This F-Rank Bubble Mage Is Too OP!-Chapter 33: Thirteen Thousand

River opened his eyes.

He blinked several times before glancing down, inspecting his body. His clothes were the same as before the trial began—still torn, still clinging to him loosely. But the wounds? Gone. Not a scratch in sight. And his Mana Points remained at 100.

It was as if none of it had ever happened—like he hadn’t just stabbed himself in the chest to kill a clone who wasn’t a clone.

"...An illusion," River muttered, frowning as his eyes turned toward the monument.

The massive tome stood silently. Its eye, once open and watching his every move, was now closed.

A new interface shimmered into view.

[Congratulations!

You passed Trial One!

Eye to Eye, Mind to Mind:

’Only by killing oneself can one truly become whole.’]

[Reward: 13,000 EXP

Reward: D+ Grade Steel Dagger]

"Thirteen thousand EXP...?" River’s brows lifted. His body tensed slightly—he already knew what that amount meant.

In the next moment, a cascade of notifications blinked across his vision.

You Leveled Up!

You Leveled Up!

You Leveled Up!

(x8)

The cheerful chimes echoed through the eerie silence, fading one by one until only his breath remained. River quickly pulled up his Status Screen.

STATUS SCREEN

Name: River Faelan

Skill: Bubblecrafter [Tap to see details

]Class: Mage

Level: 15

Experience Points: 121 / 4,024

Status Points: 8

Title(s): None

BASE STATS

HP: 100

MP: 100

STR: 11

AGI: 10

INT: 15

WIS: 14

VIT: 10

DEX: 8

"Level 15... after just one trial?" River muttered, wide-eyed. "That’s ridiculous."

Then his gaze darkened with thought.

The man who discovered this Quest in the future had also reached Level 15. Was that as far as he went? Did he stop after clearing just the first trial?

River shook his head. "No, that doesn’t make sense. If there’s no exit during the first trial, then leaving without finishing the Quest would’ve been impossible. Which means... something’s off."

His instincts were screaming. There was something deeper—some hidden element the man chose not to reveal. Guild reasons? Personal gain? Whatever the motive, it didn’t matter.

This was River’s Quest now—not the guy’s who got off with a humanoid rabbit and called it a day.

He turned back to the monument. Though the eye remained closed, the ancient writings etched across its surface pulsed faintly with energy.

He recognized the symbols.

In the future, they became the key to understanding Dungeons—and the invaders from beyond dimensions. Only a select few had spent years deciphering them. River could count on one hand the people who could read this language.

Unfortunately, in his current state, he wasn’t one of them.

"I should’ve studied this script when I had the chance," he muttered, a note of regret in his voice.

He wasn’t a genius—he’d always known that. But given a few more years, maybe he could’ve learned it. Still, there was no point dwelling on what could’ve been.

With a sigh, a crooked smile spread across his face. "Well, I did get a free dagger out of it. And there are two more trials waiting for me."

River opened the Equipment tab and briefly glanced at the D+ Grade Steel Dagger. He’d inspect it more thoroughly later—after all, it wasn’t the weapon that mattered most right now.

He turned back to his Status Screen and began distributing his newly earned points.

This time, he skipped Intelligence and Wisdom.

He wanted his physical stats to catch up—to match the strength of his Mana Control. His bubbles could blow holes through solid stone, but without a body to match that intensity, he’d just keep burning himself out.

Once he was done, River closed his eyes.

And then—it began.

He could feel it. The subtle shift beneath his skin. The evolution.

Whenever a Hunter used Status Points, a transformation always followed. Muscles would tighten. Bones would strengthen. Neural pathways would sharpen. The changes were small, nearly imperceptible to the eye—but inside, the Hunter would be reborn.

Stronger.

Faster.

Smarter.

River grinned as the sensation washed over him. A quiet storm brewing beneath his skin.

This was just the beginning.

Even a Hunter who focused solely on Intelligence and Wisdom would still undergo a full-body evolution. The transformation affected every aspect of the body—not just the stats chosen. Though the improvements concentrated on where the Status Points were spent, the overall effect was always greater than the sum of its parts.

As that familiar sensation wrapped around River’s being, his smile grew wider. He closed his eyes, savoring the wave of energy pulsing through his muscles, bones, and nerves.

The feeling lasted for nearly a full minute before it faded away.

Letting out a satisfied sigh, River brought up his Status Screen once more.

STATUS SCREEN

Name: River Faelan

Skill: Bubblecrafter [Tap to see details]

Class: Mage

Level: 15

Experience Points: 121 / 4,024

Status Points: 0

Title(s): None

BASE STATS

HP: 100

MP: 100

STR: 14

AGI: 12

INT: 15

WIS: 14

VIT: 11

DEX: 10

River studied the numbers with a calm expression, then waved his hand. The screen dissolved into soft, blue particles.

He’d distributed his Status Points into everything except Intelligence and Wisdom—adding +3 to Strength, +2 to Agility, +1 to Vitality, and +2 to Dexterity.

A wave of lightness spread through his limbs, the sensation almost whimsical—like he could bounce around just like his bubbles.

Of course, he knew this feeling wouldn’t last. In time, the sensation would fade, and he would become familiar with the limits of his new strength. Still, River relished the fleeting euphoria. It was a high he’d never get tired of.

Once he adjusted to the upgrades, he called forth a different interface.

A new screen appeared before him—light blue with rows of hundreds of empty boxes. Only around twenty were active, glowing faintly in a soft brown hue. River’s eyes settled on the first two boxes: one pulsing with a white glow, the other with a dim silver shimmer.

"The Skill Book from the Skill World..." he murmured.

His eyes lingered on the glowing white icon, his fingertips brushing the edge of it—only to be stopped by an invisible force. He could sense its presence, but a wall of resistance pushed back, denying him access.

A sharp red interface flared to life in front of him.

[Error! Level Requirement Not Met!

Reach Level 51 to use this Skill Book!]

River didn’t even flinch. "Expected," he said, waving the alert away with a flick of his hand. The interface blinked out, and he dismissed the screen entirely.

His hand slipped into his Inventory—an unseen space accessible only to him—and when it returned, it held a dagger.

A flash of silver reflected under the pale light of the ever-watchful moon.

The dagger gleamed, cradled in his grip like it had waited a long time to be used. It was a simple, elegant weapon—D+ Grade Steel Dagger—designed not for show but for precision and flexibility. Its blade was clean, its curve purposeful. The dark brown handle molded into his palm with practiced ease.

River gave it a few test swings. Smooth. Sharp. Lightweight.

It wasn’t the strongest blade he’d ever held, not even close—but it was enough. Enough to help him get through the next trial.

Dagger and sword weren’t his main weapons, but years of war in the original timeline had honed his combat instincts and weapon mastery. Even a support-type Hunter had learned to wield just about anything if it meant surviving another day.

"This’ll do," River nodded, placing the dagger back into his Inventory with a thought.

Done with his preparations, he turned toward the second monument.

The massive tome loomed, its singular eye already open—watching him. Tracking him.

River didn’t hesitate. His boots splashed lightly on the shallow water as he walked forward.

The eye followed his every step.

"Time to see what you’ve got in store," River muttered.

And with that, he raised his hand and touched the eye.

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