Dungeon Raider System

Rank: [Evolved] Human with mutated cells that can store and tap into flux energy.

Title: [Dumpster diver] Acquired by rummaging through trash looking for something useful. [Scavenger] Acquired by salvaging resources from a lost city. [Thief] Acquired by stealing from a corpse. [Grave-robber] Acquired by stealing from a tomb.

Trait: Museum

Available exhibitions:

Pre-apocalyptic (4/6)

Stat points: (9/10)

Strength: 5+1

Speed: 9+1

Flux: 1

Uriel studied his new statistics after finally allocating a stat point into strength, thanks to all the battles on the way to the warriors temple and his duel against a pygmy he had been able to gather enough flux orbs to almost reach the ten mark.

The reason why he decided to start developing his strength wasn't just because of his failure to pierce through the pygmy's heart after stabbing it with his dagger, but also because he found some sort of satisfaction in evening out his stats.

Besides his increased speed already allowed him to react faster, dodge easier and aim better, everything seemed to move in slow motion and now he was even able to notice some of Nika's movements that he couldn't see before. Increasing it even more would still be helpful, but he was also eager to see what effect would improving his strength stat have.

'What's the deal with that new title though. I'm not a graverobber, I'm an archaeologist! The only reason I took the dagger was to preserve its cultural value.' He inwardly complained, resented by the awful sound of his new title.

Although it was night already, the mist emitted an eerie light that allowed Uriel to see as far as ten meters, but no further as the mist itself was also an obstacle. Unexpectedly, they were able to takae advantage of the light provided by the mist to continue their way up to the Kukulkan's pyramid.

Uriel attempted to look away whenever they found a corpse, but the closer they got to the pyramid the more frequent those sightings were and he had no choice but to endure it.

It could be said the road was paved with corpses, it was one thing to see a single person die, but even someone from the slums like him had trouble adjusting to the gruesome sights of disemboweled people and detached limbs all over the place.

"This is horrible." Uriel whispered to himself in an attempt to give himself courage.

"Don't lower your guard, even if we can't see a thing it doesn't mean the same applies to cryptids. I've seen some cryptids without eyes that can still see your movements, I don't know how to explain it, just don't get too confident." Nika said as she looked at the familiar faces of her subordinates, only now pale and devoid of life.

She had been at the Mapple corp. for a few years and she knew some of those people from those times but none of her sadness leaked from her stone cold face and icy glare. She didn't linger on the sadness and channeled all of her frustration and sorrow into something else, something she could use in combat, it was cold blooded rage.

The only problem with that was she didn't have any target for it, even if she wanted to, there wasn't a single enemy in front of her at the moment so all she could do for the time being was to keep her cool and figure out a way to reach their destination safely, bottling up her feelings.

Uriel, on the other hand, was terrified of all the bodies around him. It also didn't help that his ammunition had ran out after killing the pygmy and he felt completely helpless, if any cryptid appeared on their way the only thing he would be able to do was to either dodge or run.

If only he was able to properly wield the dagger, or if his gun could recover ammunition faster, he would at least have a fighting chance. But even though the dagger was practically unbreakable he wasn't able to properly use it in combat and his revolver had barely recovered a few bullets during the whole ordeal.

Just as he gazed at yet another corpse on the way he realized something, 'I'm already considered a grave robber, I may as well live up to that title.' and he knelt down in front on the corpse of a man to take his weapon.

"What are you doing?" Nika blinked repeatedly as she watched the young student struggle to take the weapon from the stiff cold hands of a corpse.

"What does it look like I'm doing, I'm trying to get a weapon!" Uriel scowled at her.

"Uh, why don't you just summon your own?" She kept blinking in awe.

"Because it doesn't have any more bullets, I don't have anything to fight anymore."

"You should have said so earlier, I know your trait allows you to summon weapons but it never crossed my mind that you would also need ammo." She knelt down, broke the corpse's fingers and handed the weapon to Uriel who received it with an awkward expression.

"What, is that a thing? A trait that can summon weapons, I mean."

"Of course it is, it's not that uncommon of a trait, there's lots of people with the same trait, only most of those weapons are intended for melee combat. There's not many of them within the Mapple corp. though, I think a trait like that is more suited for the army."

"My trait has nothing to do with weapons, it's more like... I can't really explain it, but I can store certain items inside it."

"What kind of items?"

"It's not okay to ask for other people's trait." Uriel said in a scolding tone of voice.

"Oh, but when you asked me about my trait it was fine, uh?" She lifted an eyebrow as she leaned closer to him, close enough for him to feel her warm breath on his face.

"F-Fine, it's not a big deal, I just can store items of cultural value inside my trait." He said after looking away to keep the fact that he was blushing heavily a secret.

"Cultural value... uh? Like books? What items do you have then?"

"I have a gun, a pocket knife, a cellphone and a... nevermind." Even though Uriel trusted Nika enough to tell her about his trait, he was too embarrassed to share the fact that one of those 'cultural' items was actually an old pornographic magazine, so he looked away and fell silent.

"Uh, I want to know!" She said teasingly, but Uriel wouldn't budge.

Although Nika was genuinely curious about Uriel's trait, the true reason why she asked so blatantly was to keep him from gazing at the corpses on the way. She had noticed how her asset's mood had become dispirited and shaking off such a state wasn't something a rookie hunter like him could achieve on his own.

Thanks to her playful attitude, Uriel had completely disregarded the grim ambience around them and they kept walking in the mist until they finally reached what seemed to be the first steps of the great pyramid of Kukulkan where they hoped to reunite with Flanagan and, hopefully, find a way to turn the barrier that kept cryptids away back on.