In an exquisitely luxurious room, a man no older than thirty wearing a black magician’s hat was looking outside the window.
The arrival of a visitor caught his attention as he turned around and, with a furrowed brow, looked at his subordinate.
The sickle-wielding assassin casually sat on the rocking chair and grumbled,
“Sorry, I failed.”
“And what, pray tell, are you expecting me to say to that? Pat you on your back and congratulate your unprofessionalism and stupidity?”
It was rare for the elegantly-dressed man to raise his voice and react like this, which made the assassin sit straight and clear his throat, seemingly a bit nervous.
“I was going to succeed but that wretched Witch, Jennifer Savbra, interfered! I can deal with a couple of 5-star Witches, but that woman is crazy dangerous. I didn’t want to risk my life.”
“...”
“Look! The kid is back here. It will be easy to kill hi-”
“You will do no such thing.” Solemnly said the man as he walked to his desk and retrieved a black-colored letter.
“This failure of yours greatly damaged our organization’s reputation. You were reckless and severely under-estimated this job despite my many warnings to not mess up.”
“I told you I’m sorry. Come on, give me another chance.”
“No. Things have changed and a great many eyes have their eyes on Zeke Orland.”
“So what? We’re Black Wing! Nothing can stop us.”
Ghaoul walked to his subordinate and glared down at him, “We are invincible, but you are not, Kley.”
“I-I… can fix things.”
“The only thing you can do is visit the Vyrsan Family, apologize for your failure, and pay them back triple the commission.”
“What?” Flabbergasted, Kley stared at Ghaoul with his beady eyes.
The commission for Zeke Orland was 300 million alc, even if Kley were to take out all of his savings, he wouldn’t be able to get the necessary amount.
“The job was going to go to Number 3, but you claimed it was, I quote, ‘A perfect job for you’. If you cannot pay up, you will be at the mercy of the client. They can turn you into their slave or kill you for all we care.”
“Ghaoul… c-come on, buddy! We’ve known each other for five years! If you give me another chance, I guarantee I’ll kill the little shite!”
“Oh?”
Seemingly interested, Ghaoul chuckled and inquired, “And how will you do that? Sneak into Erys?”
“...”
“What? You seemed so confident a second ago, which makes me think you can deal with Erva? Someone stronger than Jennifer Savbra. Don’t kid yourself and do as I say.”
With a distraught face, Kley lowered his head and reluctantly agreed. If he were to go against Ghaoul, his fate would be much worse.
As he was leaving the room, Ghaoul stopped him and said,
“I hope this will be an enlightening experience for you, Kley. If you pass this hurdle, Black Wing will welcome you back with open arms.”
…
“It hasn’t been long, but it sure feels like it has been an eternity.”
Zeke caressed the marks on the tree in the middle of the park. Night has fallen and there were too few people strolling around.
Zeke returned to the spot he used to train at, feeling it was the best location for some much-needed peacefulness and silence.
[User: Zeke Orland]
[Race: Human]
[Level 7 (76/105 EXP)]
[Strength: 100]
[Agility: 91]
[Aether: 99]
[Fortitude: 21]
[Paths: Martial Arts (1/12) inactive | Voltage Body(1/44) | Groundbreaker (1/32) inactive- Sreyzhan Rune (1/9) | Inexhaustible (10/10) | Pain-junkie (1/9) - Death-Walker(1/100)]
[Skills: Fists of Fury(Proficiency 100%) - Aether Control(Proficiency 100%) - Voltage Zap(Proficiency 100%) - Spark (Proficiency 60%) - One-star Side-kick(Proficiency 100%) - Life Motus(Proficiency 100%) - Voltage Arrow (Proficiency 100%)- Rune of Death(40%) - Sreyzhanian Arts(40%) - Drain Aether(0%) - Overdrive(10%) - Surge of Pain (40%) - Body Damage(30%) - Self-Injection(20%)- Reaper’s Sweep (25%) - At Death’s Door(5%)]
[Survival Skills: ‘Voltage Rune’ - Voltage Conduit(Proficiency 100%) - Fatigue Abstence (82%) - Call of Honor(10%) - Ancient Elven Tongue (10%) - Cycle of Life and Death - Call of Loyalty(0%)]
[Available PE: 14]
[Available Skill Points: 1]
For now, Zeke has been improving at a steady pace. The Death-Walker main path, although rewarded him with only three skills, turned out to be a well-worth investment. Mastering it required a whopping 100 PE, which wasn’t an amount Zeke could easily afford at the moment.
Therefore, it was time to shift his attention to something else, either a path already unlocked or something new.
With the use of Voltage Rune and Voltage Manipulation, he was able to fight his peers on a relatively equal footing. However, whether it was the prodigious Julia Lopmore, or the constantly-improving Azmer, such individuals were hard-working and strengthening their abilities at an impressive pace.
To not get left behind, or even surpass them, Zeke needed to keep up with the Daily Tasks and not waste any PE on unnecessary paths that wouldn’t benefit him in the long run.
When he had confronted and fought Signora, he was made aware of the extreme usefulness of ‘At Death’s Door. It was definitely an overpowered skill, a trump card of some sort.
Still, it wasn’t a skill that directly harmed opponents, instead, it either killed them on the spot or dragged them into the Death Door. Put simply, it wasn’t a skill that could be used frequently, after all, Zeke didn’t want to always kill his opponents.
Using the one and only obtained Skill Point might be worth it, but Zeke was still hesitating. The ambiguous explanation of the System told him that the skill point will upgrade the skill, making it stronger and easier to use.
After a thorough contemplation and enough deliberation, in which Zeke dazedly looked at the star-filled night sky, the skill point was used, at last.
[Are you sure you want to use ‘1 Skill Point’ on the skill ‘Reaper’s Sweep’]
‘Yes’
If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.
[The skill Reaper’s Sweep’ has been upgraded into ‘The Reaper(SS)’]
[Survival Skill ‘The Reaper’: The user will shroud himself in Death Energy, empowering himself for a limited period of time.
While in The Reaper Form, all stats will be doubled and the Light Blasphemy Scythe will be available for use.
While in the Reaper Form, the user will be impervious to all forms of malignant or otherwise Negative energy]
While in the Reaper Form, the user will be unable to switch Paths.
While in the Reaper Form, all active and passive Survival Skills will be unavailable
While in the Reaper Form, all outside beneficiary effects (eg; Elixirs, healing abilities, support abilities, Charms, Magical Arrays…) will be negated.
At the end of the Reaper Form, the user will be able to use ‘The Baleful Gallows’
The Baleful Gallows: Use the Light Blasphemy Scythe to perform a diagonal slash imbued with a high concentration of Death Energy. This skill will pierce through all material and immaterial obstacles but will consume a small amount of the user’s Vitality.
The Reaper Form will last for 120 seconds.]
[The proficiency of the skill ‘The Reaper(SS) has automatically been set to 100%]
[All stats have been increased by 2.]
‘Light Blasphemy Scythe? That’s doubly ironic.’
Zeke chuckled and re-read the skill information multiple times, feeling satisfied with his choice. He didn’t think the increase in quality will be this significant.
Before he could enjoy his jubilation, another torrent of System notifications flooded his vision.
[The Skill ‘The Reaper(SS) has detected a synchronization with the skill ‘Drain Aether’.]
[The skill ‘Drain Aether’ has been integrated into the skill ‘The Reaper’.]
[The Light Blasphemy Scythe has now the ability to supplement itself and its user if it comes into a contact with any object or living being reliant on Aether.
Draining Aether from opponents can extend the duration of the Reaper Form by a maximum of 30 seconds.]
Before he was going to use the skill point, Zeke had been planning to use the accumulated PE to unlock another path, but it was no longer necessary. He would save more PE and use them on the ‘shop’.
The month of May was going to end and, on the 5th of June, he would be called to that majestic mausoleum, in which he would have access to that special shop.
Last time, due to the confusion and shock, he didn’t pay much heed. The prices were exorbitant and many of the items lacked an explicit description of their effects.
Nonetheless, Zeke wanted to gamble and choose something with a special name. The good things definitely were expensive, but there must be a couple of helpful artifacts that could empower him, or so he hoped.
With the Vyrsan Household after his head and his determination to get stronger to catch Fanti Fan, Zeke didn’t want to remain idle and rely solely on the Daily Tasks.
He needed to figure out the hidden requirements to upgrade the available paths, just like what happened last time.
“Ah! Excuse me?”
Zeke snapped out of his daze and turned around, looking wary of the man approaching him. With curly and slightly long hair and casual clothes, the stranger approached Zeke while suspiciously looking around.
When he was a couple of steps away, he raised his hands in surrender and smiled,
“If you’re going to attack, now is your best chance.”
Strangely enough, he didn’t seem to be talking to the startled Zeke but to someone else.
Just as he uttered those words, a figure appeared behind him, her two silver blades on both sides of his exposed neck.
“I come in peace, Miss Agent.”
“Who are you?”
“Well…” the man took out a fake badge and explained, “My current disguise is a journalist. As for my true identity,” He swiftly turned his body and with lightning-fast movements, snatched Katrina’s weapons.
The bespectacled woman speechlessly looked at her empty hands, unable to comprehend how he disarmed her with such ease.
“Frederic Whitefort, an enthusiastic vagabond.”
Frederic casually handed her back the blades and added, “I seriously mean no harm to you or him. I merely wish to talk.”
Katrina glared at the smiling Frederic but she didn’t say anything. Her body turned invisible whie leaving those words, “I’ll be watching you.”
“Yes yes, I don’t mind that. Now then…”
He turned to face the startled student and continued talking,
“As you have just heard, I am Frederic Whitefort, hailing from the Serey Zhan Empire. I believe we have met briefly in the past, yes?”
“I remember you… at the entrance of the school.”
“Yes. Back then, I was just snooping around. Before we continue, do you mind if we switch to a more appropriate location?”
Zeke hesitated for a moment before solemnly nodding his head.
Barely five minutes later, the two were sitting across from each other in a decent restaurant next to the park.
Frederic put down his funny hat and pushed back his curly hair. As he noticed Zeke’s inquisitive and wary gaze, he chuckled, “Just to make things crystal clear, I’m working independently. Additionally, I know that you have the Paths of Extinctions System.”
Seeing Zeke’s body twitch, Frederic reassuringly added, “Please be at ease. I’m here to help, not provoke or antagonize you.”
“What if I don’t need any help?”
“Do you not? Look,” Frederic leaned his head closer and lowered his voice, “I don’t mean to boast but I know many helpful things about the System. I genuinely believe you will benefit greatly.”
“And? Do you expect me to believe it’s all for free?”
“Absolutely not, of course!”
Frederic sipped on the lemonade and after savoring the cold drink and clearing his throat, he offered the much-needed exposition regarding his intentions,
“Although many would view me as such, I’m no Scholar. I like to explore the mysticism and the mysteries of the Systems, yours included. I might have crucial information, but so do you. Therefore, I propose an exchange of knowledge.”
“...”
Zeke stared back at the excited man but he didn’t offer any immediate response. All of this came out of the blue and he barely had time to process what was happening.
This could be a trap by the Ascetic Blasphemers or, especially, the Department of Defense.
‘Perhaps I should ask Signora? If he’s from the Empire, then she must know something.’
“You can think about it and give me an answer wherever you want. I’ll be staying here for the indefinite future. Ah! If you become my collaborator, I can assure you that no nasty people will harm you. Again, I’m not boasting but I’m quite strong, hehehehe…”
….
[System of Misery and Malediction]
[User: Jonathan Stellar Link (Human]
[Level: 2 (10/25EXP)
[Strength: 76]
[Agility: 120]
[Aether: 50]
[Magic Power: 169]
[Fortitude: 36]
[Misery: 20%]
[Malediction: 1%]
[Curses unlocked: Abraham’s Sinful Charm (1/45) - Protection Curse (1/12)]
[Skills: Horror (0%) - Black Retribution (0%) - Kiss of Misery (0%) - Lover of Pain (0%) - Harmful Barrier (0%)]
[Survival Skills: Formation Scripture (0%)]
[Available ME (Misery Points): 79]
[Available Curses:
Curse of Love (40ME)
Curse of Ash and Dust (150 ME)
Curse of Sreyzhanian Arts (20ME)
Curse of Malignant Voltage (15 ME)]
Jonathan was lying on the bed and staring at the black-colored System windows, sighing repeatedly.
The System of Misery and Malediction was different from Zeke’s. Although his knowledge was severely limited, it didn’t take a genius to figure out how Jonathan’s newfound powers worked. It fed on its user’s pain and misery, feeding off all negative emotions, thus accumulating the so-called Misery Points.
“It pales in comparison to the Paths of Extinctions System… I suppose this has to do. The Witch Queen seems to be aware of the ‘truth’ too.”
Jonathan’s wounds were healed and he was accommodated in a big room with all the daily necessities. He was banned from going outside and interacting with the Witches, but he was satisfied with how things unfolded.
When someone knocked thrice on the door, Jonathan jumped to his feet and fixed his clothes.
“Yes?”
A cold-faced 5-star Witch looked at him and said,
“Her excellency, the Deception Witch, is expecting you. Follow me.”
Jonathan didn’t argue back and obediently followed her for close to ten minutes.
Soon enough, he was facing Kleya, one of the three 6-star Witches.
She was labeled as the Witch of Deception, a frightening woman with the power to topple a country.
In comparison to Nicneven’s average appearance, Kleya was an absolute beauty. She had snow-white tender skin, a pair of jet-black eyes, and a peerless and immaculate face that had no imperfections.
However, Jonathan was entranced by her beauty, after all, he knew she was the most dangerous of the 6-star Witches.
“You have recovered?” Asked Kleya with her eyes fixated on the folders stacked on her desk.
“Yes.”
“Then you should make ready to depart.”
“To where?” The man curiously asked,
“Didn’t I already tell you? You will be tasked with locating and bringing back any and all System holders. How you will do that will depend on you.”
Jonathan hesitated for a couple of seconds before saying, “There is too few unclaimed Systems remaining. I know the location of two of them, both of which are minor ones like mine. As for System Holders, the only one I know is Zeke Orland.”
“Then you will begin by getting those two Systems.”
“But their locations…”
She cut him off and raised her head, giving her a cold and threatening look, “I’m sorry, did I ask about their whereabouts? They could be on Mars for all I care. You will go and bring them here. That is why Her Majesty kept you alive and that will be what you will do.”
“Yes.”
“The necessary provisions will be handed to you at the gate. That and a badge that will allow you entry to our lands. Leave.”
Jonathan turned around and left without adding a single word. He knew there would be no wiggle room and if he wanted to achieve his goal, he had to obey.