Chapter 1:
The Great Sage Skill
I STOOD INSIDE a hidden dungeon—that’s what everyone called these places. It was undiscovered and unexplored. Even if anyone did know about it, they certainly didn’t know how to get in. The doors wouldn’t open, there were no stairs, it was guarded by ridiculously powerful monsters…you get the idea.
So, naturally, whoever discovered how to get inside would be hailed as a hero—but let’s not get ahead of ourselves! Not to put too fine a point on it, these hidden dungeons are so important that even the great Janton Jastal could live a life of leisure ten times over just by stumbling into one.
Now back to my possibly ill-advised and life-changing adventure into unknown territory.
“Where did that thing come from?! This is only the third floor!”
A skeleton monster, grim as death itself, stood in front of me. I couldn’t stifle my scream. Even from here, I could tell it was a dangerous enemy.
The tattered remnants of its garment drifted through the air as it raised its scythe. Fighting was my only option. I swiftly deployed a skill I had acquired on the previous level, Discerning Eye, to scan its abilities. It was even worse than I feared.
Name: Dead Reaper
Level: 99
Skills: Execution Slash
At Level 23, I was already comically outclassed by the creature, but that skill was beyond unfair.
Execution Slash: Damage dealt with Scythe inflicts Instant Death on target. Effect cannot be avoided unless target has specific protection against Instant Death.
In other words, one hit and I’d earn myself a one-way ticket to the pearly gates. I didn’t stand a chance, so I used another skill I’d learned, Editor, to modify the skill description and remove the words “Instant Death”.
Delete: “Instant Death” — 1,000 LP
“You’ve gotta be kidding me! How am I supposed to manage that?”
I just needed to delete those two little words to essentially neuter the entire skill, but it required a ton of LP and, funny story, I only had 500. I was dead meat.
“I guess I’ll just have to Get Creative!”
I used 100 LP to create a skill I dubbed Heavy and then used Bestow to attach the status to the enemy. Bestow cost me another 100 LP, dropping me to 300. I could feel my strength draining, but I braced myself and pushed through. I really didn’t want to die here.
“Ugh, I just have to try.”
It was supposed to be impossible to enter this dungeon. Why didn’t I leave it alone? Why did I, the third son of an insignificant family, try to make a name for myself? For that answer, you’ll have to join me on a little trip down memory lane.