Jessie's eyes popped out to see that Ash had so many gold coins on him. There was clear gap between bronze silver and gold coins.
while bronze coins were enough for daily living, better items were always expensive.
Earning 8 gold coins as E-ranker was almost impossible if one doesn't have clear backing of a powerful family. It raised some questions in her heart about Ash's family and his background.
"He can wear it on his" Jessie stood between the sales girl and Ash.
"As you say ma'am".
Ash wore the armour under his clothes, instantly he could feel his body enhanced by stat boost.
He checked his screen—
[Profession: Modern Assassin
[ Level: 7 ]
[ 612 / 1000 Exp ]
[ AGILITY: 6 (+12) | ENDURANCE: 4 (+20)| STRENGTH: 3 (+14) | LUCK: 7 ]
[ MP: 70 / 70 (Recovery Rate: 1 per 450 seconds) ]
[ Stat Points: 0]
Skills:
Mana Surge – Permanently increases MP regeneration speed by 50%.
Killing Intent – Effect: Releases a focused aura of bloodlust, locking enemies in fear.
Cost: Depends on target.
Talent:
Shadow Veil – Effect: Enter stealth mode. First attack out of stealth deals double damage if undetected.
Cost: 2 MP/Second
Titles:
[Infants Aura: Ignore the pressure from one rank above enemy]
Store Coins: 4100.
[Armor skill: Changes 10% Attack power to refill users Mana]
This was a exponential boost to his stats, till now he was virtually handicapped in close range combat, but feeling the newfound strength he wasn't afraid to fight head on.
He remembered the fight between Nymphs and humans. There was clear level difference between them yet with the humans equipment they almost killed those Nymphs.
It was comforting yet disturbing at the same time, gears mattered as much as personal strength.
Ash came out of changing room noticing the chill in the atmosphere. Both the ladies were staring each other with menacing glance.
He grabbed Jessie and dragged her out of the store before something happen.
"She is a Witch..." Jessie said cursing out loud.
Ash calmed her avoiding surrounding gazes "yes...yes she is a bitch".
Jessie threw an warning glance at Ash telling that she didn't like the joke.
As they walked through an street when Ash felt his sensation tingling and suddenly the air grew cold, the earth shook for some moments making the surroundings damp.
Jessie seeing confused reaction on Ash's face. Grabbed him in the princes style running towards the opposite.
"What were you looking there, you wants to die?" Jessie asked seeing his gaze on her while she carried him in her embrace.
Her face turned bright red realising the situation.
"What's happening" Ash didn't try to free himself from her embrace but he could feel at this speed they won't be able escape whatever was about to come.
"A dungeon is manifesting" She said accelerating at her full speed but her physical stats weren't as great so her agility was barely above a normal human.
Ash realising the seriousness of the situation jumped down from her embrace and grabbed her in his own. His hands wrapped around her waist her body pressing against his.
Jessie could feel the warmth travelling through the touch. Her eyes were widened, "cough, cough". She covered her face with hands in embarrassment.
Ash didn't notice any of it, He could feel the surrounding energy getting rushed to the single point and then.
"Boom" an earth shattering wave of energy spread breaking the surrounding buildings.
After initial rumble, The atmosphere calmed and a large blue portal appeared. The blue mana particle swirling around.
"What do you think, Is it E-rank?" Ash asked curious.
"It has potent energy, so I think at least D-rank or maybe C-rank." She said getting out of Ash's embrace.
Ask them, you have the device to contact.
Jessie brought an boxy device out contacting the officer.
"I am busy, we will talk later" A rushed voice came from other side.
"Sir a dungeon had appeared in front of us, can you tell us initial readings" Jessie asked before he cut the communication.
"You two are there?... We are on the way. Initial readings says it's D-rank so nothing serious".
Ash looked at her with sparkling eyes, "what do you think... let's go".
Jessie hesitated for a second but then nodded. There were no rules for newly manifested dungeon...anyone could enter and clear it.
"Don't underestimate D-rank beasts...there will be clear difference in their power and their intelligence, and don't worry about my safety—I am safe with this armour" She paused for a second seeing excitement in his eyes.
"We won't go deep—just fight in outer periphery until we get hang of power level" Jessie warned her gaze stern.
Ash just nodded and rushed to enter the dungeon.
Ash stepped through the shimmering portal, and his vision blurred. For a moment, there was only cold silence—then his boots struck hard stone.
His breath misted instantly; the air was freezing. Before him stretched a ruined hall, its ceiling broken open to a sky that wasn't Earth's. Snowflakes drifted down slowly, unnaturally slow as if time itself was slow here.
Jessie hugged herself, her breath turning white. "It's colder than expected… this is no ordinary D-rank dungeon."
There was a reason behind her words, normally open dungeons appear only in upper ranks like B rank or above. But the open sky clearly showed that it was an open dungeon.
It was red flag for her but it wasn't entirely impossible for D-rank dungeon to not have open world, it was just rare.
Ash adjusted his blade strap across his waist, scanning the broken pillars and archways. His instincts were screaming—he could already hear low thumming in the shadows.
shards falling from the ceiling, frost spreading across the floor with each step.
The sound of walking on ice echoed. Multiple pairs of glowing eyes lit up in the dark, circling. Golems—bigger than any natural humans, their bodies weren't just stone—they were jagged towers of frozen rock, runes glowing faintly beneath the ice as if something ancient was still alive inside them.
Ash smirked, taking the blade in his hands.
"Perfect… finally some real targets."
Jessie tightened her grip on her staff, eyes sharp.
"Don't get cocky. These things are D-rank for a reason."
The towering height of the Golems was intimidating but nothing stopped Ash from charging. He wanted to test his newfound strength with the armour so he avoided using guns.
He was sure with his new armour his physical strength was enough to fight a D-rank beast.
When Ash was around 20 meter range, the Golem jumped high. Ash could imagine its trajectory, he was about to be crushed by the Golem.
But he was too casual in his stance, such rudimentary attack wasn't gonna put him off guard.
An firespell whistled past his side striking the golem in the air, as the spell came in contact sound of sizzling spread across — some of the ice melted turning into clear water but just after new ice formed covering the hit.
He just moved to the side avoiding the area where it will fall. His plan was to cast Killing Intent the moment it touch the ground and kill it in single swoop.
Ash had really underestimated the power of these Golems.
It fell down cracking the ground beneath it.
Ash felt his luck warning, his body moved farther instinctively.
"Boom" with crazy sound the Golem fell just some distance away from Ash. The attack wasn't over... Sharp glistening icy shards erupted from the ground in certain radius of the Behemoth.
Ash's eyes fluttered realising his near escape from the death.
These spikes would have put hole in him if he stood even in proximity of the Golem.
His eyes flashed with the Killing Intent.
Game has just begun. Ash proceeded with his plans casting the skill.
[Killing Intent]
The Golem froze under his aura, its runes dimming for an instant. Ash's blade gleamed. This was no game anymore—it was a hunt.