Six Shamans of their villages were dead, the remaining three crippled beyond anything that could be healed in a reasonable timeframe.
In the end, seven of the twenty three struggling villages were utterly wiped out, massacred to the last, and Dei wasn’t even able to avenge them, lest the tragedy repeat elsewhere. The rest of the villages, the ones that stabilized without his help, were a result of the better-off villages going to assist.
He touched down at his usual landing spot in the capital, dropping off slightly more than two thousand Gem-Dwellers into a now-crowded street with a handful of official guardsmen standing nearby to usher them off, either to the battlefield or the bunkers depending on how strong they were.
Dei felt worn with how frequently he’d teleported, but not utterly spent. He hadn’t done anything that would be considered pushing himself, he just needed a simple break; now that the most desperate part of the raid was over, he could sit and take a breather. Just for an hour, before he threw himself back into war.
‘I kind of regret giving up that Endurance affinity but… no, it doesn’t mesh well with my powerset, and I already don’t struggle where most do with Endurance. Adding another affinity to dilute my focus would’ve just spread me too thin.’
He already had the Love affinity, which he had no clue what to do with, and no abilities centered around it. Honestly, what was his subconscious self thinking when he got it?
For his “Break,” he didn’t bother going somewhere special, he just walked over to the side of the road and sat down, leaning against the building while he shrank himself down to his regular proportions. Perumah took a moment to rest as well, the continuous act of spreading herself thin clearly taking its toll as she didn’t even bother forming an avatar, simply leaving the hive of roots limp and hidden within Fendrascora’s garden.
Despite resolving to rest his mind and body for a moment, there was still one part he wanted to get out of the way, Ashvorn returning to full utility.
He saw the little system’s body was… much different now. More organized, though not as robotic as he might’ve thought.
They’d stretched themselves across him, connecting directly with his Cradle of Life, affinities, different parts of his body, and the sensory layer of his soul.
Rather than a small octopus, Ashvorn resembled a steampunk contraption, a network of pipes and gears ferrying different resources everywhere and serving purposes he couldn’t understand. It felt solid, like Ashvorn really knew what they were doing now.
Clearly, its tutelage under the overarching System had gone well, no matter how the System considered Ashvorn’s birth to be “Taboo.”
‘Status,’ he thought, and it came up without the slightest beat of hesitation, responding not to Ashvorn’s attention, but Dei’s command- an automatic response, far different from how clunky it was before.
[True Name: Dei
Race: Reaper
Class: Slaughterer of the Sundered Realm, 3rd Evolution, Level 35
Profession: Herald of Power, 2nd Evolution, Level 83
Current Maximum Potential: Seventh Evolution
Marks: Void Walker, Soulspeak, Beyond Understanding, No Rulers Above All, Bearing the Burden, Slayer of Giants IV, Cruelty of the Slaughter (II), Dammit, Slaughterer, Untethered, Risky Business, Golden Voice and Silver Tongue, Supreme Inquisitor of (Eternal Refuge), Pioneer, Awake, Dreameater, Lunar Terror, Eclipse of Blood, Observer of Chaos, Forge of War, Champion’s Traveler, Gratitude of the Void, Glimpsed The Work, Atlas, Devourer, Star Seared, Extraterrestrial, Dragonslayer, Macbeth, The Champion’s Devil, Cold Embrace, Reaper, Rebirth, Terror’s Coffin, Cradle of Life, Evil Slayer
Reality Constructs:Soul of the Leviathan, A Korgonda’s Mutual Respect, Deal of the Almost-Dunce, Vow of Secrecy to The Champion,
Soul Strength: 32%
HP: 100%
MP: 48%
SP: 71%
Stats:
Physical: 398 (+141 from Class, +31 naturally)
Mental: 339 (+35 from Class, +166 from Profession, +11 naturally)
Spiritual: 684 (+83 from Profession, +41 naturally)
Magical: 194 (+35 from Class, +166 from Profession, +41 naturally)
Active Affinities:
Kindness: Low-Grand: 94%
Personal: Mid-Historic: 62%
Wrath: Low-Grand: 94%
Soul: Low-Grand: 51%
Fortitude: High-Treasured: 99%
Void: Low-Epic: 68%
Love: High-Uncommon: 74%
Death: Low-Rare: 17%
Potential Affinities:
Snap - Presumed barrier: Disinterest.
Natural Affinities: Sapience-derivatives, (Cycle of Life and Death)-derivatives
Rules of Wrath:
- I will allow no harm to come to those under my care.
- Children must be protected.
- (Estimation): Greed-based Rule about protecting your own objects.
- I will stand for no betrayal.
- (Estimation): Never let an enemy roam free.
Affinity Spells:
Kindness: Call for Help (115), Good Samaritan (259), Meaningful (181)
Wrath: Growing Rage (412)
Soul: Empower Self (39), Cradle of Life (3)
Fortitude: Solidity (318)
Business: Value Sense
Void: Roving Gate (118)
Mind: Overmind (319)
Reality Spells:
Health: Divine Balance (420)
Mana: Meditation (300)
Confluence Spells:
Identify of the Stout Protector (209), Cycle of Sealing (500) (Unknown containment), Eldritch Self (217), Hollow Cry (3), Fractured Reality (162)
System Spells: How About a Demonstration?, Fine-Tooth Comb (76), Vigilance (200), In Tune (157), Commune with the Universe (71), Starved Bastion (160), Hellish Divergence (81), Entropic Touch (39), Land Between (92)
Misc Spells: Living Barrier]
Back in quarantine, a lot of his Skills were finally starting to inch forward as they benefitted from the added danger of the demon; it was not an insignificant boost at all. He has many that were ready to evolve, and an actual chance to choose how this time, but other things called to him first. His marks were interesting, but Dei let himself smile as he saw that his Stats were back; just as Ashvorn had warned, Dei somehow earned a lot of spare stats in the time after creating Ashvorn, leading to what would’ve been a gross miscalculation. He wondered something though, and had the tutor right in front of him.
“Ashvorn, why did I gain so many stats naturally after creating you, but not many the last time I left the System?”
[Systems allow solidification of gains. With my presence, your soul has passively become more organized]
“Thanks.”
Ignoring the slight vocabulary change near the top, there was still much to go over; Marks previously hadn’t had a description to check, and he had a new one named “Evil Slayer.”
In rapid fire succession, he went over all the Marks that he hadn’t had the chance to see definitively the benefits of.
[Champion’s Traveler
The Champion blesses your venture through the multiverse, go forth with his approval
- Fire affinity is 20% easier to learn and advance
- Fire and Fire-derivative affinities are 5% less effective against you
- Speed increased by 10% when outside of combat]
[Gratitude of the Void
The Void appreciates the dedication and care shown towards fulfilling your contractual obligations, providing a small bonus reward.
- Void is 3% easier to learn and advance
- Small package of knowledge involving how to traverse and read the currents of Void]
[Glimpsed The Work
You’ve seen past that which most should never, the visions singed into your subconscious forevermore.
- Foundational affinities are 20% easier to learn and advance
- Reality Beings are slightly more drawn to your Presence.
- Presence may invoke Fear debuff to all natural-born entities]
[Atlas
A Titan you may not be, but in their footsteps do you follow. More than just a shelter to the weak, your body has become a world against all
- Refuge affinity is 20% easier to learn and advance
- When bearing the weight of anything, it become 10% lighter
- Ensouled creatures are calmed at your Presence]
[Devourer
Light, matter, space, air, the vacuum between, it matters not to you. You devour all.
- Gluttony is 70% easier to learn and advance
- Conversion efficiency when consuming is raised significantly
- Gluttony and Gluttony-derivative users feel satiated in your Presence]
This one, while interesting, was… strange, and he didn’t see himself ever using it. His mind went back to how Ashvorn said he could consume a Mark to empower another, and this was the first one he legitimately considered using that ability on. Not just that, but a seventy percent increase? This was a powerful Mark, he just didn’t need it.
[Star Seared
The cosmos coursing through your veins lights you aflame, burning with a careless fury towards the one attempting to contain it- not fueled by hatred, but a wanton desireless destruction.
- Star affinity is 30% easier to learn and advance
- Strong resistance to all forms of heat
- Increased Presence]
[Extraterrestrial
Many can leave a path to travel the forest, few have thought to look up and travel the stars.
- Expansive affinity is 40% easier to learn and advance
- Races unfamiliar with your own feel a sense of mystery emanating from you
- Presence quantity increased]
[Dragonslayer
For many, Dragons are a symbol of hope and justice, as the only they’ve ever known provides light and protection. The Champion strives to improve himself, becoming the best he can, loving the peoples under him.
You know better.
The Champion is not the rule of Dragons, but the exception. Calamitous beasts that attempt to impose themselves on those weaker, Dragons are not symbols of justice, but law manifest, and when the corruption runs deep, it is best only to tear the system down.
This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
- Creation and Creation-derivative affinities are 10% more effective when either being used by you or acting upon you in a positive manner
- Chance to invoke Fear in malicious creatures
- Chance to invoke Heroic buff in Sapient Races
- All incoming damage reduced by 5%]
He smiled widely at this one. While it wasn’t as powerful as the Eclipse of Blood Mark, it felt like a “Lite” version of it, giving similar tools to a lesser degree.
He supposed to get the “Full” version that Eclipse of Blood did, he’d have to kill The Champion but… that would only fit a heinously evil person, and would mark the loss of the war if anyone ever succeeded- if they even could.
[Macbeth
Known as Macbeth not because you slay those in their sleep, but because you have murdered sleep in a most literal fashion. Free from the pull of dreams, you move through the world with tireless clarity and purpose. While others must surrender hours to slumber, you use every moment to build, to learn, and to watch over those who cannot. your title is not a curse, but a gift; an unbroken vigil granted by their extraordinary act.
The title of the Dreamless Mage manifests itself from Earth, speaking of how many on Earth believe you hate sleep, and travel the multiverse ridding planets of it.
Rewards still being calculated as the Mark matures. Current estimation provided:
- Decrease fatigue of all within range of your Presence
- Nightmares become impossible near you
- Mind-born parasitic entities take damage over time near you]
[The Champion’s Devil
A symbol of evil resisting its nature, you have become The Champion’s Devil, one of the hated Races that rebelled against its shackles to join the warm embrace of the sun. While the bindings within may lock others down, your body and soul act in synchronicity as you forge onwards, knowing you are just and right.
The title of the Devil under the Champion manifests itself from Earth, speaking of how many on Earth fawn over your love for the human Race, despite not being one yourself. You are loved in turn.
- Humans are more naturally fond of you
- Contracts are more difficult to enforce upon you
- Your presence is warming to all]
‘The people of Earth are so silly,’ he couldn’t help but think as he looked over his two reputational ones from there.
They assumed he was just someone who hated sleep a ton and, like a doctor, he traveled the multiverse curing it.
The second was their assumption that he loved them specifically which, honestly, wasn’t far off. He did care about Earth more than other planets in that section of the multiverse, because one of his families were there.
Contracts being more difficult to enforce though… that might be a very powerful tool in his arsenal, depending on how strong the effect was.
[Cold Embrace
Grim may not be warm, but none would claim he is a terrifying presence, nor is he a vicious entity. Powerful and caring, he does not bother to cause fear. Those who see him are either at ease, or dust in the wind.
- Death affinity is 25% easier to learn and advance
- Death affinity users feel kinship towards you
- Gain increased awareness of the Death-sense]
‘Death sense?’ he wondered, ‘Is that like when I knew I was going to die in front of Cistasaria? Does that mean I’ll know when death comes from me even sooner than before? That would be good information, but I’m not sure how useful it’ll be. I may need to practice with it… if I can.’
[Reaper
To reap is the final act of nature, ending the cycle to begin anew once more in its endless turn. Reapers move forward, death within their souls, serving as the arbiter of the last equalizer. Death comes for all, those who deny it only delude themselves until the moment of hopelessness. You’ve never believed you were immortal, you know you are not. Go forth, and show the ignorant what it means to face oblivion.
- (Cycle of Life and Death)-derivative affinities are 20% easier to learn and advance.
- Empathetic connection to all life provides insight into their emotions and desires.
- All damage caused by you is increased by 10%
- All spiritual traits are empowered and their cost is reduced significantly
- Gain increased awareness of the Death-sense
- Any sentient entity you face will have its fear of demise lessened significantly
- All Leviathan-domain Skills advance more rapidly
- Chance to inflict the Hope buff in despairing entities]
It was a lot of smaller bonuses, but welcome nonetheless. He was essentially a more powerful Spirit that gave peace to dying creatures.
[Rebirth
Death will leave its stain, and the soul remembers the effort of forcing its way back to life. It will never forget.
- Death affinity is 5% easier to learn and advance
- Chance to cause Fear debuff against the undead
- Know life once more, and be transformed by the path you’ve walked]
[Terror’s Coffin
A final hope for hundreds of billions, you’ve saved a section of the multiverse from a calamity of epic proportions, locking away an ancient evil that knows only its lust for insanity.
- Madness affinity is 20% more DIFFICULT to learn and advance
- Madness affinity users are more grounded by your Presence
- Titans are more likely to take note of and harass you]
‘Uh? This is bad, right? I think this is actually a REALLY bad Mark. Not just because of the first clause, but the third is… not good. This might be useful against a Madness user, but like… I’m probably going to let Ashvorn rip this one apart.’
[Cradle of Life
Command of the Leviathan is not a blessing nor curse, but a state of being
- Existence permanently enters the Command tempering state]
Unusual, but he honestly wasn’t sure if it was a Mark to begin with Command was a weird Skill, this was just it reflected on his soul.
[Evil Slayer
Have slain: 1000x10 fodder, 5x6 elite demon-kin. Redeemable for EXP. Redeem for the equivalent of 4x slain level 500 entities?]
‘Ohhhh,’ Dei thought, ‘THAT’S how people on the front get EXP. The System is keeping track, and letting them cash out!’
It was an interesting solution, but he moved on for now.
[Call for Help] had been stuck at level one hundred for a long time, but considering its potential relevance to his future and the fact that it evolved he checked what evolution it now had.
[Call for Help - Level 115 - Kindness Affinity - Passive
Going out of your way to help others when it isn't required, you actively seek out those in need. No evildoers shall escape your vision as you come to the rescue of those in their darkest hour.
Grants the user a sense for those who desperately want help within a 100 meters per Level radius of the user or within the users perception
+0.01% chance per level for user to be made aware of situation that they would greatly desire to be at for selfish reasons
Level 100 Evolution: Odds of prophetic enlightenment increased]
‘Interesting,’ he thought, and knew he had no idea what that meant.
Would he get visions from kindness? Have more dream-meetings with it? Would it talk to him outside of the dreams as well? At the very least, he knew why he got something like this, considering it was exactly what he used it for nine times out of ten. He liked helping people, but he relied on this to help people efficiently, and guidance was exactly what he needed.
It wasn’t a coincidence that its new evolution matched his future plans, because this was simply how it worked for him.
‘Although, Ashvorn is my PERSONAL System, I wonder if I can ask?’
“Hey, what does it mean by “Prophetic enlightenment?”
[In order to gain descriptions of each Skill, contracts were struck with each affinity to not excessively disclose information past the surface-level]
“Drats…” He hadn’t expected an answer, but it was good to cover all bases. Instead, he looked into it with Knowledge, using eidetic memory to compare how the structure of it changed since its previous evolution and locking onto the different part, he rubbed his hands together evilly as he used his Skills to look at the answer sheet.
Parts of it were missing, leaving an open-ended receptor for Kindness to slot in its own half of the Skill, but he could see that there was no time limit nor criteria for “When” prophetic enlightenment would happen. Based on what he read, Kindness could do that whenever it wanted, awake or not.
It wasn’t a lot of information, but it was something.
[Solidity] was the next to silently evolve. Though it wasn’t as vital to is plans, it helped him when he shape-shifted, which became easier every level. Though he didn’t do it frequently, and hadn’t during battle, he knew he was going to have to in the coming days against demon-kin, as becoming larger and smaller would be vital to different sized enemies.
[Solidity - Level 318 - Fortitude Affinity - Passive
Soul, Mind, and Body walk parallel paths, yet are interconnected impossibly. When one is thrown out of balance of the others, the knots that tie them together seem to be impossibly thin, far too fragile for such paramount facets of one's life. By strengthening these bonds, you repair the rifts found between them.
Creates a bond between your Mind, Body, and Soul that draws them towards one another.
Level 100 evolutionary upgrade - Creates perpetual synchrony between the Mind and Body portions of the Soul. Malleability of all three increases with each successive level.
Level 168 manual upgrade - your form is further empowered by the web, granting you easier access to two selves- the Reaper and the World that Walks.
Level 200 evolutionary upgrade - Accelerate physical changes when proportions in your body remain the same.
Level 300 evolutionary upgrade - Functionality of spiritual organs extends past aesthetic purposes]
‘What?’ he thought, again seeing a confusing Skill and diving straight to the internal works of it.
What he found flabbergasted him slightly. Spirits had unique organs which he didn’t, though he’d never run into one, nor was he sure when he’d use something like this. The Skill told him that he’d “Chosen” this as a result of his soul preparing for Reaperhood, as Reapers were more spirit than human, and he may need to alter his own biology to dive into the deepest recesses of the Spirit Realm. It was Solidity’s attempt at giving him a diving suit for the more… toxic sections of the Spirit Realm. If he saw a spiritual organ and needed it, he could easily grow one without having to do months of research on the biology of the spirit he would use as a reference.
[Roving Gate] was a spell heavily affected by his inability to manipulate mana outside himself, and he knew he’d subconsciously chosen something to assist in that.
[Roving Gate - Level 112 - Void affinity
If one were to ask a Void specialist to describe the affinity in a single word, ninety percent would say the same thing: Janky. When you approach the bounds of all natural physics, things tend to get a bit silly, and Roving Gate exemplifies that definition perfectly. The single most common Void Skill, it also teaches a lesson to all who first learn to master the Void. If you want to be a legend, learn Space. If you want it to work, Void will do.
Allows for the creation of Roving Gates, rifts in reality that slowly swap the place of two sections of fabric. You can’t jump through them, but they can jump through you.
Mana cost: 5 mana
Level 100 evolutionary upgrade - Certain karmic conditions allow for the creation of permanent anchors in other living creatures]
‘Ohhh,’ he thought, realizing what all those pings were from Meditation.
Dei was never able to create permanent “Portals” like Victoria had. Karmic links were fickle and changed instantly the moment he stopped holding them.
Like this, he’d recovered a usage of the Skill he didn’t have access to before, though it was only through those he’d saved before, and very infrequently.
Of the tens of thousands rescued by him, he could only feel the link of three hundred and eighty two, and he knew that all of them were the warriors who'd seen his handiwork personally. Was it to fight alongside a warrior, then? He would need to conduct further testing, and question those he’d now unintentionally formed a link with. As for what he would do with a permanent network of Void portals? Well, that remained to be seen, but off the top of his head he knew he wouldn’t have to exhaust himself if he had to do successive teleportations, and he could potentially leave a gate network that didn’t require his active input.
[Meditation] was the first Skill he encountered at its threshold, and his first chance to potentially use Ashvorn to remove the blockage into the next tier. He’d also never seen the level two hundred evolution, so he did so now.
[Meditation - Level 300 - Mana Affinity
The self, everything that one's identity is comprised of…
…
Level 100 evolutionary upgrade - The power of friendship can only carry you so far, give it some steroids so it can carry you further. Increases the benefits of turning a relationship tangible.
Level 200 evolutionary upgrade - Tandem link to Vigilance Skill creates a path for Vigilance to read intent of perception, allowing for awareness of those who share a perspective moment with you and mean you harm]
Dei could sense when something had malicious intent directed at him, even if he couldn’t see it to read its body language. While he couldn’t actively imagine a time this came into play, he had no doubt he’d subconsciously received its warning several times.
He mentally indicated he was ready for the evolution options, and a screen much different than the one he was familiar with appeared.
[Differing paths of maturation resonate.
Weaver - link one karmic thread to another in an attempt to narrow potential futures.
Depthstrider - Beings spanning the multiverse hold a perspective as well, sharing with yours. Tap into this to receive cosmos-spanning clairvoyance. (LOCKED) (Option banned by System W3-860924-RG993 within its space on account of its ties with the Karma affinity, a forbidden affinity).
Infectious Presence - Those marked by your karmic anchors hold capability to spread anchors to others. (LOCKED) (Option banned by System W3-860924-RG993 within its space on account of its ties with the Karma affinity, a forbidden affinity).
Network - Those with a strong enough karmic link may donate power or energy in varying levels
Consolidate or Refine evolutions?]
The second and third made him reel, and quickly turning to Ashvorn he said “Banned?! Karma is a forbidden affinity?!”