POV: Basluth

I made some good progress on the vampire's class but now I need a break. Almost getting a creative block here.

Maybe the dumb Creedos made something interesting for once, gotta get some inspiration somewhere.

...

Nah, just the usual trash. Just pure power as always, no nuance, no substance. No wonder they can churn out so many classes on demand. It is basically just copy-paste-junk.

I want to delete it but... I'm running low on DP. I can easily finish and transmit my work to the vampiric elf before the Creed can, no danger there. I can't go all-out anyway, gotta make do with what little DP I have left.

So I'll have to let this insult stay. 'Void Blandish', they call it... almost feels like an insult directed at me. Maybe I've been too obvious, they had to catch on to something going on eventually, can't always blame everything on their shoddy methods or incompetence.

What else are they up to?

Uh, vacation? Their whole operation here was shut down? Do they feel so secure in their imagined victory?

...can't afford any trick to exploit this temporary vulnerability. Need my remaining DP for my long-term plans. I'm already too short on what I need them for, had to make way too many concessions.

I should stop looking before I get tempted into wasting DP on non-consequential sabotage...

With that out of the way, let me rather put the finishing touch on my latest masterpiece.

...

There, finally done with that class. Not the best I've ever done but still turned out quite decently.

Did I miss anything the bloody elf wanted or is that as good as I could make it? I've only a modicum of DP left but that would be enough for some final adjustments.

Deathless Patron Divine Demon Lord class Growth Rates

31 HP, 60 MP, 57 SP, 3 STR, 5 DEX, 4 VIT, 6 MAG, 6 FTH, 5 WIL, 8 CHA Dark Lord

Passive, cannot be negated

Negate all forms of plot armor in a 10 mile radius.

Provides immunity to attacks from outside the same system. Dark Gift

X MP, X SP, with X = target's max HP, half if target is willing

You can bestow a copy of one of your base classes as an extra class with halved growth rates to the target.

Additionally, the target's outlook will be slightly shifted to be more in line with yours; the exact changes depend on the target's mental fortitude.

This skill can only be cast again on the same target once they have performed a quest you've given them. Summon Surge

Passive

Increases the number of spirits you can create by 2.

You can add 2 additional base job classes to your summoned spirits, one of which may be an elite class.

Your summoned spirits can (partially or fully) pay their own upkeep after getting summoned. Rocs Fall, Everyone Dyes

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Once per day

Call forth 20 Roc monsters with a level of (this skill's level).

For every fifth skill level, one Roc is upgraded to an elite version.

The Rocs drop from the sky and take as well as inflict rand(100,400)% MAG earth damage on impact.

Surviving Rocs are loyal to you and follow your orders.

When a Roc created by this skill dies, it explodes in a burst of paint.

This skill fails if you already control 50 or more Rocs.

Let's see... He wanted help with his summons. A bigger and stronger army for less cost should do the trick, so check. Couldn't fit in a full-on lifting of the spellcasting restriction for them, though, didn't have enough DP for that.

A way to empower his allies, check as well. Had to add an easily exploited loophole there to drive the cost way down. Just 'fetch me a drink' or 'give me a massage' should do the trick. Heh, if he plays his cards well, his allies might even surpass him in power; usually, extra classes don't nearly give as much power as this would allow.

Not sure why he wanted a way to spawn monster swarms but the Rocs should do the trick. They either kill themselves for instant exp or survive and do what he wants from them, be it mounts or cannon fodder. Eh, even if they survive, that would give him some exp, two birds with one stone, literally. So, double-check, I guess.

Well, I think I've done what I could, and now I'm broke. So either he succeeds to rid us of that DP-sucking artifact or... there's no or. He must succeed, I need my revenge on Gyev. Yulia deserves as much...

Huh, how long did I take to make this? Hmm... a bit longer than I used to, I'm getting rusty.

How much progress has he made by now, how ready is his soul to receive my masterpiece? It should be about 17% or so, 20% at most.

I tap into my last few DP reserves to spy on the little bloodsucker's soul.

...over 251%!? That can't be right. What the hell is wrong now!?

This rating is... unprecedented. I've never seen in all my years a value even close to 100%, let alone far above it.

Or... is he really that compatible with my creation? I can't believe it. Did I perhaps draw the jackpot?

I'm a bit hesitant, this is just suspicious, things don't just work in one's favor like that but...

...

I really should prepone the transfer. Yeah, he needs all the time he can get to grow, and the sooner he gets to use this new power the better. It can only get worse from here on out.

I hit the 'start transfer' button.

Now I'm waiting. Maybe I should start preparing some additional teaching material for the vampire in the meantime, I have a lot less time than thought to get ready.

...

ERROR: Transfer failed. Target not found.

Uh, pardon? What's wrong this time?

But... his soul signal is still there, why don't you find it? Stupid system!!

...

After calming down, I retry the transfer.

ERROR: Target has already reached its limit of divine classes.

That... that can't be right. It mustn't.

Did the creed get to him before me? That's... unlikely. I saw their work, it wasn't even halfway done.

Goddamn, don't do this to me! I've already invested too much to fail now!

...

Do I have to search for a new candidate now? ...how? I... I don't have enough DP for an extensive search, I...

I check my remaining DP and I seem to have enough DP for one face-to-face session and... not much more. Maybe two tries to find someone, three if I give up on half of the requirements in a candidate... I couldn't even invite someone for an interview. Whoever I choose I would've to force to accept without checking with them at all.

Tableslam

Damn! Damn! Damn!

Who'd fit that bill... How should I find someone suitable with these restrictions?

Sigh

It really went too well in the last couple of years, didn't it...

I glance over at the class I created and...

D̶̜̂ě̷̱a̶͇̅t̵̘͠h̷̳͒ľ̸͓e̸̗̅š̷̤ș̸̀ ̴̦̎P̵̠̈́á̴̝t̴͖̋r̷̗̍o̸̬̎n̷̖̚ ERROR: Data not found.

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