CHAPTER 77: REWARDS 2

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Energy Devourer Thief Skill

Level 1

•─────⋅☾ Skill Description ☽⋅─────•

Want an easy Level up? Don’t worry. With this skill you can steal enemies’ cultivation and life force, converting it into your EXP.

To activate this skill, Host needs to touch the enemy—and the enemy must be a cultivator that uses Qi or any other form of energy.

The higher the strength of the enemy, the lower the percentage of stealing their energy.

After activation and successful absorption, the enemy will become a mere mortal.

If you choose to also steal life force, the skill will suck the enemy dry and leave them dead.

The enemy will be nothing more than a dried husk after life force is stolen.

•─────⋅☾ Cost ☽⋅─────•

1000 MP

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When Leon read its contents, his eyes widened in shock.

What!? I can level up this way... by stealing energy!? Isn’t this too easy!?

Ever since entering this dungeon, every level up had come through blood, sweat, and clawing his way through fights. The idea that he could now gain power just by draining people of their energy—turning them into powerless mortals—sat strangely with him.

It was accepted with mixed feelings. He had grown used to working hard for every scrap of strength. Yet, despite his unease, the excitement burned stronger. With this skill, it would not take long for him to rise to the top.

With this skill, he could become the strongest being on Hearth.

He was surprised. At first, he thought Skill Thief would be superior to Energy Devourer Thief, but now he realized he had been wrong.

With these two skills, leveling up will be a walk in the park for me! He clenched his fist tightly at the thought, excitement pulsing in his veins.

The surroundings were quiet. Leon had enough peace to indulge in his discoveries.

But then, stray thoughts crept into his mind.

In that mission, when I was told to assassinate the Goblin King and retrieve his dagger... it said that after my downfall, the dagger had fallen into another’s hands. My downfall? When was that? Is it talking about my past life? Am I the reincarnation of some powerful being... or even a god?

If yes, then whoever I was must have been famous. Someone known throughout the realms. Could it be Thor, the God of Thunder? Just who exactly am I the reincarnation of?

Confusion tangled with excitement. The possibility of being a reincarnated powerhouse gave him hope for an even brighter future—a future where he could stand at the very top.

Then another thought struck him.

Is that why that annoying crystal always calls me Master? Could it be that I wasn’t just lucky to awaken this system? That all of this was meant to be—set in stone long before I was born? What else is that damn crystal hiding from me?

Meanwhile, in a dark place, the crystal glowed faintly.

It pulsed once and muttered mysteriously to itself.

"It looks like Host is finally gaining some sense..."

Leon, however, continued to rack his brain for answers. But the more he thought, the more questions arose, multiplying instead of fading.

At last, he sighed. I have to quit overthinking, or I’ll end up giving myself a headache.

Clenching his fist, his eyes burned with excitement again. Once I’m done with this dungeon, I’ll kill those fucking bastards... then begin my stealing spree!

But his expression darkened as another face came to mind—the Emperor.

His whisper was cold, sharp, filled with venom.

"Wait for me... your fucking days are numbered."

The hatred he bore for the Emperor hardened his resolve and reminded him of all the things he needed to do.

First things first... let me check out the Goblin King’s dagger.

He thought with great expectation. Since it had come from a System mission, he was certain it wouldn’t be something ordinary.

He had already used it to massacre goblin villagers and strike down orcs, but he wanted to see its true potential.

Immediately after he willed it, the twin crystalline daggers appeared from his spatial ring and dropped into his hands.

He focused his will, and the status panel opened.

Almost at once, his eyes widened. He was expecting something short and simple. Instead, the dagger’s status stretched nearly as long as his own.

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Supreme Thief Daggers

•─────⋅☾ Dagger Status ☽⋅─────•

Level: 20 (Rank E)

Physical Attack Power: ≥ 23

Soul Attack Power: ≤ 0.9 (Very weak; can only destroy less than one percent of an enemy’s soul)

Soul: Sentient

•─────⋅☾ Dagger History ☽⋅─────•

After your downfall, your dagger lost all its power. It fell into the hands of the Elven King. Meanwhile, the Green Goblin King discovered a way to reach the higher world of the elves through a teleportation gate created by one of his mage subordinates.

In a sneaky manner, the Goblin King stole the dagger and brought it back to his world.

But just like an assassin, you stole back what was yours.

No one can steal from the Supreme Thief and get away with it!

•─────⋅☾ Dagger Affinity ☽⋅─────•

Space: SSS Affinity Rank [Innate Affinity]

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Time: N-I-L

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Fire: N-I-L

...

•─────⋅☾ Dagger Skills ☽⋅─────•

Mana Manipulation: Converts other forms of energy to mana and can naturally absorb mana to augment Host’s attack power.

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Conceal: Aura, sound, killing intent, dagger intent suppression at will. (Level 10)

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Camouflage: Can change color at will.

Natural Color: Transparent/Crystalline

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Soul Attack: As long as the dagger successfully strikes with killing intent, the enemy’s soul will also be attacked. (Currently very weak due to low level.)

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Greedy Thief: Devours ranked weapons, both sentient and non-sentient, to grow stronger.

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Shape Shifting: Can assume the form of any weapon it has devoured.

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Affinity Slash: Can use its affinity to augment Host’s attacks.

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Combine!: Twin daggers can merge, doubling normal attack power.

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Leon’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

I was wielding such a powerful weapon all this while!? He almost shouted in disbelief.

’I am used to Host’s foolishness...’ the System’s voice echoed dryly in his mind.

"Shut up!" Leon snapped back instantly, cutting it off.

’...’ The System went quiet, as it often did when he barked back.

And honestly—Leon liked it that way.

He grinned, eyes burning like fire.

"It looks like I’ll have to train even harder... if I want to use the full potential of this weapon!"

His grin stretched wider—wild, battle-hungry, like a maniac staring into the promise of endless fights.

Leon still had more than six hours left to raid the dungeon, so he knew there was no risk in spending time training.

He practiced within that dungeon, flashing his daggers crudely through the air.

He was not yet a professional. His stances and movements were based only on common, basic techniques he had seen or read about, using them as guides when training.

But after some time, something strange happened.

He began to feel a faint connection—something new.

The things he currently had a connection with were the Crystal/System, the Gravity Leaves, and other items.

So when he discovered another connection, he froze, surprised and confused.

What did I just form a connection with?

Almost immediately, a notification sounded in his mind.

Ding!

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Supreme Thief Daggers have formed a

connection with you and re-accepted

you as their Master.

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"Huh?" Leon’s face contorted in confusion before it suddenly split into a smile.

I forgot the dagger was sentient... I was just casually training, never expecting the Supreme Thief Daggers to form a connection with me. Nevertheless, I’m happy!

But his smile froze. His eyes widened in shock.

M-Master!

A girlish voice resounded in his head.

Just after saying that, the voice went silent.

What!? That wasn’t the Crystal’s voice. If it’s not the Crystal, then what’s calling me Master? Confusion covered his face.

"Could it be..." His voice trailed off.

"T-The Supreme Thief Daggers? They can speak!? Isn’t that... a little too much!?" Leon almost stammered aloud.

Far away, in that familiar dark place, the Crystal pulsed faintly.

Hearing Leon’s words, it felt like slapping him a million times.

"If you knew how many people would die just to hold that thing in your hands... Ignorance really is a disease."

M-Master...

The girlish voice echoed again.

Leon stiffened. He was confused, unsure of how to react. The voice carried a childlike innocence—soft, fragile, almost pure.

And strangely, every time he heard it, he felt a sense of familiarity.

M-Master... the voice called again.

Leon’s chest tightened. He didn’t know what to do, didn’t even know what he was feeling.

What is this? Why is it calling me Master? What should I do?

His eyes prickled unexpectedly. A tear slipped down the corner of his face.

Before he realized it, Leon closed his eyes.

And then...

He felt like he was no longer in the dungeon.

What the—!

When he opened them again, he found himself standing in a strange yet oddly familiar place.

It was strange because he didn’t remember ever being here.

When he opened them again, he found himself standing in a strange yet oddly familiar place.

It was strange because he didn’t remember ever being here.