This F-Rank Bubble Mage Is Too OP!

The sensation of evolution washed over River from head to toe, a surge of raw energy flooding every fiber of his being. It began as a subtle warmth in his chest, then spread outward in waves, carried through his veins by the ebb and flow of mana. Each pulse reshaped him, refining and reinforcing his body according to where he had distributed his Status Points.

Two points to Strength—his muscles tightened and grew denser, like steel wrapped in living flesh. He could feel the raw, unshakable power coiling within his arms and legs, ready to be unleashed in a single devastating blow.

One point to Agility—the world seemed to slow ever so slightly. His limbs felt lighter, his balance sharper, and every movement came with an effortless grace, as though gravity itself had loosened its grip on him.

One point to Vitality—a deep, sturdy warmth settled in his core. His breathing steadied, his heartbeat became an unshakable drumbeat, and his body felt more resilient, as if it could shrug off wounds that would cripple an ordinary Hunter.

And finally, one point to Dexterity—his senses sharpened, his hand-eye coordination aligning with pinpoint precision. Even the faint ripple of the swamp's surface and the subtle sway of dying trees in the wind became crystal clear.

Mana danced along his skin, condensing and then sinking deep into muscle, bone, and nerve. The transformation was not violent but deliberate, like a master craftsman reforging a blade.

After a while, River opened his eyes and slowly exhaled, a thin mist escaping his lips in the cool dungeon air. He could never get tired of this—this intoxicating sense of becoming more than he was a moment ago.

Closing his hands into fists, he felt the new strength surging inside him, the kind of power that begged to be tested. His fingers curled tighter, and the faint creak of his fingers confirmed it—his grip had grown far stronger.

He flexed his muscles, testing the newfound lightness in his frame. It was as if his body had been stripped of all fatigue and weighted chains, leaving only raw potential.

River rolled his shoulders and began to move. He stretched, feeling the pull of perfectly primed muscles. Then he shadowboxed in quick bursts, each punch slicing the air with a sharp whumph. The speed, the precision—it was leagues ahead of what it had been mere minutes ago.

Not content with just that, he dropped low, flipped backward, and spun mid-air, testing his agility. His shoes landed softly on the damp earth, leaving almost no trace.

Satisfied, he cracked his neck to either side, the sound sharp against the otherwise still forest. His eyes shifted toward the boiling, massive swamp ahead of him. Steam curled into the night air, and beneath that surface, he knew something dangerous waited.

River smirked faintly, the kind of expression that came when confidence met challenge. His body was ready. His mana was steady. And now, so was his will to fight.

STATUS SCREEN

Name: River Faelan

Skill: Bubblecrafter [Tap to see details]

Class: Mage

Level: 20

Experience Points: 703 / 11,450

Status Points: 0

Title(s): Undying Soul [Tap to see details]

BASE STATS

HP: 100

MP: 150 / 150

STR: 16

AGI: 13

INT: 15

WIS: 14

VIT: 12

DEX: 11

"My MP went from 100 to 150," River murmured, a hint of satisfaction in his voice. He wasn't surprised, but the jump was still worth noting.

The growth in mana capacity wasn't random—it was the product of constant, deliberate usage and the precision of his control. The more one used mana and pushed its regeneration limits, the faster it grew. Most Hunters opted for the safe route, practicing Mana Gathering while seated in a quiet place. It wasn't dangerous, but it was slow. The other method—fighting, straining, and forcing mana to cycle under duress—was riskier, but it yielded far better results.

From 100 to 150 MP… most Hunters would need a week or two of intensive training, or they'd have to invest several Status Points into Vitality. River had only invested two points into VIT so far, and yet his growth had been exponential.

It was obvious why. His Mana Control wasn't just "good"—it was leagues beyond the norm, honed in his previous life to the razor edge of perfection. If he wanted, he could push his MP to the same towering levels he once possessed as one of the Last Hunters… and that was without ever spending a single Status Point on it.

But that wasn't why he'd pulled up the screen.

River's gaze shifted to the corner, where a small notification icon blinked. With a thought, the main panel faded, replaced by a new window.

Congratulations for reaching Level 20! You have unlocked one ability under your Skill Tree!

A slow smile curved his lips. "A new ability… now that's good news."

He opened his Skill Tree, the branching network of glowing lines expanding in front of him. From the main branch labeled Bubble Creation, a new thread split off, pulsing faintly. Without hesitation, River selected it.

A ripple passed through his mind—knowledge flooding in, rearranging itself as if it had always been there. The sensation was strangely anticlimactic, almost like a drizzle pattering on his skin rather than a storm.

After all, he already knew this ability. In his original timeline, he had already learned and mastered it. This was simply the System catching up.

He could have used this ability long before officially unlocking it—his exceptional Mana Control made that possible. The only reason he hadn't replicated it until now was the cost. Without the System's support, executing such abilities would drain nearly all of his mana in a single attempt. By waiting until the ability was formally unlocked, the efficiency improved, allowing him to wield it without crippling himself in battle.

Letting out a slow breath, River summoned his knife and conjured a series of Bubble Bombs in his free hand. One by one, the shimmering spheres appeared—each one unstable, dangerous, and deceptively beautiful.

Every Hunter had thresholds to unlock their other abilities. For River, his second ability had required reaching Level 20. His third would come at Level 35. And the fourth—his true ace—would only awaken at Level 50.

He remembered how long that journey had taken the first time.

Back in the original timeline, with his so-called "useless" Bubblecrafter skill, it had taken him three or four long, grueling years to reach Level 20. If it hadn't been for his obsession with mana control, he would never have made it.

Now, with all the knowledge and experience of his past, leveling up felt almost easy. Almost.

He knew that the ease wouldn't last. Once he passed Level 25, progress would slow to a crawl, the EXP requirements ballooning while the dungeon rank to enter will become higher.

But that was a problem for later.

For now, his eyes hardened, and the bubbles in his hand shimmered dangerously.

Without wasting another second, he unleashed them toward the swamp.

The first bubble struck the boiling surface—

BOOM.

Then another—

BOOM.

A chain reaction followed, dozens of explosions tearing across the swamp in violent succession. Geysers of black, steaming liquid erupted skyward, splashing against dead trees and hissing as they scorched the earth.

The air filled with the stench of sulfur and rotting flesh, the shockwaves rattling the very ground beneath his feet.

Then it came—the sound.

A grotesque, guttural roar, deep and wet, echoing from beneath the churning waters. It was a sound that didn't just reach the ears—it crawled into the bones, vibrating through marrow.

The surface of the swamp began to sink inward, as if something massive was pulling the liquid down with it. Bubbles the size of wagon wheels burst violently, sending more of the foul black water spraying in all directions.

River tightened his grip on his knife, his stance lowering instinctively. His expression was calm, but his eyes were sharp as blades.

From below, a shadow began to rise.

River began drawing in mana from every direction, his senses flaring as the ambient energy of the swamp thickened around him. The air shimmered faintly as the mana threads converged into his body, feeding his core, coiling like a living current beneath his skin.

From the lake, the dungeon boss emerged. The water—if one could call the tar-like sludge "water"—bubbled violently, sending up hissing plumes of foul vapor. Then, with a noise like tearing flesh, a massive figure rose from the depths.

It stood easily one and a half stories tall, maybe more if it straightened its hunched back. Its skin was a patchwork of bloated, gray-green tissue split open in jagged seams, from which the same boiling black liquid poured in steady rivulets. The stench was overwhelming—burnt rot mixed with something sour and chemical, like a corpse left to stew in acid.

Its head was grotesquely misshapen, one side caved in as if crushed by something enormous, yet it showed no sign of pain. Eyes clouded with milky film rolled uselessly in their sockets, and from its mouth hung strips of rotting flesh, twitching as if alive.

River had fought horrors before—things far bigger and stronger than this—but even he had to admit, the sight was disgusting enough to make most people retch. This was no ordinary zombie; it was a Swamp Eater, a rare variant that thrived in toxic environments. The black liquid flowing from its body wasn't just swamp residue—it was a corrosive bile that could eat through steel in minutes.

Normally, this creature would take at least three well-prepared Hunter teams to bring down. Groups armed with heavy weapons, healers, and plenty of firepower. But River? He had only himself, his knife, and the bubbles.

And that was enough.

The Swamp Eater let out a guttural roar, a sound like a drainpipe choking on sludge, before wading toward the shore. Every step sent waves of black liquid sloshing against the bank, eating away at the dead soil like acid on bone.

River's lips curled into a smirk. His mana was at its peak now, his body still humming with the raw strength from his recent evolution.

"Let's see if you can handle my bubbles," he said, his voice low but dripping with challenge.

Dozens of translucent spheres shimmered into existence around him, their surfaces reflecting the pale moonlight. The air buzzed faintly as each one pulsed with compressed mana, ready to detonate at the slightest command.

River didn't plan to drag this out. If the Swamp Eater wanted to drown the world in sludge, then River would drown it in explosions.