minefield. Silvaris really went all out with this death trap."
"Yeah, he's a real piece of work," Michael muttered, carefully avoiding a loose tile that looked suspiciously like a pressure plate.
The further they ventured, the more frequent the traps became – from hidden spikes that shot from the walls to collapsing floors and swinging blades. It was a perilous journey, but the presence of traps confirmed they were heading in the right direction.
"Got to hand it to Silvaris, the bastard knows how to make a memorable maze," Gaya quipped with a wry smile, skillfully dodging a hidden dart.
"Let's just hope the 'memorable' part doesn't include us joining these skeletons," Michael replied, leading the way with cautious steps.
As Michael and Gaya continued their cautious trek through the maze, the skeletons littering the ground began to stir. Their bones rattled and clicked as they reanimated, their eye sockets glowing with an eerie green light.
"Great, now we've got walking bones to deal with," Gaya cursed, drawing her sword.
Michael activated his Eyes of Darkness to assess their new adversaries and was taken aback by what he saw. Each skeleton was surrounded by a yellow aura, indicating they possessed a power level comparable to his own. Defeating them wouldn't be a matter of brute force; it would require strategy and cunning.
"Looks like we've got a real fight on our hands. These aren't your average pile of bones," Michael noted, his expression turning serious.
As they prepared to confront the skeletal horde, the system chimed in Michael's head.
[The host should consider upgrading his spells. Hoarding badass points is not a retirement plan. Dragging on spell upgrades might turn you into a fancy skeleton decoration here.]
The Dark Lord
The God of Darkness
Status: Healthy
Goals: Control the realm of Gods and Mortal Realm
Grow the Order of Death
Utility Function: Banker - LVL 5 (Ratio - 1000 gold coins: 40 badass point(s))
Runic Teleportation
X-Ray Vision (Also integrated with Eyes of Darkness)
Wealth: 6,000,000 Gold
Special Trait: 6-Star Alchemist
5-Star Blacksmith
5-Star Inventor
As Michael faced the reanimated skeletons, he quickly accessed the system, willing his status window to appear before him. The system promptly displayed his current status, along with a notification highlighting a recent enhancement.
[Due to your status as the God of Darkness, your Elemental Attunement Realm advancement has resulted in a 20% boost in your mastery of darkness.]
Despite this promising news, Michael questioned the system's logic. "If I'm facing gods, what's the point of these percentage boosts?" he asked, his focus still on the skeletal horde around them.
[The more potent your spells are and the greater your mastery over the elements, the more powerful you become against higher-level gods. Increased spell mastery allows you to withstand their attacks rather than getting your ass kicked. With higher-level spells and strategic combinations, you could defeat gods one or two levels above you] The system quickly responded, outlining the significance of his enhanced abilities as well as taking a jab at him.
[This would be impossible with unupgraded spells.] Michael absorbed this information, understanding the importance of continually strengthening his powers, especially in the face of formidable divine opponents. With this realization, he began to mentally strategize, combining his enhanced dark magic with tactical maneuvers to gain an advantage over the skeletal warriors.
"System, how much to upgrade Silenes and Eyes of Doom?" he inquired, his voice steady despite the chaos around him.
As he awaited the system's response, Michael contemplated the tactical advantages of upgrading these particular spells. "Silence could be crucial here. Slowing down time around me would give us a significant edge, and it's still only at level 2," he mused to himself. The potential of enhancing his control over the flow of time could turn the tides in even the most desperate situations. Then, he also considered the benefits of upgrading Eyes of Doom. "Upgrading Eyes of Doom would strengthen my ranged attacks. Being able to shoot more powerful dark beams from my eyes could be a game-changer against higher-level gods," he thought, visualizing the destructive potential of the enhanced spell.
[To upgrade both Silence and Eyes of Doom by one level, it will cost 90,000 badass points.]
Michael pondered for a moment before inquiring further. "Hmm, how much to upgrade Silence by two levels?"
[Upgrading Silence by two levels will cost 1,500,000 badass points.]
"And what about Eyes of Doom?" Michael continued, considering the potential impact of the upgrades.
[Upgrading Eyes of Doom by two levels will require an additional 3,000,000 badass points.]
Michael quickly did the math in his head and made his decision. "Then take 4.5 million and upgrade them both," he instructed, his voice resolute amidst the ongoing battle.
[Upgrading the spells now...] The system responded promptly.
A few moments passed as Michael waited for the system to finish upgrading his spells. Then, the system chimed in with reassurance.
[Upgrading the spells will be worth it, host.] With the upgrades complete, Michael experienced a palpable surge of power. At that crucial moment, he had only a vague notion of how significantly the two-level upgrades would enhance his abilities. This newfound strength was exactly what he needed for the upcoming battle against Marli and Raphael, which would undoubtedly test his capabilities' limits.
