Creak.
Because it had lost its energy supply, the gate—which originally had defensive mechanisms—was easily opened.
Similarly, due to the lack of power, the interior of the mage tower was pitch black.
Vision was even more obstructed than being in the fog.
Fortunately, I had anticipated this situation.
Switching back to the Dark Word Mage class, I snapped my fingers.
A gentle orb of light leaped from my palm, hovering steadily above my head, illuminating the space around me for five or six yards.
Universal magic: Illumination.
Any magic class could learn it.
Though it worked similarly to a cleric’s Illumination, it lacked the effect of revealing hidden units nearby.
It could only provide simple lighting.
Even so, with the light from Illumination, I could make out the general structure inside the mage tower.
Processed with spatial magic, the interior was quite spacious.
However, the floor was covered in thick accumulated dust, along with scattered stone fragments.
The small rooms nearby had long collapsed into disrepair.
It seemed the first floor held no need for exploration.
Just as I followed the spiral staircase upward and stepped onto the second floor, accompanied by shrill cries, several figures instantly pounced from the darkness.
“Just an enthusiastic welcome.”
Yet as if I had predicted it, a Repelling Aura pushed these monsters away.
One of them even crashed into the Dark Word Imprint I had placed beforehand.
When it came to grasping skill range and cast timing, no Dark Word Mage at this stage could compare to me.
BOOM.
Over a hundred damage flashed with dark light and vanished.
The hit monster let out an angry cry.
Even without relying on Illumination, I knew what had attacked me.
Hard skin covered in bumps of various sizes, a slender tail full of spikes, and an exceptionally ferocious face.
Filthy Dwarf Demon: Level 16, HP 864/1000.
Originally just Inferior Dwarf Demons from Deep Mist Outpost, they had accidentally invaded the mage tower and been affected by the chaotic energy inside, turning into abnormally vicious creatures.
This was one of the many dangers within the mage tower.
Failing their ambush, the four Filthy Dwarf Demons immediately roared in fury.
Especially the one injured by the Dark Word Imprint—it was the angriest.
Stimulated by the wound, it bared its fangs and attacked again right after landing, without cunningly waiting for an opening like the others.
And this fell perfectly into my calculations.
Sidestepping a few paces to dodge its pounce, a short incantation escaped my lips, turning into a pitch-black orb that ruthlessly struck the Filthy Dwarf Demon.
At the same time, the orb of light above my head left its position and flew toward a lamp holder on the wall.
In such complex terrain against multiple enemies, a fixed light source was clearly more suitable.
Showing no mercy, continuous Dark Word: Pain combined with the burst damage from Dark Word Imprint erupted.
Needless to say, the one sent flying had already lost all its life.
This was the confidence from magic damage stacked with money.
The remaining three Filthy Dwarf Demons seemed to finally react—their companion’s life had been easily taken.
They held nothing back, charging with angry roars.
Three sharp whooshing sounds rang out.
Repelling Aura hadn’t cooled down yet.
It seemed I had fallen into a very dangerous situation.
However, how could a pay-to-win player fall so easily to small monsters?
With a momentary flash of light, the Filthy Dwarf Demons’ claws pierced only the afterimage left in place.
One of the few life-saving skills for early-game mages: Blink.
The real me had already arrived ten yards away, at a collapsed wall.
While the monsters’ meager intelligence still couldn’t comprehend what happened, I aimed the staff tip—embedded with black crystal—at the nearest Filthy Dwarf Demon.
Black light burst forth.
Dark Word: Pain.
Ruinous Orb.
-131, -169
The consecutive damages instantly took nearly half the target’s health.
The hit Filthy Dwarf Demon let out a pained screech.
Yet I showed no sympathy, quickly preparing Dark Binding and Torment.
But these two spells weren’t for the recklessly charging injured dwarf demon.
Instead, they landed on the other two, greatly reducing their movement speed.
Seeing the injured one closing in—seemingly with cold glints flashing on its claws—I continued chanting.
The low-intelligence monster seemed to laugh silently, as if envisioning the scene of piercing the figure before it.
Yet the next instant, its claws landed on a barely visible gray light.
-142.
Damage over a hundred was undoubtedly fatal for any squishy class right now.
But this number didn’t appear above my head—it emerged over the dwarf demon’s own.
It looked like wearing Sunfire Aegis or Thornmail.
In reality, it was the effect of Soul Counter that played the key role.
Without waiting for the dwarf demon to react, the chanted spell landed.
A Exploding Black Flame knocked it back while adding another Dark Word: Pain, easily securing the kill on its remaining health.
The last two Filthy Dwarf Demons naturally couldn’t gain any advantage from me either.
Relying on the cooled-down Repelling Aura and other skills, they soon followed their companions’ fate, turning into generous experience poured into this Dark Word Mage template.
“A skilled dark mage only ever gives headaches to opponents”—this saying now seemed completely true.
I glanced at the experience bar.
The bonus from over-level and solo kills was very generous.
It directly pushed me from 50% at level 12 to 54%.
Currently, the highest level in Epoch was just over halfway through 13.
One could say I firmly occupied the first tier in progress.
With the energy supply lost and automatic cleaning functions failed, the mage tower interior was very dirty and messy.
Even the second floor was no exception.
As a simple living antechamber, it was scattered with various clutter and fallen stones.
Corners even had a few spider webs.
If not for the precious paintings and decorations on the walls, no one would guess a noble mage once lived here.
But compared to the ground floor, the rooms were at least intact.
Along the corridor, after dealing with over a dozen more monsters, I arrived at a room on the west side of the second floor.
Using my staff, I gently nudged the door open.
If not worried about damaging things inside, I’d rather use a Dark Word: Pain to properly “clean” the dust on this door panel gentleman that had dutifully stood guard for hundreds of years—as a sign of respect.
With a creak, as the door was pushed open, I also directed the Illumination above my head to fly toward the center of the room.
With its light, I surveyed my destination for this trip.