Name: Suna Amor

  Level: 28 → 30.

  Class: [Archer]

  Rune: 50 → 53

  Feat: 12

  Mana: 2350/2900 → 2350/3750

  Class Skill (7/15)

  - Archer Sense [Common]

  - Archer Backstep [Common]

  - Mana Arrow [Uncommon]

  - Moving Shot [Uncommon]

  - Flint Draw [Uncommon]

  - Arcane String [Uncommon]

  - Bow of Wind [Uncommon]

  General Skill (6/15)

  - Quick Draw [Common]

  - Drowfication [Rare]

  - Rune Seeker [Uncommon]

  - Gale Step [Uncommon]

  - Air pocket [Common]

  - Heat Sense [Common]

  Strength: 515 → 535

  Dexterity: 540 → 555

  Vitality: 255 → 285

  Arcanery: 290 → 375

  Sense: 312 → 325

  [Skill Option. Select one to proceed]

  [Spell String Mastery] [Rare] – A bowstring is often a lifeline of an archer, a hand for the living. Such an important component can be unreliable, regardless of its source–arcane or physical. Spell String Mastery shall allow the user to bend the astral nature of the string and force it by will.

  [Ghost Shot] [Rare] – Arrows, often or not are deadly, but some factors make it only worth so much as a flying rock. Eliminate sound and light by forcing Mana upon it.

  [Shadow Rhythm] [Rare] – It's not an understatement to say close combat is not an archer's forte, but it's not an impossibility. Send out users' afterimage; the afterimage shall represent the user's close combat ability. Until the afterimage is destroyed or vanishes, the user shall lose their melee combat ability.

  He gulped down a health potion and let out a wheeze as a bubbling sensation dominated his stomach, where a gushing wound streaked across. The golden chain parted, revealing blood teasing his skin and armor. Suna was pleased to see the wound closing, and the pain lessened like a sudden dying flame.

  Glancing at his skill option briefly, he knew at once he needed to think about this. All of them seemed equally useful. The decision would depend on what kind of class he truly wants to go for, which will be the [Flintwind Archer].

  Suna moved his body, still using the cave wall as a prop. He steadily crept forward, and the world shook wobbly. But he ambled forward still, as if balancing on a beam. Suna reached down; it was hard to spot his obsidian bow on the dark cave floor. He managed to feel its cold, sturdy form and slung it across his shoulder. At once, he felt much, much safer.

  And a part of him calmed down, like a blazing fire being doused.

  He went around and gathered his fallen arrows. Suna needed to return fast. Yet, something kept him here, and that was one of his skills. The Rune Seeker, it screamed at him, tugging for his attention like Archer Sense sometimes did.

  His eyes went to the dead Gargoyle—the Undead Lush Gargoyle. He spotted a gleaming rune that was quite huge on its chest. Suna stumbled closer and harvested it with Umbralline. The rune was greenish, the size of his palm, if not bigger.

  The middle of the green crystal was hollowed, and in it was a moss that acted as a center of power, sending a vein of green around the crystal, with some seeping in; this probably was the source of its pulse.

  In these dark caves, lined by faint torchlight, the green light shone almost eerily, illuminating the path forward. Suna spotted Tieflings' corpses beyond the gate. They were crushed through, like it was done by the gatekeeper.

  Why use this gate when the Tiefling had finally secured one of the gates? There must be something that forced them.

  Suna cracked the Runes; he would need every advantage he could. Maybe he should’ve waited for Reki or Slea, but he discreetly hoped for an item exclusive to archers.

  [Dead Grave Rune]

  [Grave Vine Quiver] [Mystic] – One often says that plant is the source of life, yet they forget nothing stays constant. Imbue an arrow inside the Grave Vine Quiver to receive the enhancement of Death Seeker. An arrow imbued will cause a vine to sprout from the target's skin, depending on how much resistance toward death affinity the target has and where the arrow manages to land. Death Vines shall seek a target vulnerability that can lead to death.

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  A mystic? This must’ve meant it was much more precious than rare, right? Suna didn’t think the Tieflings even possessed such weapons of this rank.

  The quiver manifested in front of him.

  It was longer than his normal quiver, almost slim, its edges glowing with a green pulse resembling the runes. Suna peeked inside, and there it was, the moss—it acted exactly as the runes, sending a vein of glowing green across the quiver. They trailed out and hugged the quiver like a slithering vine.

  The outer side of the quiver was surprisingly curved and elegant; despite the item's name, it formed like a curved horn with white and gold engraving. The arrows that Suna put in would have their arrowheads touch the moss and receive this vine's enchantment.

  It could hold about twenty to thirty arrows. Suna began to put exactly twenty-five into it.

  He wondered if he still needed his normal quiver anymore. Well, it couldn’t hurt to bring it along.

  But, this might impede his ‘acting’ as Slea mentioned. Not having access to a normal quiver would probably advance him to [Flintwind Archer] much faster. But still, he was not willing to part ways with it. Besides, he planned to keep bringing it along, even if he already had the class upgrade.

  Deciding to think about his skill later, after he rejoined the group. Suna summoned a Mana Arrow, and he nocked it. He began walking toward where they had been separated. His step faltered, as this did not feel right.

  It was too quiet.

  Goosebumps started to prick inside him. His breath hitched, then, adding to his worries, crushing any concern for his friend's safety, Archer's Senses screamed like a whale. Something was here, something strong.

  Suna raised and aimed his bow at once toward where the Archer Sense warned him.

  An arrow streaked through. Not his.

  It was glowing blue… burning.

  Suna reacted in an instant, and he launched his Mana Arrow.

  Both arrows rushed at each other, speed-defying projectiles slammed together.

  The Mana Arrow parted, and blue flame sheared through it.

  Suna managed to duck in time as the arrow seared past him, whispering death in his ear as it went by. His Archer Sense still yelled at him; it told him he would die if he kept going.

  Run, it said.

  A superior archer was beyond him.

  Then the shadow lessened, revealing an outline of a figure. It was lightly armored, unlike the knight, but its body was all skeleton instead of flesh. Fur mantle ran down its bare ribs bones. Skeletal arms held a bow that was blazing with blue fire. Its throat was a blue fracture of dead skin, rekindling like a pulse of flame that kindled in its bow.

  Its skull looked full, even showing teeth below a hollow eye where the nose was supposed to be. Two gaping eye sockets were consumed by blue light; fire smoke swayed up like a chimney. That blue-fire smoke wreathed its skull in blue and white puff.

  [Pyrebone Archer. Lvl 45]

  The creature's bony arm reached to draw from a quiver that was convulsing in flame. Another burning blue arrow aimed at Suna.

  It was fast–fast enough. Suna still hadn't finished conjuring his Mana Arrow. He instead rushed back with Archer Backstep.

  The flaming bow snapped with a hiss, sending the glowing blue arrow rocketing at him.

  Suna, with his normal arrow, recognized it wasn’t going to be strong enough. He applied flint draw, and red flame burst on his arrow.

  He let it fly and skidded back again with another Archer Backstep.

  Suna gritted his teeth; now he couldn't go back to the others.

  What was even happening to them?.

  Their arrow clashed in a sizzling rush. The blue flame ate away at the red and surged straight at Suna. Its trajectory slightly veered. But his mind screamed at him.

  It was going to hit.

  Suna’s left shoulder snapped back, fiery pain seared him; it felt like his bone was about to break into smithereens. The bluish flame burned him, and he hissed, biting his lips to the point that blood filled his mouth.

  Another blue, sizzling light manifested in his fading vision. Suna skidded back again and again, regardless of his mana.

  His hand moved up repeatedly; his left hand automatically went into his quiver, which normally shouldn't be possible under his situation.

  The side of his cheek burned as wind swirled around him.

  Suna's head and body crashed into a solid rock wall. He groaned as blue flame still seared his shoulder.

  Another bluish arrow from that Pyrebone Archer did not wait for him.

  It banished darkness and closed in quickly. Suna slinked down, and the arrow hit where his head was–narrowly dodging death.

  His hand reached up, a desperate move to smother this flame on his shoulder.

  Wind built in Suna’s hand. He remembered how his Mana arrow was banished because of this spell. This was Air Pocket. He pushed mana into his palm and slammed it into the blue flame on his shoulder.

  His shoulder slammed against the stone wall, and he let out a convulsing scream.

  This pain was familiar, like his first day. Right, what did he do to survive back then?

  Suna reached to his hip, where his potion vials were. He felt them clinking there. At this point, he couldn't feel half of his body. Suna took one of the vials and popped its lid open with his thumb.

  He needed to hurry–to escape.

  He drank it, and the sensation rushed in. A bit of clarity returned to his brain. He let out a soft breath. Another one. He had brought five vials, three still left.

  On his left side, he still could not feel. So Suna popped another open; he drank all three, and that was still not enough. He reached into the pocket he had taken from the Tiefling, and inside were another five health potions. He drank two, and finally, blood started to flow to his left. Suna made a fist with his left arm.

  On his left shoulder was a blackened char that began to heal. Above him was a searing heat of blue flame that reminded him he was still not safe.

  Suna stood, deciding to drink another potion. Only two remained.

  From the darkly lit cave, the skeleton approached him. Suna could make out its body; it was still far, and it took its time. Those ashes of blue and white fluttered softly. And Suna did not plan to wait for it.

  He turned away, deciding to go down the slope leading deeper into the depths.

  His Archer Sense thumped inside him, like it had its own heartbeat.

  Now he was forced into the depths. Suna crushed his fist into the cave wall as frustration got the best of him. The echoing thump made the torch flutter. He let out a long breath.

  First, he had to accept losing against the Drow Seeker, and now this Pyrebone Archer. He had surpassed the Drow Matriarch and Gravekeeper, but it seemed that there were always higher entities waiting for him.

  Like climbing a mountain–arriving on top–and then suddenly it kept climbing up.

  How the hell was humanity supposed to survive this? Like, how many would even complete the first stage, assuming they had the same difficulty?

  What about his brother? His sister-in-law and his niece? They flooded Suna's brain, the sudden realization that they might not make it rushed him like a breached floodgate. A bead of sweat trailed down his neck, touching the burn on his shoulder. The very thought they might face something equal to the Pyrebone Archer…

  His breath quickened, and his every step grew hesitant. This was what James trained him to shield from. Suna leaned against the cave wall despite the danger behind. He could not stop now.

  This was what got to Slea and set her off. Maybe now he understood why she changed a bit better. What happens to them now? He hardly thought they would survive against the Pyrebone Archer. The only way they survive would be if they ran farther in from one of the three paths.

  He shook his head; his Archer Sense rumbled inside of him again. A reminder to keep moving to the depths.

  For now, Suna did not need memories. Not of the past, not of the future. For now, he would zoom his mind to his current present.

  What matters now was his very best on every step. So he ran into the underworld. But his steps stopped, the very best would mean to choose his skill. The one that would benefit him the most.

  Suna picked Spell String Mastery. It was a quick decision. To beat the Pyrebone Archer. He had to master it. The power he had seen in his class advancement dream.

  So he crossed into the underworld, fully intent on eventually blasting through the Pyrebone Archer. Or perhaps find the Necromancer.