A Gunslinger's System in a World of Magic-Chapter 262: Continued Trend

Both had seen a Level-up worth of advancement before the Dimensional energy boon which meant their total Stat improvements numbered at 36.

Henry turned his eyes to Boyle next;

——————

[Name: Boyle]

[Race: Human]

[Class: Knight]

[Job: Citadel Captain]

[Health: 790]

[Mana: 710]

[Strength: 216 ———> 236]

[Agility: 120 ———> 130]

[Stamina: 148]

Read 𝓁atest chapters at fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm Only.

*[Remarks: A Knight capably trained to carry out the righteous convictions of his oath to fuel his Physical Might which is already quite impressive. Possesses grand ambitions for status within the Citadel.

Much too great an opponent for you. At the moment, as far as you are concerned, he is unkillable.]

——————

Boyle lacked the extra 6 Stat points that Eloise and Andor had enjoyed but the bonus stats points improved his main stats well enough.

Marla stepped forward as she had done before and picked the halved-up Altar off the ground to no protest from anyone. The rest of the Mercenaries even gathered loot from the defeated Orcs they hadn't helped kill but unless they were explicitly caught in the act, no one really cared.

The reason for this oversight was a sense of urgency that was palpable among everyone. Eloise had made the issue of the Altars sound so grave that they were all ready to move on to the next and destroy it as they had done two already.

"But we should have reduced any risk already by having destroyed two, right?" Andor asked looking like he was hoping for good news.

Eloise shook her head,

"I'm not sure it works that way. Maybe we reduce what the Dungeon boss stands to gain but even one successful transfer of power by one of the Altars could have terrible consequences."

"Then, lead us to the next," Boyle said and so Eloise cast her sensory spell and led the way to one of the two Altars still actively siphoning dimensional energy.

They arrived at the next clearing in minutes and got right to work.

Nyx and Andor had done well with their pairing before so they continued and stuck close together as they struck down Orc Warrior after Orc Warrior. Henry got up in the trees as he had done many times already and gunned down the Casters from above.

As usual, he drew their attention and they erected their shields in defense but unlike the last time, he didn't use [Kroa's Bolt]. It was a powerful spell capable of destroying the Casters' defenses but it also cost too much Mana and while he still had enough Mana potions to handle the cost, the expedition was not over yet and he felt a need to conserve resources.

He relied instead more on [Extra Arms] which, although cost quite a bit of Mana as well, was stable and could be kept active for ten minutes with no further subsequent cost. At least but unless any of the tentacles was destroyed and needed repair.

Henry stopped balancing on tree branches now and went all in on swinging about with the watery tentacles, avoiding attacks and shooting at his attackers once their spells missed.

<Guiding Shot> was also used a lot more as Henry concentrated his shots on hitting specific spots on the shields until they shattered.

The Orc Casters were smart so the moment the shield was about to shatter, they'd replace it. At least, one of them tried to but Henry swung his body so he was within range to extend two watery tentacles. One wrapped around the Orc's staff and pulled it from its grip while the other wrapped around its hand and snuffed any chance of seal creation.

The interruption lasted two seconds at most but those were enough for a bullet from 'Cudgel' to put an end to that particular Caster so Henry could direct his attention and employ a similar strategy against another enemy.

At some point, he got tired of swinging from branch to branch and landed instead in front of an Orc Caster and swung 'Cudgel' at its shield, infusing Mana into the weapon right before contact.

*BANG!*

Infused with Mana, 'Cudgel' had an attack power of '250'. Henry had known this since back when it had been tuned by Elminster and could also see it now thanks to <Threat Assessment>.

Anyway, it proved an effective weapon against the Orc's shield, cracking it on first contact.

Henry pulled back his mana right after so he could better lift the gun and attempt a second strike that he delivered so fast, the Orc Caster had no time to react.

While this was not a move Henry used often, he had practiced it enough since he got 'Cudgel' and could wield it efficiently.

He knew just how to activate the increased weight at the right time and deactivate it just as quickly to handle it better. Couple this with his incredible agility and you have him swinging 'Cudgel' with expertise that stunned his target.

*BANG!*

With a hit just as powerful as the first, the shield shattered.

"Ack!" The Orc Caster groaned almost in shock as the weight of the weapon created a pushback that knocked it off balance.

With no shield to hit, 'Cudgel' swung low still heavy but once Henry pulled his mana back, the weapon's weight returned to normal and he raised it just high enough to press it against the Orc's chest and pull the trigger, killing it.

[Kill-Reward: 700 Exp]

This was not the first time Henry had killed in this particular raid against this bunch of Altar-Protecting Orcs but it was the first time he paid enough attention to the Exp he gained from killing to realize it had hiked up a further 50 Exp. Nyx was now gaining 750 per kill as well.

'They're getting stronger,' Caius thought with concern.

This was an Evolving Dungeon and as time passed, its inhabitants also evolved and became stronger. The strength increase of this Orc Casters had been inconsequential to Henry because he had gotten stronger stat-wise so that was not the reason for his concern.

The reason for his concern was the implication that the evolution of the Dungeon had on an eventual outbreak as well as the natural evolution of the Dungeon Boss who was already seeking artificial means of becoming stronger besides that.

Anyway, right after Henry's antic with 'Cudgel' against the Orc Caster's shield, he was bombarded by attacks but, of course, he had planned for this. He wouldn't have put himself so much within range of their attacks if he hadn't.

[Activating <Hat of Shielding>]

Even as the hazy shield appeared, Henry kicked away from the spot he was standing in with a burst of speed that made all aimed attacks soar harmlessly through the air. Zigzagging a few times to dodge more bolts and orbs, he swung 'Cudgel' at his next victim and the second he spent striking a second time was enough for the target to hit him with a spell that failed against his shield. Immediately after that, Henry pressed the muzzle of his gun against the Orc's throat and blasted a hole through it in a gurgling, choking kill.

[Kill-Reward: 700 Exp]

Henry managed three more kills and right when the shield's activation time was nearing an end, he downed a Mana potion to ensure he had enough mana to channel the most recent addition to his Arcane Tapestry and the most powerful attacking spell he had in his arsenal.

Kroa's Bolt!

The bolt crackled and destroyed his target's shield, opening it up to a headshot that Henry delivered as he leaped many steps back and extended the watery tentacles of [Extra Arms] high above to grip a tree branch and pull him up on top of it.

[Kill-Reward: 700 Exp]

While he was being pulled, Henry cast the spell again with enough Mana points to afford it.

Kroa's Bolt!

Another shield was destroyed and another Orc caster lost its life while the others were in shock at the spell he had cast twice already. Like the last bunch to suffer the spell by Henry's hands, they wondered how it was possible a human knew their secret Arcane knowledge.

Alas, they never did ask. They never could. They were also just far more invested in striking him down.

They failed and in an assault completed without any loss of Hit Points, Henry gunned them all down, receiving a couple of familiar notifications as he did.

[You have Leveled Up!]

[You are now Level 34]

[Hit Point Maximum increased to 340]

[Hit Points: 340/340]

[Mana Point Maximum increased to 450]

[You have received 6 Stat Points to Allocate]

[You now have 36 Stat Points to allocate]

The battle in the clearing ended as smoothly as the last and just like it had been back then, Meryna cast the dome to keep in the spirits about to be unleashed.

Eloise stepped toward the semi-sphere and swung her sword, destroying it in five swings and releasing the spirits that Henry and Andor joined her in eliminating in a daunting quarter of an hour-long battle.

When it was over, she and Andor struck the Altar together, breaking it open and unleashing a wave of dimensional energy just like the two previous Altar breaks.

Everyone noticed quickly enough that the trend continued…

[You have been struck by Dimensional Energy]

[You have received 36 Bonus Stat Points]

[You now have 72 Stat Points to Allocate]

… and these gains were, again, greater than the last.