Genetic Ascension

Chapter 553: Salamander Minions

[Violet Rose Brush (FFF+) (Mutant Dungeon)]

[Level Maximum: 35]

[Entry Limit: 2]

[Recommended: Physical 1100; Mental 1100]

[Description: This Dungeon has entered a state of symbiosis with a Dynamic Field Dungeon, changing its landscape and the nature of the challenges within]

[Warning: Changes may occur to this Dungeon at any moment]

Sylas hardly looked at Dungeon Grades anymore. By now, he knew that the grading system of Earth was useless.

In the outside world, FFF+ would hold some real weight. But a Level 35 Dungeon, when the highest Level on Earth right now was 29... well, it didnʼt take much for this to be an FFF+ Dungeon.

All that really mattered was the recommended stats, and Sylas felt that he could deal with this more than well enough.

When his vision cleared, he found himself in a maze of carved bushes. He wasnʼt new to maze Dungeons; he had been in one before. In fact, he had found the Basilisk King in one.

But back then, he had a map to rely on. This time, he didnʼt have such a thing. And he also had a feeling that the maze would...

He had only just had the thought when it happened right in front of him. What had once been a wide-open lane shifted. A wall of green appeared out of nowhere and blocked it off.

Then, a path opened up behind him instead.

Unsurprisingly, he went from having no enemies to worry about to hearing the growls of one in that same instant.

He spun around to see

browns, snarling at him.

two-meter-long spotted salamander, colored in green, violet, and

[Spotted Salamander Minion (FFF)]

[Level: 29]

-

[Physical: 787]

[Mental: 849]

[Will: 722]

It had incredibly balanced Physical stats, but its Intelligence was off the charts compared to its others, being over a thousand.

Why that was became clear when a line of poison shot for Sylas, lighting on fire mid-air.

ʼAn attack that turns into an area of effect attack...ʼ

The moment the poison lit on fire, fumes billowed into the air and started to poison it as well. Sylas couldnʼt help but wonder if there was anyone who could deal with this Dungeon on Earth outside of himself.

There probably were, but they would almost certainly need to prepare great armors and a large number of healing consumables.

He dodged the line of poison, only to hear it hit the ground and start sizzling behind him. It turned out that being poisonous, the fire made it act like quite a corrosive liquid as well.

As much as he wanted to continue working on his grappling...

Sylas didnʼt want to end up getting heavily injured in this Dungeon. These beasts were too powerful to play around with.

[Woodland Poison Lance (Silver) (Treasure)]

[Level: 1]

[+300 Strength]

[Ability: Pierce; Erode]

[Strength is doubly as Effective]

[Destroy structural integrity of Aether]

[Level Up Requirement: Genes]

[Durability: 50/50]

A lance suddenly appeared above the salamanderʼs head, but at the same moment, so too did

an enormous stone.

The lance drove down first, then the stone followed, driving into its butt in a single fluid motion.

BANG! BANG!

The salamanderʼs head splattered with blood and bone, the lance shooting right through the top of its skull and down through the bottom of its jaw.

[Spotted Salamander Minion]

[Gene Detected]

[Bronze Gene: (6) Intelligence (F)]

[Attempt Assimilation?]

[Yes][No]

He remembered a time when he would have been very excited to see this stat screen. But he was at a point now where Bronze Genes simply couldnʼt move him anymore.

It might be useful to advance the lance. But...

[Durability: 49/50]

He only attacked once, but he had already lost one point of Durability on it.

He knew why. The style he chose was very aggressive. Smashing a 200-pound rock onto its back to drive through an enemy with over 700 Constitution, not including any Aether protections, was a recipe for disaster.

This was the same reason he hadnʼt used his three Kunai in so long despite the fact there had once been a point where they were his favorite weapon to use.

If he used his Kunai any more, they would shatter, and there would be no recovering them. He had yet to find anyone capable of repairing them.

The System City had blacksmiths, but they could only work on normal weapons. There were none who could repair Legendary Path weapons that could upgrade with Genes.

Sylas had already ended up shattering his illusion sword in the Sylph Dungeon; he didnʼt want

to lose another.

According to the Madness Key, such Legendary Path Treasures only appeared so frequently now because it was the Summoning. Once the Summoning was over, they would become treasured family heirlooms that would be passed down for generations.

Every loss of one meant one less.

However, Sylas knew that he had to balance saving these weapons with using them. He couldnʼt leave such a useful tool gathering dust in his Madness Key.

Speed clearing this Dungeon was more valuable to him right now than anything else, so he was going to continue using this method until he felt like the lance couldnʼt handle it

anymore.

He set off after putting the lance and stone away.

Every time he came across an enemy, he killed them with the exact same sneak attack. His

control became more efficient. However, he still lost a Durability point every time he

attacked.

After he had killed seven of the salamanders, he chose to upgrade the lance. If its stats were higher, maybe it would take more to ding its Durability.

[Woodland Poison Lance (Silver) (Treasure)]

[Level: 3]

[+400 Strength]

[Ability: Pierce; Erode]

[Strength is doubly as Effective]

[Destroy structural integrity of Aether]

[Level Up Requirement: Genes]

[Durability: 43/50]

After the eighth salamander, he still lost a Durability point. But he chose to continue

improving it. It wouldnʼt cost him much anyway.

He was facing a much more troublesome problem. The maze around him kept shifting and changing... it was like it was forcing him to clear all of the minions when usually taking out the BOSS would be enough.