Lisa plunged an open hand into a white wolf. It was an enslaved beast. It was rare to see them considering people worked even better. She felt a little bit of regret as the creature died to a pulse of mana. She essentially overloaded it with mana causing its heart to burst. It just collapsed into the snow and did not move again. When she killed things, it didn’t damage the body very much. Although, she had been especially viscous when she got lucky and found a slaver.
The rush of power that came with the monster’s death meant it was time to advance. She nearly did it right where she stood but thought better of it. Instead, she turned and fled from her position.
“Priscilla, please tell the others I need time to advance. Someone needs to take over here.”
“Already done.”
Priscilla responded instantly, and Lisa smiled at the snake wrapped around her neck. Some people might feel uncomfortable letting a monster rest against a vital location, but she trusted Priscilla. Or rather, she was fairly certain Priscilla was stronger than her and could kill her regardless of where she was. This way Priscilla could better protect her. She had blocked more than a few things aimed at her neck and head already. And she was technically wearing the blood of a monster all over her body too.
The clothes Mash had provided were far better than any armor she could purchase or make. It was kind of scary, and very unfair. People at her level had to target her visible skin to do real damage. Blades especially were useless. It wasn’t perfect though; the clothes blocked her skills from going out too. It didn’t affect her too much since most of her magic came from her palms or mouth. The clothes also kept her warm and it couldn’t tear or anything. It only ever took damage when she did.
With all those things in mind, Lisa had gone with an extremely practical design. Well, she hadn’t actually been the one to design it, she just gave suggestions to Mash while he made it. Everyone had told her that he was quite talented when it came to fashion. She had trouble believing it until he showed her some designs. And it was true, he was quite good at it.
Her final outfit comprised three parts. A skintight dark blue bodysuit that left her arms completely bare. Her legs were covered all the way to the ankles though. Beyond that, she had what amounted to a combination between a shirt and cloak. It had a hood and baggy sleeves. As it ran down her body, the ends came together forming a point rather than the normal rectangular base. It ended at her waist and tied into a belt buckle. Her pants were burly like winter wear and were shaded in a bright blue. Hir shirt thing, on the other hand, was a multicolored mess of colors, that worked especially well with her tattoo.
All in all, the outfit was unique and rather stunning. It wasn’t showy, but cute and practical. She could imagine a similar thing on young children and couldn’t help but wonder if Mash had the idea because of her height. She hoped not.
“Congrats on the level-up!”
The shout came from just beside her. She turned and swung at the figure, only for her arm to be caught. Jill grinned at her, and she frowned.
“Sorry! I was just startled.”
“I will teleport you somewhere safe.”
Jill was excited, and her voice practically vibrated. Advancement was always exciting, and this one was special. They all vaguely believed that they would get the same drastic improvement as Mash. Lisa was doubtful, especially considering that she had no difficulties hitting level 150. The world shifted, and she found herself in a very familiar tent. She didn’t delay, nodding to Jill in thanks before shifting her attention inward. Darkness consumed her vision.
She stared at three distinct pillars of light. Each one was known, different from the gloomy colors of her last one. She had been a slave for her last advancement, and the pillars of light had been dimmed shades of black and grey. Each one had felt retched, and she almost instinctively reached toward the multicolor pillars before her. One was bright blue like her hair. Another shimmered in colors like a rainbow made manifest. The final pillar was strange. It lacked color but it radiated light. It was pure light. She tentatively reached for that one first and froze.
Acolyte of the Beginning: Having been the first to receive the mark of the beginning, you are chosen by its power. The beginning is the power of a new life. While the Chimera may not have influence over you, you share in its goal. It is a guide for your own power and belief. Follow in its footsteps and gain power through it. As an acolyte, your mana is touched by the power of the mark. Magic is to change the world, and your body changes to adapt to it.
She pulled away. There wasn’t a specific thing about the class that bothered her, but she knew it wasn’t the right one for her. She would be forever grateful to Mash, but she didn’t want to become him. His power was as much a burden as anything else. She shifted to the next pillar. It radiated with a blue light, and she was rather interested in it.
Pure Mana Battlemage: A mage of raw mana, your body is unable to accept anything else. Your body changes to produce mana that is untouched by anything, even yourself. Yours is the mana of the world. Unbound and untainted by any other power. As a battle mage, you find your power in the middle of combat rather than the edges. The mana of others calls to you, revealing their intentions and attacks. Dance among the spells of war and strike your foes down with their own spells.
This was a much nicer-sounding class. Not because it screamed power or anything, but because it felt more in line with what she wanted. She wondered what part made her immortal. That thought stuck in her mind as looked at the final pillar. Its rainbow light seemed to flash a bit brighter.
Unbound Mana Elemancer: Your mana is touched by the elements around you. Dance among nature and bend the elements around your magic. Your body is changed to bear the elements with nothing but your flesh. As an Elemancer your mana is touched by the flow of nature and follows your movements. Weave among spells and battle bringing about storms of destruction.
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That sounded useful, but it sounded too focused on something new. The elements would probably provide her with a lot of versatility, but she would have to spend some time learning the new magic. There was a good reason that the highest leveled people tended to develop their powers narrowly. Even Mash was arguably narrow with his skillset. His magic came from a byproduct of his skill, but most of his skills were about consumption and growth. She didn’t want to broaden her class either and decided to choose the previous class.
She was about to touch it when the space changed. Her very soul rippled with something indescribable. A moment of pure, undaunted liberty. More than when her shackle had come off. The power made her tremble for a moment. It was unbelievable. She relished in it for a moment and then felt something else change within the space.
The pillars of light dissolved and mixed together. In a moment of panic and fear, she grabbed at one and felt something new. She touched a strand of the pillar and pulled it apart. Somehow, she could tell what the piece meant. It was the mana part of the battlemage class. She had somehow taken it from the rest of the pillar as it joined the flow of light that seemed to be made of all of the classes. Curiously she reached for a different strand, and it came out with her thoughts.
Her instincts screamed something to her, and she combined the two. The two strands wove together to form a thicker band. It felt oddly right, and she grabbed more pillars. They joined together smoothly. They snapped into place as if this was how it was always supposed to be. It turned from two pillars to twenty in an instant. Some of the strands weren’t parts of the original three classes. Some seemed to be created as she looked for them. She had an idea of what she wanted and the strand of light formed when she reached was bright yellow.
She didn’t really know how time flowed in this space, but it felt like she had been there for hours when she finished. It was a draining process and she felt hungry and bone weary by the end of it. She couldn’t help but smile despite it. The pillar of light before her was bright and shone like a miniature sun. Yellow lights surrounded a blue core. The whole pillar was framed by silver too, and it was one of the most impressive things she had ever seen.
This time when she reached for it, it didn’t provide her with a crude description like usual. Instead, it just flowed into her. A thrust of power that spread from the heart with her blood. Each beat of her heart became more strained and noticeable. It felt like something was banging against the inside of her head. It was a slow spread, but it eventually encompassed her entirely. Then the world went black again as the light from the pillars vanished.
Her eyes snapped open, to see the unimpressive tent she had been using. It was plain, and she paid her surroundings little mind as she delved into her class. She had to know what she had done, and Priscilla’s furious messages fell on deaf ears as her focus was absorbed by the information.
Name: Lisa Class: Original Manaform Gypsy
Level: 146 → 150
Mana: 12040 / 12040
Fortitude: 305 → 0
Endurance: 204 → 0
Strength: 140 → 180
Agility: 310 → 318
Intelligence: 549 → 1204
Wisdom: 200 → 300
Charisma: 350 → 509
Free Stats: 0
Skills: Charismana, Mana Armor → Mana Is Everything, Haste, Master’s Message → Message, Lead’s Supporter, Mana Signature, Gypsy Magic, Temporary Mana Battery → Manaform Battery, Dancer’s Pull, Partner of Mana, Mask of the Slave → Face of Mana , Bound Dancer’s Chain → Manaform Dancer’s Gift , Body of the Manaform Gypsy, The Chimera of the Beginning’s First Marked
Charismana: Your charm is magical influencing the very mana itself. Changes to your charisma also affect your intelligence.
Mana Armor → Mana Is Everything (Unique): Your body is made of mana, damage from all sources must get through your mana first. Your mana is your first line of defense. Does not work with standard armor.
Damage Reduction: 100%
Haste: Use your mana to drastically improve your dexterity. Burns mana at a constant rate for improvement.
Rate: +50% Dexterity: 10 mana/ second
Master’s Message → Message: Send short mental messages to anyone you have met. No limits when sending or receiving messages from anyone you have met.
Lead’s Supporter: Expend mana to improve your eyes and mind, allowing you to glimpse into the flow of another’s movements. Understand the shifts in their muscles and gaze. Follow in their footsteps without missing a beat.
Mana Signature: Imprint your mana upon other objects or spells. Treat the object as if it was one created by your own magic.
Gypsy Magic (Unique): Gain the ability and understanding required to perform ritualistic magic.
Temporary Mana Battery → Manaform Battery (Unique): Your incredible understanding of mana and skills opens an avenue for its containment. Store a magical spell or effect. Convert the mana to use for your own purposes. The contained mana will add to your pool. Can exceed the maximum.
Dancer’s Pull: Tug on the emotions of those around you. Your very presence draws the eye. Know how to tug and pull at others’ emotions.
Partner of Mana: The chosen partner of mana itself, you attempt to dance with its grand form. Manipulate the mana with your movements. Your partner flows to your rhythm, improving the rate at which your mana recovers.
Mask of the Slave → Face of Mana: Your appearance is a physical representation of your mana and cannot be changed or altered by others.
Bound Dancer’s Chain → Manaform Dancer’s Gift (Unique): A dancer is never alone. Choose a partner to gain access to their magic. Trust is needed for the bond.
Current Partner: None
Body of the Manaform Gypsy (Unique): Your body has been destroyed and reformed by mana. As a being of pure mana, you do not age. You cannot die from anything other than the complete depletion of your mana. Your body generates its own mana at an increased rate. You no longer require stamina, and all endurance will be converted into intelligence.
The Chimera of the Beginning’s First Marked (Unique): The first to be marked by the Chimera. The boon of the Chimera, your skills advance more quickly. The monster’s interest is not without benefits. Gain levels more rapidly. Race changes become more common. The Chimera has no control over you as it has offered you a new beginning, but your growth will help the Chimera grow.