Ex-Human Morphus [A Mutant Evolution Apocalypse LitRPG]
Chapter 256

Chapter 256

Two system notifications flashed through his mind.

Enemy Killed. +125,000 XP

You have gained enough XP to level up. Your level went up from 118 to 119. You have 5 SP to allocate.

As soon as he read the text, it was replaced by another. 

>>> Completion Status <<<

Time Taken: 21 minutes

Reward for Completing the Fifth Floor: Cinch Net Blaster (A Legendary Ability)

Choose Your Reward for defeating the dungeon boss in less than 30 minutes:

1. 700,000 XP
2. 250,000 MP
3. 300,000 EP

Jake opted to take EP once more. As soon as he did so yet another piece of information emerged in his mind.

>>> Final Results <<<

Total Time Taken to Complete the Dungeon: 37 hours, 30 minutes

Rewards Earned: 

Chainsaw Arms (An Epic Ability)

Drill Gauntlets (An Epic Ability)

Grappling Hook Arm (An Epic Ability)

Rotary Blade Launcher (An Epic Ability)

Cinch Net Blaster (A Legendary Ability)

825,000 EP

Access to the Void Temple

After he examined the information, a portal materialized beside him. He figured it would take him back to the outside world. However, before stepping into it, he wanted to do a couple of things. 

He had earned five abilities: four epic ones and one legendary. In addition to these rewards, he had gained a significant amount of EP and access to the Void Temple, which he had visited only once so far. Now that he had accumulated a substantial amount of EP, he figured he could unlock some new powers there.

He remembered that he was allowed to visit the Void Temple once every twenty-four hours. He first accessed it after defeating one of the black obelisks on the first floor of the dungeon. Many hours had elapsed since then, so he was certain he could return now. 

However, he wanted to do something else first. He had already purchased the first three abilities he earned in the dungeon. Now that he had finished the fourth and fifth floors, two more abilities were added to the third section of the skill store. He decided to check them out. He closed his eyes and summoned the Genetic Development Interface.

Evolution Stage 3: “Apex Manifestation: Corruptor”

Abilities: 3 of 8

Skills: 0 of 4

Ability: Mana Core (Corruptor Ability)

Requirements: Body 130, Mind 145, Magick 220

Cost: 125,000 MP

Ability: MorphDisguise

Requirements: Body 125, Mind 135, Magick 140, Mind Reader (Rank IV)

Cost: 125,000 MP

Ability: Ground Strike

Requirements: Body 250, Mind 160, Magick 265, Enhanced Strength (Rank V), Enhanced Durability (Rank V)

Cost: 170,000 MP

Ability: Rotary Blade Launcher

Requirements: Body 137, Mind 127, Magick 170

Cost: 75,000 MP

Ability: Cinch Net Blaster

Requirements: Body 140, Mind 130, Magick 180

Cost: 80,000 MP

Skill: Rigging

Requirements: Body 140, Mind 230, Magick 215, Enhanced Intelligence (Rank V)

Cost: 90,000 MP

Skill: Restoration

Requirements: Body 250, Mind 180, Magick 300, Enhanced Regeneration (Rank V), Mana Absorption (Rank III)

Cost: 125,000 MP

Skill: Foresight

Requirements: Body 265, Mind 235, Magick 310, Enhanced Intelligence (Rank V), Feral Instincts (Rank V)

Cost: 140,000 MP

Skill: Psychic

Requirements: Body 290, Mind 350, Magick 325, Enhanced Intelligence (Rank V), Mind Reader (Rank V)

Cost: 175,000 MP

Ability: Chainsaw Arms

Requirements: Body 125, Mind 110, Magick 150

Cost: Already Owned

Ability: Drill Gauntlets

Requirements: Body 130, Mind 115, Magick 160

Cost: Already Owned

Ability: Grappling Hook Arm

Requirements: Body 135, Mind 125, Magick 165

Cost: Already Owned

Sure enough, Rotary Blade Launcher and Cinch Met Blaster had been added to the list of abilities available for purchase. One by one, he checked out the two of them. 

Rotary Blade Launcher: This ability allows you to shoot razor-sharp circular saw blades at high velocity. The blades can slice through enemies and obstacles from a distance, making them effective for both ranged attacks and area control. Additionally, the blades can ricochet off surfaces, allowing for creative tactical plays.  

Rarity: Epic

Upgrades: 0 of 5 

Requirements: Body 137, Mind 127, Magick 170

Cost: 75,000 MP

Cinch Net Blaster: You can summon a cinch net from your palm. This ultra-durable, razor-sharp net serves as both a trapping device and a lethal weapon.

Rarity: Legendary

Upgrades: 0 of 5 

Requirements: Body 140, Mind 130, Magick 180

Cost: 80,000 MP

He checked his attributes. 

Body: 141

Mind: 131

Magick: 180

The total cost for the two abilities was 155,000 MP. He checked how much mana he currently had.

MP: 257,997/280,000

After buying the abilities, he would have 102,997 MP left. While that wasn’t a lot, it wasn’t too little either. After giving it some thought, he decided to purchase both abilities right away.

After defeating the Magma Titan, he earned enough XP to level up once, gaining five skill points to use. He decided to spend two of them to upgrade each of his two newly acquired abilities. 

Rotary Blade Launcher: Rank I (0%) (Upgrades: 1 of 5) (Epic)

1. Quick Charge: Decreases the time needed to create a circular saw blade, which increases the fire rate of the ability. Cost: 1 SP 

Cinch Net Blaster: Rank I (0%) (Upgrades: 1 of 5) (Legendary)

1. Quick Charge: Decreases the time needed to create a cinch net glob, which increases the fire rate of the ability. Cost: 1 SP 

As usual, the first available upgrades focused on increasing the speed at which he could use his abilities. Currently, each of the two abilities had only one upgrade available. To unlock more, he needed to advance the abilities to the next ranks.

After acquiring the upgrades, he had three skill points remaining, but he decided to save them for later. He opened his eyes, and all the information vanished. Now it was time to see the new abilities in action.

He scanned the area and noticed a larger island nearby with a rock outcropping jutting from one side. This would be his training dummy. He jumped and unleashed his grappling hook. Once it snagged the island, he propelled himself toward it with a powerful tug.

After landing, he turned to the jagged rock outcropping. He extended his left hand toward it and activated the Rotary Blade Launcher ability. Instantly, a circular saw blade began to materialize above his wrist. It spun to life, the edges sharp and ready for action, and the sound of whirring filled the air.

Jake marveled at the sight. The blade felt like an extension of himself, forged from his flesh and as strong as steel. He felt the vibrations travel up his arm as the blade rotated incredibly fast. He could even see the subtle shimmer of heat rising from its edges.

With a mental command, he released the blade. The blade detached from his wrist, flying forward in a blur of motion. It sliced through the air, a perfect projectile aimed at the hard rock. In an instant, the blade collided with the outcropping, embedding itself deep within the stone with a resounding crack, sending dust and pebbles flying in all directions.

It was an incredible ability. He wished there had been a few magma golems left to use it on. He decided to practice this ability for a bit. He thrust his hand forward again. At his mental command, another blade spun into existence, and he instantly launched it toward the rock outcropping.

It sliced through the air and, a second later, embedded itself in the stone with the familiar crack of impact. Jake quickly summoned another blade. This one flew with such speed that it became nearly invisible to the untrained eye. It struck hard but only glanced off the stone, ricocheting away with a high-pitched whine.

The blade had failed to lodge itself in the rock, but that was fine. Every failed attempt was a lesson, a pathway to improvement. He launched another blade, this time aiming at a different angle. It soared through the air, striking true and burying itself alongside the first two. 

Jake practiced the ability a bit more. He launched five more blades in rapid succession, each a darting streak of black. Some bounced off and twirled to the side, while others buried deep into the rock, digging into its sturdy surface. The mesmerizing sight of the blades slicing through the air had already made him fall in love with this ability.

After launching the last blade, which clanged against the rock and landed in the dust, he decided to test the Cinch Net Blaster ability. Extending his left hand toward the rock, he activated the ability. A warm, tingling energy coursed through his palm, shaping into a glob of flesh that pulsated slightly, as if it were a living organism.

He slightly adjusted his aim and commanded the glob of flesh to launch at the rock outcropping. It lunged forward, dashing through the air with great speed, morphing seamlessly into a large cinch net mid-flight. The net expanded, its fibers weaving together to create interconnected loops. 

Upon impact, the net adhered to the outcropping, wrapping itself securely around the rough surfaces and craggy edges. The material clung with elasticity and strength, as if it were alive, adjusting to every contour of the rock. He approached the rock for a closer look.

The net’s texture combined durability and flexibility. He tested the tension, tugging gently to ensure it would hold firm. The cinch net tightened instinctively, binding tightly to the rock’s surface.

It was definitely an incredible ability. Once the net made contact with a target, it activated a special mechanism that tightened around the victim. This cinching motion seemed powerful enough to immobilize even the strongest foes, constricting them as if they were caught in a vice. He couldn’t wait to use this ability on enemies.

He also noticed that the edges of the net were serrated, which would allow it to slice into flesh and armor as it tightened. This feature meant that while trapped, enemies were also at risk of sustaining injuries from the net itself, making it both a defensive and offensive tool.

Jake wondered if one of the future upgrades for the ability would enable the net to adjust its tightness based on the size and strength of the captured foe, ensuring that larger enemies were effectively restrained. He also couldn’t help but ponder whether another future upgrade would allow the net to constrict enough to slice through the victim. It would be quite a gruesome death, for sure.

He then shot a few more nets in various directions just to test the fire rate of the ability. Thanks to the upgrades he had acquired for the Rotary Blade Launcher and Cinch Net Blaster abilities, he could fire a circular saw blade or net in under a second.

Jake was quite pleased with the abilities he had gained from completing the dungeon. Chainsaw Arms allowed him to deal with large groups of weaker enemies pretty quickly, while Drill Gauntlets could inflict significant damage on a single, well-protected foe.

The Grappling Hook Arm ability allowed him to navigate mid-air. While he could jump very high and far, he couldn’t change his trajectory once airborne. However, if he suddenly needed to change direction after a jump, this ability allowed him to do so.

The Rotary Blade Launcher was an excellent ranged ability, showcasing impressive power and a decent fire rate. The Cinch Net Blaster ability could serve as both a tool for capturing enemies and a weapon for killing them, assuming an upgrade to make the nets constrict existed, which he was confident did.

So he had tested the newly acquired abilities, but before finally leaving the dungeon, he wanted to do one last thing.