As Mike spoke, the abyssal dark mist around them began to recede.
However, it didn’t completely disappear. Instead, it started converging toward a single point. As the fog lifted, Mike saw Jace and the Pyro Lich concentrating the remaining abyssal mist between their hands, compressing it again and again.
Soon, it solidified into a dark crystal.
"Kekekeke! We got another treasure," Jace said, tossing the crystal toward Shadow.
Shadow caught it and examined it. "What’s its use?"
Mike leaned in, curious.
"Kekeke... it can be used in alchemy and forging," Jace explained. "But it’s mostly used in alchemy to gain Darkness and Ice affinity—or even the hybrid Abyssal Frost Affinity if you’re lucky."
The Pyro Lich nodded in agreement and handed over the remaining condensed crystals to Shadow as well.
Shadow stored them away carefully.
Another valuable gain—right on top of an already absurd harvest.
Mike smiled.
"This dungeon really was the right choice."
Mike took one last look around the boss zone.
What had once been a suffocating abyss of black frost and death was now quiet. The frozen statues remained, but the oppressive pressure was gone, leaving behind only lingering cold and scattered traces of dark mana.
"Alright," Mike said calmly, straightening up. "That’s everything here."
Shadow nodded. "The quest is complete, the rewards are secured, and we even got extra materials. There’s no reason to stay longer."
"Kekeke... what a shame," Jace chuckled. "It was a fun hunt. That fly didn’t even get to struggle properly."
The Pyro Lich rested his staff on the ground. "A natural result. This dungeon was designed to crush the living. Against undead, it was fundamentally flawed."
As if on cue, the dungeon began to react.
The ground trembled slightly, and a faint system hum echoed through the air. Cracks of pale light spread across the frozen terrain, signaling the collapse phase.
After the boss was defeated, the dungeon entered its rest period.
Normally, this rest could last up to 24 hours—but it only applied to the boss zone. The rest of the dungeon would continue functioning as usual.
"The dungeon’s ending," Mike said calmly. "Now only the treasure chest is left."
Shadow raised his hand, and the remaining Death Lords were pulled back into his Shadow Domain, safely stored. He then dismissed the Pyro Lich, who left with a laugh, telling them to call him again when they faced powerful opponents.
Mike also dismissed Jace, and finally, Shadow unsummoned the dragon as well, returning it to Mike’s shadow.
"Now it’s just the chest," Mike said, rubbing his hands as he looked at the black-and-gold treasure chest resting on the ground.
Then he paused.
"...Wait. Why didn’t I think of this earlier?"
An idea struck him.
Mike stepped forward and placed his hand on the chest.
"Midas Touch."
Golden light flickered across the surface of the chest. The black-and-gold metal gleamed brighter, its aura thickening as the system reacted.
The chest shook slightly—and then changed.
"Hahaha! It really worked!" Mike laughed out loud as he looked at it.
"It’s now a Peak Rank 5 Treasure Chest."
Grinning widely, Mike reached forward and opened it.
Mike lifted the lid fully.
Cold air burst out of the chest, mixed with a sharp, abyssal chill that made even his enhanced body tense for a moment. Inside, the treasure glowed faintly, bathed in black, silver, and icy blue light.
"...Nice," Mike muttered.
Three items rested within.
Two skill books lay side by side, their covers made of dark crystal veined with frost. Between them was a pair of twin swords, crossed neatly, their blades thin and insect-like in shape—clearly modeled after the Abyssal Mist Fly itself.
Shadow also came out as he looked at the drops "I wonder if these are just related to Abyssal Frost Fly like other bosses or upgrading rank changed anything."
Mike nodded and reached in, pulling the items out one by one.
The moment they left the chest, system windows appeared.
[ Skill Book: Abyssal Frost Domain ]
Rank: Unique
Creates a localized domain filled with Abyssal Frost.
• Enemies suffer continuous freezing, movement suppression, and mana drain
• Ice- and Darkness-type skills are enhanced within the domain
• Domain strength scales with Mana and Affinity
"Damn... I was just thinking about this, and we got it instantly," Mike grinned.
Shadow nodded. "With this, I’ll always be at my strongest."
Another window appeared as Mike picked up the second book.
[ Skill Book: Abyssal Mist ]
Rank: Unique
Allows the user to emit Abyssal Mist that continuously saps the Mana and Health of targets it engulfs, restoring the user’s own Health and Mana.
Finally, Mike lifted the twin swords.
They were lighter than expected. The blades were semi-translucent, with black cores and frost crawling along the edges. The hilts resembled overlapping wings, and cold mist constantly leaked from them.
The system responded instantly.
[ Twin Blades: Wings of Abyssal Frost ]
Rank: Unique
Forged from the wings of the Abyssal Frost Fly.
Created to mimic the devastating domain of the Abyssal Frost Fly, though unable to fully replicate its true power.
Effects:
• +35% Ice and Darkness damage
• Attacks apply Abyssal Chill (increases damage taken while applying movement and combat debuffs)
• Critical hits release frost mist that suppresses enemy movement
• When dual-wielded, grants Mist Step (short-range mist teleport)
Special Effect:
• Enemies affected by debuffs take increased damage from the wielder
Skill: Frozen Wing Barrage
Type: Active
Unleashes a rapid flurry of dual-blade strikes dealing 100% of the user’s Physical and Magic damage.
Up to ten strikes can be released.
• Each hit applies stacking frost damage
• Final strike releases a freezing shockwave
• Damage increases based on the number of debuffs on the target
Skill: Devouring Frost Veil
Type: Active
Creates a rotating veil of abyssal frost around the user.
• Reduces incoming damage
• Continuously slows nearby enemies
• Converts absorbed damage into Mana recovery ]
"The haul from this dungeon is great," Mike said with a smile.
Shadow nodded. "Not to mention, we can upgrade everything to Legendary rank later."
Mike nodded in agreement.
"I should go back now," Mike muttered. "It’s already afternoon. That dungeon took way more time than I expected."
He checked the time on his watch. After exiting the dungeon, Mike returned back to inn and logged out of the Origin World without delay.