[Shrubley, the Monster Adventurer] Chapter 142 - For Leaf and Branch

Potions were administered, and a hasty campsite was erected. Thanks to their preparations, even the Countess’ injuries were no longer debilitating. Unfortunately, due to her Steel Rank status, she was much harder to heal with the low-powered potions.

Shrubley, on the other hand, was nearly as good as new after some rest and a hefty amount of potion use. Not to mention the good ol’ [Solar Synthesis] which allowed him to enhance his recovery rate.

With a combination of [Transference] to exchange his health for hers, and [Recovery] to heal himself, Shrubley was able to mend Miranda’s worst injuries.

Even after repeated use, however, he was only able to get her to about 25%. The difference in their health pools was simply too great.

Since she was a vampyr, he did not wish to risk using [Recovery] directly upon her, as it was a Light essence ability and might harm her undead nature. And since her health vastly dwarfed his, the effort was slow going.

After the fight, Shrubley was saddened to see he did not retain the Iron Rank status, though he had grown significantly. He was already at High Bronze, and more importantly his Curiosity essence advanced to Bronze.

Your Curiosity Essence has advanced to Bronze.

Rank bonus match!

You gain:

+12 Arcane | +8 Willpower | +8 Hardiness

Though he wasn’t sure what the true cause was, Shrubley could clearly remember everything Jacob had shown him. It was like receiving years of training overnight.

He highly suspected his High Bronze Rank was the result of his Curiosity essence advancing and gaining a new ability.

The new Bronze imprint for [Lifelong Student] made it easier to not only mimic essences and abilities, but to store them for later.

He felt on the cusp of climbing to the next rank, but he wasn’t quite ready yet. He needed a longer period of rest and recovery before tackling that challenge.

Without the golem, nothing was stopping them from moving on. As soon as they were well enough to move, they passed through the far end of the room, one by one.

The honor of going first was Shrubley’s, and what he saw made him gasp with wonder and awe.

Floating islands, castles of white stone, drifting diamond dust and an effusive light that seemed to spring from everywhere and nowhere at once filled the Dungeon Dimension.

It was a glorious sight filled with wonders that only the imagination could ever cook up, except… they were real. Shrubley saw them with his own two yellow eyes.

His leaves rustled in an unseen breeze as bridges of pale stone formed and broke apart again, only to reform elsewhere. The place was massive, on a scale that Shrubley could scarcely comprehend. He felt as if he was beholding a whole universe.

A universe that was constantly destroyed and remade in a beautiful dance.

Ahead of them, on a half-crumbled bridge of glittering white stone that reminded Shrubley of fresh snow shining in the morning light, was a circular apparatus surrounded by floating rings of that same pale stone.

Its base appeared to be made of glass, but Shrubley was certain that it was more than that. It looked far too sturdy to be glass.

Where everything else occasionally broke apart and reformed, the area immediately around himself and the apparatus ahead remained steadfast. Shrubley stepped forward, assured of his safety as he crossed the bridge.

True to his belief, the bridge reformed until it seemed freshly built, providing him unhindered access to the glowing platform ahead.

Shrubley stepped onto it as Shardscript filled his vision.

Ascend to the First Layer of the Dungeon Dimension?

Y/N

Shrubley couldn’t wait.

End of Shrubley, the Monster Adventurer (Book 2).