Halfway through the 10th floor of [Waterworks], [Volcanic Eruption] and [Rage of the Thunder Monarch] finally hit 100, and I was able to put the two skills in the [Skill Combination] tab that shone blue.
The product of these two was the rank S+ skill, [Devastation- The sky cracks as destructive lightning and flames from the depths of an unknown dimension search for your enemies.]
The first trial of this skill was particularly eye opening. The moment it was casted, it seemed like the sky was unzipped as roiling thick ropes of purple lightning and red flames spread out to every single [Winged Shark] in the air, as well as the ones hidden below in the water.
The destructive combination of lightning and heavy flames seemed as if they had their own consciousness as they searched for and blasted apart any beast they pierced into. 10 seconds, that was how long the skill lasted, but also the amount of time that cleared out the entirety of [Winged Shark]s in our surroundings, leaving the Virulent Summon standing blankly in the air looking for more enemies.
The advent of [Devastation] made my attacks overcome the efficiency of the fast moving summon for the first time since it appeared, increasing the rate we progressed through the dungeon.
On the 25th floor, the rank A skills that had been active all this time finally reached the requirements and were combined.
[Steeled Muscles] and [Hardened Bones] went together to provide [Man of Steel]. [Wind Armor] and [Frigid Armament] produced the colorful [Dual Element Armor]. [Metal Scales] and [Yeti's Fur] produced [Beastial Hide]. [Tanzanite Skin] and [Earth Armor] went ahead to produce [Protection of the Earth].
This gave me four new rank A+ defensive skills that had their power nearing rank S, giving me even more confidence of having a sturdy enough defense to withstand attacks of someone of the EPIC rank. I would still continue to over prepare though, as nothing wrong would come out from that.
After passing through the 25th floor, we came across another type of monster in this dungeon. This time they were the terrifying combination of a humanoid fish, the famous [Siren]s. They had n.a.k.e.d upper bodies where voluptuous masses of flesh were flinging around as their lower bodies were made of hard green scales.
They had powerful attacks shooting out from their mouths as deadly soundwaves and poison continued to flyout as they moved across the water. Well, they still didn't stand a chance against the Virulent Abomination that ripped them apart without reservation, as well as [Devastation] that searched out for them even when they dived underwater.
[Profane Eruption] caused them even more problems as the bodies of their friends exploded and left poisonous zones in the water that spread out. As they could not fly into their skies, they became even more pitiful than the [Winged Shark]s from earlier floors.
I continued to bulldoze through the dungeon in this manner, a multiple array of skills continuing to be casted as their proficiencies rose. [Summon Virulent Abomination] had already reached 100 as my fingers itched to combine it with the poisonous and powerful [Profane Eruption] the moment more bodies of dead monsters continued to appear.
I had already profaned more than a few thousand bodies just in this dungeon alone as more than 2 hours had passed while I went down [Waterworks]. The dungeons floors were extremely vast and wide, providing a vast array of monsters that made me very happy.
With a few thousand more bodies to explode until I reached floor 50, I might be able to carry out the combination of the two skills in this dungeon run.
Another two hours passed as I took out the screaming [Siren]s, and I found myself on the 50th floor where the BOSS resided. The floor was a wide expanse of water, without even a patch of land to stand on now. Adventures usually came into this dungeon equipped with information and items that either allowed them to breathe underwater or walk on it, being fully prepared for many different situations before they came in.
I went about it a whole different way by remaining in the air with the [Flight] skill that continued to show extreme usefulness even now. I watched in the air as the ugliest beast I had seen in a while showed itself.
I thought my abomination was ugly to look at, but the monstrosity rising up was something else. The BOSS of this rank S dungeon that was called [Fish Monstrosity] made its appearance. It was as its name suggested, a monstrosity made up from multiple fish that seemed to still be alive and screaming as wails came out of various parts of its body.
It's face was contorted in anger as it howled towards me, multiple water spears forming and making their way over. This beast was one that many adventures had trouble with when looking at its hard defenses and powerful water element abilities. The maxed abomination that was at the height of its power swooped down to smash into the monstrosity as their deadly battle began.
I let the water spears hone in on my position and strike my body, seeing just how effective the attacks of a peak rank S beast that needed multiple rank S adventures to take it down would stand against my many defensive skills as well as [Saint's Return] that continued to heal me and provide me resistance boosts consistently.
The water spears seemed to have struck into a muddy wall as they didn't even get near enough to dent my armor, the many defensive skills that were either layered on top of my skin or in the form of colorful barriers stopping them right in their tracks, where they then dissolved into nothingness.
I nodded in satisfaction while watching this, realizing that even if an EPIC rank were to land their attacks on me, they would at most injure me. But, let's continue acc.u.mulating more defenses!
I eagerly looked to the battle between the two ugly beasts as the Virulent Abomination seemed to have the upper hand with the constant healing and buffs from [Saint's Return]. Every single injury it suffered closed in but an instant as the [Fish Monstrosity] continued to be injured with the noxious blasts it was releasing as well as its sharp claws.
I finished the battle as I casted [Devastation] and watched the roiling thunder and flames rush out from the rift in the sky and pierce the body of the beast. Painful screams rung out as the beast withstood extreme heat and lightning, watching its body slowly become burned and destroyed.
When the 10 seconds passed, only a mess of flesh was left behind as the monstrosity screamed pitifully. The summon ended the fight by digging into its body and releasing multiple noxious blasts from within
A similar scene to when I cleared the [Floating Pentagons] for the first time occurred, where a flow of information in the form a skill was placed in my mind, it was quickly absorbed and transformed into a skill that appeared on my panel.
This time it was a rank S skill called [Budding Farmer- You can become the best farmer in your region. In exchange for a large amount of mana, the skill allows you to change the essence in a surrounding field to promote the extreme growth of all plants.]
...All the skills that I was receiving by clearing a dungeon for the first time in this world were non combat skills that seemed to have their own special uses. I wasn't complaining as they seemed to be very interesting skills, so I would give the first one I received, [Cook], and this one a try soon.
From the knowledge I collected so far, the perk of gaining a skill when clearing a dungeon for the first time in this world was completely random. It was a completely different system from the dungeons that the demons used to descend to my world. I would see what type of skills I would continue receiving when I clear more dungeons of this world in the future.
I went near the beast to get its loot similar to how I had been doing these past 49 floors as I collected more cores and a skill book into my [Storage Pouch]. I then rose higher and casted [Profane Eruption], watching the large body of the beast cause a heavy explosion and give the last point from 99 to 100 for the skill.
I excitedly looked at the two skills that were ready for combination as the summon was canceled and I placed [Summon Virulent Abomination] and [Profane Eruption] into the [Skill Combination] tab
The tab shone in a blue light as the process took even longer than when I combined the skills to receive [Saint's Return]. It finished in a few seconds, and the new rank S+ skill produced from this deadly combination was [Summon Plague Bearer- An abomination of extreme evil that causes deadly plagues wherever it goes. The skills Poisonous Breath and Defiler are among its tools.]
My eyes shone with this combination as I itched to restart this dungeon and see just how deadly the summon had become.