CHAPTER 14.

Amber awoke in a coughing fit. The room was almost dark except for the light of the magic torch Liz had given her. Considering there was no more sunlight pouring into the room she figured that it was night-time. For a moment she felt disoriented until she groaned from head pain.

“What the fuck happened…?”

She rose from the ground only to freeze. A massive demon was staring at her⁠⁠ and⁠— it was dead. Its skin was now ashen, particles of dust seemed to be floating off the demon, almost as if it was disintegrating. Its expression held nothing but horror. A large hole was carved onto its head. A single look and she remembered. She remembered her anger, her rage, her frustration. She had killed someone. Shaking her head, she decided to go through her notifications.

[Cursed Momentum has ranked up. Cursed Momentum is now 2nd Rank level 1.]

[Cursed Momentum has reached 2nd Rank ⁠— level 1.

You’ve mastered the art of exploiting the skill to your advantage. The longer you fight, the stronger, more durable and agile you become. If you are affected by a curse you will apply it to your target. This skill reaches its peak at fifteen minutes in battle, increasing your stats by 150% (75% before class bonus).

2nd Rank ⁠— Taking damage speeds the momentum build up.]

Amber paused. It gives Dexterity now too? Not only that but the stat increase went up by 50%... She gulped. 2nd Rank makes it build up faster? Not like I plan on taking damage on purpose but… She certainly thought it was incredibly useful and also strong. She didn’t expect the skill to reach the 2nd Rank but she wasn’t complaining. Finally, she turned to a different skill that she didn’t expect to see rank up.

[Berserker’s Body has leveled up from level 9 to 10.]

[Berserker’s Body has ranked up. Berserker’s Body is now 2nd Rank level 1.]

[Berserker’s Body has reached 2nd Rank ⁠— level 1.

You’ve embodied what it means to be a Berserker and now you can physically be one too. You feel half of the pain you’re supposed to feel and your body is 50% stronger. (25% before class bonus).

2nd Rank ⁠— By adapting and abusing your body it has gained a unique constitution. Your body is 30% tougher.]

It’s just as good… Amber noted that the percentage increase had gone up. It was essentially a fifty percent increase to all her attributes, and the 2nd Rank wasn’t half bad either. Thinking about it for a moment she couldn’t help but smile. I’m becoming so fucking durable. Maybe I should permanently stab the dagger on my body or something. Maybe a cursed thing surgically embedded in me? That way Recovery of Curses will always be active no matter what…

Of course, she wasn’t a fool. Without having access to her weapons, she was more like an average Berserker. Though, the Berserker class itself was rare too? She wasn’t too sure.

Amber shook her head and observed the rest of her notifications.

[Keen Senses has leveled up from level 8 to 10.]

[Curse Battery has leveled up from level 2 to 4.]

[Recovery of Curses has leveled up from level 8 to 10.]

[Cursed Stomp has leveled up from level 6 to 8.]

[Cursed Fury has leveled up from level 1 to 3.]

[Heavy Swing has leveled up from 2nd Rank level 3 to 2nd Rank level 4.]

[You have reached level 49. 5 stat points awarded.]

…

[You have reached level 55. 5 stat points awarded.]

The level ups were disappointing to her, but then again the kill notification had said “considerably less” experience. Of course, there were no Core Skills due to the fact that they were more like pending rather than anything. Taking a very deep breath, Amber turned to the notification she had been looking forward to.

[Class Advancement is now Available!

You may now evolve your class.]

Amber didn’t know what to expect, or what she was even expecting. Unlike unlocking the requirements to a new class, this was different. Though, she didn’t see herself switching her class any time soon, or even if ever. She loved everything about being a Cursed Berserker. So, with great anticipation she asked out loud.

“What are my Class Advancement options, System?”

In response, something that she didn’t expect occurred. Her vision went dark, and for a moment, there was nothing. Amber didn’t understand what was going on, until she saw a flash of light.

Fire.

Her body felt heated, more than anything before. She looked down only to see a dirt ground, she saw the pebbles on a road, and then she heard the crackling of wood. Ash rained, and she coughed, her lungs burning.

What is going on⁠—?

A shout interrupted Amber, and her gaze snapped in the direction of the sound. There, she saw a large lumbering man, he charged through a building⁠⁠— and it exploded. Pieces of wood, rock, and burning cloth streaked through the air and a moment later, a different thing exploded from an opposing building. A gigantic and majestic bird of fire came through, its heat was enough to distort the air, and Amber felt danger.

She took a step back, and the man without even reacting. Charged at the bird ⁠— no, at the phoenix ⁠— his body immediately burned from getting close to the monster. The phoenix flapped its wings and sent a torrent of fire and the man charged through. Blisters formed on his skin, and he screamed. The phoenix froze— Amber froze⁠— and the monster fell out of the air. Hitting the ground. The man arrived and punched the bird, and then grabbed it by the neck and slammed it.

Amber didn’t understand what she was seeing, but she watched as the phoenix was torn apart by the man’s bare hands, screeching in defiance as it burnt and clawed at its attacker. However, in the end, it was pointless.

The phoenix died, and with it, the vision ended as a boisterous laugh resounded.

Afterwards, a notification came.

[You have met the requirements for Class Advancement: ‘Cursed Chosen Barbarian’ You have used pure raw strength to fight your foes, have five Core Skills at Second Rank, have reached level 50 as a Cursed Berserker and have been blessed by a Primordial Spirit.

The Cursed Chosen Barbarian is a Cursed Barbarian that has been chosen by the gods themselves. The Cursed Chosen Barbarian has followed in the steps of the Cursed Berserker but with greater efficiency and much greater brutality. They have paved the path to efficient brutal killing while fighting the Supernatural. They do not do things that are unnecessary.

You may change class if requirements for a better class are met.

Would you like to acquire this class? Bonuses to stats will be applied, Cursed Barbarian skills will become available on future level ups. Current Skills may see change. Class Advancement paths may be lost.]

Amber blinked. It’s tempting… she pursed her lips. But I don’t fight with my fists… though it never said I have to…

A moment later, Amber could feel that another class was going to be shown to her. So, she prepared herself.

Once more, there was a flash of light and she found herself standing in a dark and empty room, its stone walls and floors were unassuming. What is even going to happen⁠—? And the wall in front of her exploded. A robed man rolled into the room, bleeding profusely. He spoke words that could not be understood, his tone angry and a moment later a woman entered. She held a one-handed axe as she coldly watched.

The man screamed and a moment later, he pulled out a staff and pointed it at the woman⁠⁠— the world went white. Amber felt as if her ears shattered, and the building evaporated; like a vanishing shadow to the light, it disappeared. The attack came to an end, and the man panted as he lowered the staff, except⁠—

The woman is still there…

Amber gulped and she watched the woman take every single one of his following attacks as she marched up to him. Then, she raised her axe and slammed⁠— Amber winced as the ground itself was carved and nothing remained of the man.

The vision ended, and another notification came.

[You have met the requirements for Class Advancement: ‘Cursed Chosen Hunter’ You have killed hundreds of Supernatural beings, you have killed a pure-blooded demon, have five Core Skills at Second Rank and have reached level 50 as a Cursed Berserker and have been blessed by a Primordial Spirit.

The Cursed Chosen Hunter is a Cursed Hunter that has been chosen by the gods themselves, someone who has vowed to protect the world of Vir from the darkness. They believe evil should be eradicated. A Cursed Chosen Hunter is someone who travels alone, their immunity to the Supernatural sending them to fight the worst of all the Supernatural beings.

You may change class if requirements for a better class are met.

Would you like to acquire this class? Bonuses to stats will be applied, Cursed Chosen Hunter skills will become available on future level ups. Current Skills may see change. Class Advancement paths may be lost.]

Stolen story; please report.

It sounded niche. But… if I could tank something like that… Amber instinctively knew that even with her Supernatural Nullification, she’d still be fatally wounded from those attacks, so it was definitely something different. In fact, it was completely different.

Once more, it sounded appealing to her, but she decided to watch the next vision.

The darkness shifted, and she immediately heard battlecries. Amber lifted her gaze and paled as she saw two clashing armies, one of humans and one of monsters. The monsters however, were monstrous, twisted things that she had never seen before. Odd number of limbs, scythe-like appendages; and some even wielded weapons.

She watched as the army of humans was shredded. Some had their limbs cut off before slowly dying, some were beheaded, and some were crushed by gigantic mammoth-like creatures. She was nervous⁠— no, she was fearing for her life as she saw the approaching army move closer. But a battle roar called her attention.

She turned and saw a bulky man, almost fat⁠— he was easily over two meters tall and wielded two battle axes. Even though he was in full-plated armor, Amber could feel like he was grinning. Then, without hesitation, he charged. Each step making him faster, and faster. He crossed the entirety of the human army in a second, then broke into the army of monsters. Dozens of the twisted beings immediately exploded, bulldozed right through.

How⁠—

And the man crashed against one of the mammoths and it⁠— exploded. The man continued tearing through the army but the vision was slowly fading, and Amber wanted to see… more.

A notification came.

[You have met the requirements for Class Advancement: ‘Cursed ⁠Chosen Juggernaut’ You have wiped an entire dungeon by yourself, have five Core Skills at Second Rank, have cleared at least ten groups of enemies alone and have reached level 50 as a Cursed Berserker, and have been blessed by a Primordial Spirit.

The Cursed Chosen Juggernaut is a Cursed Juggernaut that has been chosen by the gods themselves, an almost unstoppable force that instills fears upon their enemies. They rely on Strength to never be stopped. Their path is one paved with destruction and unparalleled resolve. A Cursed Juggernaut is someone that fights with the Supernatural. They do not stop.

You may change class if requirements for a better class are met.

Would you like to acquire this class? Bonuses to stats will be applied, Cursed Juggernaut skills will become available on future level ups. Current Skills may see change. Class Advancement paths may be lost.]

Amber took a deep breath. She liked the other classes, but this one was… different. For a moment, she was enthralled but she managed to wait until the other vision came. She’d choose after seeing all of them, and she felt that the next one was going to be the last one.

Just one more, she thought. Then I can make my choice…

She prepared herself as the next vision came. And she saw it, she saw a woman dashing through a forest full of cloaked enemies, killing one after another with a longsword. At first, she thought the vision was similar to the last one, if not lamer⁠— but she watched as the woman gained momentum, as she got faster and faster, as she became more efficient.

Enemies were killed by the second, ramping up faster and faster. And the sight made Amber’s heart rush. She watched as the enemies got stronger, as some transformed into monsters through consuming something and the result remained the same. Then, she arrived at the final enemy and beheaded them⁠— except, he didn’t die.

Flesh burst, a twisted abomination was quickly formed and even though the woman was tired she continued fighting. Even though she got swatted and injured, she continued. Even though her sword was broken she fought with her fists. Even though everything seemed against her, she pushed herself.

And as Amber watched, she found herself wanting to be there. No⁠— wanting to be that woman fighting.

Using her bare teeth, she ripped the enemy apart, gore flying as the enemy slowly became unable to fight back, until they eventually died.

The vision ended.

[You have met the requirements for Class Advancement: ‘Cursed Chosen Berserker’ You have fought for more than a day straight, you have five Core Skills at Second Rank, have been blessed by a Primordial Spirit, defeated an enemy thirty levels above you and have reached level 50 as a Cursed Berserker.

The Cursed Chosen Berserker is a Cursed Berserker that has been chosen by the gods themselves. Not only do they hold immense potential, the stars themselves favor them. Anything they set their mind to is but a matter of time before it is completed. A Cursed Chosen Berserker is unrelenting, ruthless but also kind, powerful but also humble. They do not get drunk in their own power but instead are in total control of it.

You may change class if requirements for a better class are met.

Would you like to acquire this class? Bonuses to stats will be applied, Cursed Chosen Berserker skills will become available on future level ups. Current Skills may see change. Class Advancement paths may be lost.]

Amber wondered about the control part, given the woman in the vision seemed insane. But she somehow found herself agreeing. If the woman wanted to stop she would have…

The darkness faded and she was back to standing in the room. All four advancement options were before her eyes. And for a moment, she was overwhelmed, her emotions still in disarray from everything she had experienced.

That’s a lot…

Amber composed herself and carefully read through all of them. And after she was done, she found that she was struggling to even eliminate a single option. But in the end, she decided to forget about Cursed Chosen Hunter, due to its limited use. And even then, she hadn’t been so sure.

That left her with three.

She had carefully read through their descriptions, deciding to not let the requirements influence her, and one of the things that caught her attention was the emphasis on control that Cursed Chosen Berserker had, whereas Cursed Chosen Juggernaut was much more about being a force of nature. And lastly, Cursed Chosen Barbarian which was about efficiency. If she was honest, she liked all of them.

However, she decided to truly think about what she could and couldn’t do with each class and realized something.

She could do all of that without a specific one. She could be efficient as a Juggernaut, brutal as a Berserker, and controlled as a Barbarian. However, at the same time the descriptions were there for a reason. She didn’t put it behind the System to influence her actions in some way after obtaining a class given the description. She was in a strange world that she barely comprehended, and if she hadn’t met Ax’thra when she did, she would’ve been infinitely more lost. While she didn’t know exactly what she was doing, she had a feeling that her best choice was the class that allowed her to be in control. And it was also the class that most resonated with her, the one she wanted to be in the vision with.

Cursed Chosen Berserker.

It had the steepest requirements out of the four classes, even if not by much. And she had barely just met them after fighting a level 102 demon. Granted, its level had been adjusted to 82, but it did have the skill levels of a level 100. Amber was quite certain about that.

Finally, after taking a deep breath, Amber chose her class. She tried to stay composed, but found herself shaking on her spot.

[ You have gained the class: Cursed Chosen Berserker

Vitality +25

Strength +15

Dexterity +15

Endurance +5

Intelligence +10

Wisdom +10

Natural recovery has increased by 60%.

Body enhancements are 150% more effective.

Wounds heal three times faster out of battle. ]

She smiled, still trembling, and a moment later more notifications came.

[Keen Senses ⁠— level 10, becomes Sharp Instincts ⁠— level 10]

[New General Skill! You have learned Sharp Instincts — level 10

You’ve barely survived, whether you can actually tell whether something is dangerous or not is unknown. This is an upgraded version of Keen Senses. You are now more aware of potential dangers and attacks, now it's on an instinctual level.]

[Heavy Swing ⁠— 2nd Rank Level 4, becomes Cursed Cleave ⁠— 2nd Rank Level 4]

[New Core Skill! You have learned Cursed Cleave — 2nd Rank Level 4

You’ve swung your sword so many times that perhaps you treat it more like a cleaver. This is an upgraded version of Heavy Swing. If you are bearing a curse it will apply when using the skill.

2nd Rank ⁠— Cooldown is halved and the swing strikes 30% harder, the curse is 50% stronger.]

Two skills had changed.

[Core Skill was delayed due to pending Class.]

[New Core Skill! For reaching level 50 as a Cursed Chosen Berserker you have learned ⁠Curse Detection — level 1.

You can sense curses from ten meters away and if they are visible you can see them. Range increases per skill level.]

Useful. She smiled. I can even tell if an attack is a curse⁠, and if I⁠—

However, her theory crafting was interrupted as another notification came offering a new skill.

[New Core Skill! For reaching level 55 as a Cursed Chosen Berserker you have been offered Curse Aura ⁠— level 1.

You have become the curse. While fighting you unleash a weak aura of the curses you are bearing towards your foes. The strength depends on the skill level.

Do you wish to replace one existing Core Skill for this? If the replaced Core Skill holds levels, all levels will be transferred to the new skill at the cost of losing one level on it.]

Well that is way better. The idea of literally damaging her enemies just from them being near was extremely fascinating to her. No, in fact, it excited her. For a moment, she hesitated, she had just gotten Curse Detection which could be pretty useful. From finding a new cursed item to play with, to even be an advantage during battle.

And ultimately, she felt like it was the only skill she could replace with it.

Taking a deep breath, she replaced Curse Detection with Curse Aura. She was sure that was the right choice, and she’d probably be offered a better version of Curse Detection down the line.

Plus, Curse Aura is fucking badass.

Finally, Amber took in all her notifications with a smile and couldn’t help but think how much strength she had gained from her Class Advancement. It was exciting⁠. No⁠— it was incredibly exciting. And thinking about the vision still made her heart rush.

Will I be able to do that? No, I most definitely will.

For a moment she felt like she was invincible but thinking about the demon fight grounded her back in reality.

Killing it wouldn’t be any less of a struggle even after all of this. Or maybe…

She shook her head, still incredibly happy. She was just wary of growing overconfident. Finally, after reveling in the moment she turned to the room where the man still lay dead. Her mood got a bit worse, but she walked towards the man to see if he had anything of value. The demon’s corpse was now completely dry and almost made out of dust.

She went up the steps of the platform and paused when she saw the man’s staff. It resembled a thorn more than anything and had an almost red-metallic glint to it. Slightly confused, she used Identify on it.

[Relic Grade ⁠— Staff of Demons ⁠— High Quality

This staff bears the Curse of Demonic Blood, any being that it injures will have its blood thinned, any being wielding the staff will suffer a slow demonification process, ultimately turning them into a demon.

Ability: Summon Server of Chaos. This Ability has decayed and can no longer be used.]

“So an Enchanted Grade staff, got it.” Amber grabbed it without any care in the world.

She figured that it was a good add-on to her arsenal provided she didn’t let anyone else touch it⁠— much like all her other weapons. It was really good actually. Amber then looked at the man, he didn’t have anything on his person. However she paused seeing his arm, it was red and resembled the claw of a monster.

“I suppose that’s the Curse of Demonic Blood?” she asked, wondering about it before turning to the man, seeing the horns. “You know, I really wish things could’ve gone differently. I can’t tell if this is guilt or not, but I’m sorry for what I did.”

She closed her eyes. I did what I had to do. At least, that’s what she believed. After taking a breath, she closed the man’s eyes with her hand. She didn’t understand why the man wanted to destroy the city of Laria. She didn’t see the point in being evil.

Perhaps the man was doing it for power, but she truly did wonder if there was no other way to go about things. She gave the man’s arm a look before going down the steps.

Amber wondered why she didn’t hesitate more in killing the man. Maybe it had to do with him not being fully human. She wasn’t particularly sure.

Now, more than ever, she felt thankful that she was immune to curses and anything that the System considered Supernatural; she could, after all, safeguard the staff. Maybe the man had been influenced by the staff’s curse? Ultimately, she didn’t know, but decided to stop thinking about it.

She went to find her dagger and also picked up the torch she had been carrying. Thankfully, it seemed to have survived all of the battles with only minor scratches.

So I won’t need to pay Liz back. She smiled. She was completely broke so that would’ve been troublesome.

Finally, she headed towards the exit, but paused when she saw a glinting object inside of the demon’s head. What is that? Amber cautiously approached it only to see a small bead. It was a deep crimson and sparkled under the little light available, as if it was holding a galaxy inside, shimmering with hundreds of sparkling colors. She used Identify.

[Demonic Mana Stone ⁠— Superb Quality.]

Demonic Mana Stone? Why was it even in the demon’s head?

Amber didn’t know what to use it for, or what it even did but she grabbed it and stored it into her back pocket. She didn’t plan on leaving loot behind. Maybe she could sell it. Her armor was in desperate need of repair, after all. However, all of those worries disappeared as she looked at her status, having distributed her attribute points already.

[Name: Amber | Level: 55

Class: Cursed Chosen Berserker | Unspent Stat Points: 0

Stats:

Vitality: 160

Strength: 120

Dexterity: 101

Endurance: 51

Intelligence: 32

Wisdom: 32

Free Core Skill Slots: 0 | Core Skills:

[Cursed Cleave - 2nd Rank Lvl. 3], [Quick Dash - 2nd Lvl. 1], [General Weapon Mastery - 2nd Rank Lvl. 2], [Cursed Momentum - 2nd Rank Lvl. 1], [Berserker’s Body - Lvl. 2nd Rank Lvl. 1], [Cursed Stomp. - Lvl. 8], [Curse Battery - Lvl. 4], [Recovery of Curses - Lvl. 10], [Cursed Fury - Lvl. 3], [Curse Aura - Lvl. 1]

General Skills:

[Supernatural Nullification], [Identify. Lvl. 2], [Toxin Resistance ⁠- 2nd Rank Lvl. 1], [Elemental Resistance - Lvl. 3], [Physical Resistance - Lvl. 5], [Sharp Instincts - Lvl. 10], [Quick Recovery - Lvl. 8].]

She was awed by her own progress, and a smile settled on her lips. She felt fucking amazing. However, it was time for her to return and report her own findings.

Hopefully the exploration party isn’t assembled yet.

With a racing heart and a wide smile, Amber ran out of the dungeon at full speed, leaving nothing but a cloud of dust behind.