CHAPTER 104
Tom shut his eyes and appeared in the system room.
He needed to get another boost to magic given how expensive all of his spells were. The current situation of just having barely enough to use his primary spells was grating on him.
But first, he wanted a skill to offset the impact of Accurate Throw. “Show skills I can purchase to improve my throwing.”
Because he had purchased a skill already and he had extra experience, the list displayed differed significantly from what had been shown before the last battle.
* Extreme Accuracy - Tier 4 - Cost: 52,000
* Rapid Throw - Tier 3 - Cost: 35,000
* Instant Throw - Tier 3 - Cost: 48,000
* Strengthened Throwing Arm - Tier 2 - Cost: 16,500
* …
Tom dismissed the first three options based on cost. While he had the raw currency, he also needed to keep increasing his levels. Like always, he had to balance his resources between competing priorities. With the coming event, he needed levels more than to improve the fundamentals in what would only ever be one portion of his offensive output. Pushing fifty thousand into a skill was not prudent even if they were awesome.
Skill: Rapid Throw–Tier 3
For two seconds of real time, the speed of all activities related to throwing is increased by three hundred percent. Sixty-second recharge time.
Duration, impact and frequency of skill are improved with skill levels.
It would let him launch almost ten stones over two seconds. Given that each rock was lethal against swarm type enemies in the right circumstances, being able to boost his targeted damage output at key moments could easily save his life. The recharge time was not even an issue as ten Throw Rock would deplete a chunk of his limited mana.
Skill: Instant Throw–Tier 3
A throwing action occurs instantly. Seventy-second recharge time.
Frequency of skill is improved with skill levels.
Tom wanted this one to just for its coolness factor. Could it save his life? Probably not as reliably as Rapid Throw, at least at level one, but it was the superior Skill as shown by its price. He would not pay experience to confirm, but his gut told him that it scaled better with levels than Rapid Throw. Threshold bonuses probably added additional throws and when the skill granted three rapid throws its ability to save his life leapt up a level particularly if he was in a melee surviving with his spear skills he would then get the angles and opportunities to ensure the throws landed.
He immediately wished that he had kept his discipline and not reviewed the details because he now wanted them.
“Throw Rock is only a small part of your offense,” he reminded himself. Then he frowned. “But buying more expensive skills is superior to purchasing lots of lesser ones.”
Tom laughed at himself. Both pathways made sense, but there was always shiny stuff out there. He didn’t need to mortgage his future to get it right away. The search function knew what it was doing, so he focused on that fourth option that was at least in his price range.
Skill: Strengthened Throwing Arm–Tier 2
This is an advanced throwing skill, and it works by increasing agility and strength through the arm while throwing. Level one improves agility by two ranks and strength by one when throwing. Each additional skill level further improves agility and strength in the same ratio. Higher levels also improve perception and depth vision.
Tom read the description and mock pouted. It was so terribly boring… and sort of what he needed… and unfortunately in his price range.
“Long term, Tom.”
Between this skill and Accurate Throw, at least once he got a few levels in them, his deadliness with the Throw Rock spell would be increased greatly.
“Purchase External Awareness, Strengthened Throwing arm and then raise Summoner Class to nine.” How the class worked was that a magic boost was awarded every four levels, starting at one. Which in this case was at level five and nine and so on. “And the rest into as many tank levels as possible. Class points into lightning steps and class spell boost. Then show key changes.”
Classes Level - Fourteen
Lightning Tank: 5 (+3) - Expert
Elemental Summoner: 9 (+3) - Expert
Attributes
Strength: 78 (+9 Class, +3 Title: Strength Spring)
Vitality: 91 (+9 Class, +6 Title: Vitality font)
Agility: 79 (+12 Trait: Fates Agility, +1 Natural Vitality)
Magic: 93 (+24 Level 9 bonus, -2 Fates Agility)
Fate: 137 (+12 Trait: Fates Agility, +6 Title: Competition Shaker (I))
Mana Pool: Magic * 2 = 186
Spells
Lightning–Affinity 83
Spark: 64 (-69) (Tier 0) Re-acquired
Lightning Spears (16) (Tier 3) New
Lightning Ball: 18 (Tier 3)
Lightning Skin: 18 (+1) (Tier 2)
Earth–Affinity 91 (+9)
Earth Manipulation 128 (Tier 0) New
Throw Rock 64 (Tier1) New
Stone Skin Partial 32 (Tier 2) New
Remote Earth Manipulation 24 (Tier 3) New
Stone Golem 16 (Tier 4) New
Harnessed Meteorite 12 (Tier 4) New
Earth Sense 16 (Tier 3) New
Healing–Affinity 64
Touch Heal: 95 (Tier 0)
General
Summon Playful Wisp: 69 (+18 from class passives) (Tier 0)
Summon Lightning Elemental: 17 (+2 from class passives) (Tier 3)
Summoner: (23) (Tier 1)
Low Light Vision: 42 (Tier 0)
Clean Others: 3 (+2) (Tier 0)
Clean Teeth 4: (+2) (Tier 0)
Cut Hair: 1 (Tier 0
Skills
Pact Master: 23 (Tier 2)
Elemental Whisper: 38 (Tier 1)
Elastic Regenerating Skin: 18 (+2) (Tier 2)
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Burst Cast: 62 (tier 0)
Plane Sense: 25 (tier 2)
Health Burn: 5 (+4) (Tier 3)
Mana burn: 2 (+1) (Tier 3)
Lightning Feet: 12 (Tier 3)
Lightning Dodge: 6 (Tier 4)
Strengthened Throwing arm: 1 (Tier 2) New
Accurate Throw: 2 (+1) (Tier 1) New
External Awareness: 1 (Tier 2) New
Class Passive Skills
Class spell boost: 38 (+9 Class, +9 from Trait: Elemental Summoner Passives)
Lightning Tank Feet: 15 (+15 Class)
Traits
Free Class Slot, Epic Soul Space, Fates Agility, Child of Elements, Elemental Summoner Passives
Titles
Lightning Mystic, Friend of the Elementals, Strength Spring, Vitality Fount, Healing Sponge(III), Venom Resistance (V), Competition Shaker (I), Trial Dominator (II), Trial Speedster (IX), Expert Eight Double Advance Double Expert, Camouflage Piercing–Stone (new), Stage Advancement (Earth) (new), Earth Friend (new), Stone Skin (new), Golem Master (II) (new), Golem Prodigy (new)
Other
Soul Space: 16 slots (+6) and 0.38 (+.12) metres cubed
Experience: 7,121
Ranking Points: 1839 (+278)
Tom was now officially rank ten. Which, while impressive given his starting attributes in this world was nothing compared to the wider world. He had doubled all of his attributes once and he would need to do it again before he could challenge even the average soldier from the surrounding kingdoms and unlike the monsters he had challenged in Existentia it was far harder to cross ranking gaps when you fought sapients. They would all have their own Skills and Spells which were possibly as high levelled as his own.
That doubling was only to fight on a one vs one basis against the average. But it would never be one vs one against soldiers. There were millions of rank twenties just in the surrounding lands.
Tom sighed.
The increase in strength was significant for the coming event waves and he felt fortunate to have earned the experience that he had. Six levels in one day was huge, especially when he compounded it with his moderate improvement in his Throw Rock offensive option but…
He sighed again.
The two new throwing skills were superb. He wanted to develop them further until it became a lethal low-cost option. As he gained extra levels and started crossing thresholds with his Skills he imagined that the combination would continue to grow in power. At some point, once he had sufficient levels even without using the magical spell he could launch a projectile and hurt creatures equal to his rank, then if he layered the magic over the top he would destroy most monsters.
Short term the choice had cost him several levels but the long-term potential made the investment worth it. He planned on using Throw Rock extensively to where it became his major ranged damage dealer. Harnessed Meteorite for long range, Throw Rock for medium with Lightning Ball as a backup if the enemy was too fast for Throw Rock or resistant to physical damage and if they closed in tight, then his spear and Lightning Spears would become the core part of his build. His other skills would all be utility to distract the enemy or in the case of Touch Heal to keep him alive.
Absently, he flicked on his System Room Sensitivity skill with the standard setting. What else did he need to do?
Maybe it was worth checking the auction house for anything to help his golem. Something cheap might have appeared.
The room shattered around him, and he was back in his real world.
He rubbed his arm and glared at Everlyn who had poked him with a sharp magic arrow.
“What?” he spluttered.
“See told you he would buy it.”
Everyone was laughing at him.
“Leave him alone.” Michael said with a smile. “We already know he gets excited and takes his time to do things right. You three.”
Tom saw the other three’s eyes go blank and then they opened their eyes straight away and he realised that everyone else had taken the time to purchase a single skill while Tom had tried to do everything that he had outstanding.
“Also,” Claire suggested. “We should think about a method that will create an alarm if the killer gets one of us. Some form of linked charms or something, so the rest of us can respond immediately if there’s an ambush.”
“Good idea.” Michael suggested. “Now, I believe we need to let Tom go get his oversized reward.”
Tom followed behind the others. He still had forty-five fate, ready and curiously he listened to gauge how rewarding the loot portal was going to be.
“One percent, and this is a nice sword.”
“Tier one engraving pen. Didn’t even kill a goblin.”
He saw a crafter with no fate left hugging slug-silk, a valuable tier 2 crafting material. There looked to be sufficient for five to six robes.
Thumper was putting his hands into some new gauntlets.
Gauntlets of Dodge - soul bound
Adds 5 skill levels to Dodge. If you don’t have the skill already, you will be granted the dodge skill at level one.
“New skill,” Thumper crowed.
Tom glimpsed happy smiles, and very few upset looks and decided that the rewards must have been substantial. They had successfully defended against the first wave of a settlement event in an area that was four ranks higher than them. He shouldn’t have been that surprised about the overstated bonuses. In Existentia, you got rewarded by the level of challenge and apparently attempting to set up an impossible event by settling in an inappropriate area was lucrative.
They had lucked out. And it was not luck. It was not like the GODs would tolerate attempts to arbitrage the system.
They knew if you were serious about setting up a settlement.
They could read intent and that meant there was no way of tricking them.
This windfall was purely the result of ignorance.
This opportunity had occurred because Thumper, Joline and the group had decided to settle in the location without understanding the impossibility of that decision, given the rank disparity. They, for however brief a period, had been a hundred percent committed to the action. Given the decision was driven by fear and they had discovered the certain death would result from trying to claim the settlement, Tom was pretty confident none of the original settlers were still devoted to this place.
Tom stopped right in front of the portal. It blazed brightly, reaching his shoulder. It could contain anything.
He wanted to keep some fate for later, so he only contributed half his pool along with a desire to find something that would help elevate his abilities and prepare him for his coming journey.
He reached into the space and felt around. His roaming hands felt out two items. The first was a ball about the size of his fist, and he pulled it out carefully.
Control Orb (Tier 1)
This control orb can control a golem.
At tier 1, it can accept basic commands and is compatible with most golem summoning spells.
Without checking, he knew this orb could be inserted into his existing golem. The GODs could certainly play pranks, but not with reward portals. They would not give him an object like this and then stop him from using it on his existing golem that needed a control orb based on a technicality.
He tossed the ball in his hand. It was not the most sexy loot he had ever seen, but it was useful for him now. Tom had been toying with the idea of summoning a wisp to control the golem overnight because the base controls of his spell form was insufficient for the task. The problem was that the flighty wisp was arguably a worse option than turning the golem off. And it would have to have been a wisp because there was no way he was risking the relationship he was building with the lesser elemental to get a guard over night and Tom knew that no matter how he spun it or wished otherwise, if he summoned the elemental when there was no battle he would lose its loyalty. After they were more established, making that type of mistake, once, might be something he could get away with. Now? He didn’t think that even his earlier generosity would help. A lot of its payoff would be from the foes it fought and defeated. Without the boost the elemental received from battle, what Tom offered was not worth it and he still lacked the raw mana to offer terms that did not rely on circumstances to enrich them. As for wisps, he could create a contract to compensate them sufficiently without a battle because of their smaller needs. However, he did not want one of those flighty things piloting a construction that weighed over a tonne. The playful personality of earth elements would be suppressed relative to most other elemental types by earth’s solidity, but it was still too much of a risk putting a wisp in charge of something that large and dangerous.
What would happen if it decided to hug Everlyn?
Tom shuddered at the thought or worse someone like Sonya who couldn’t defend themselves.
Luckily, Tom did not have to worry about it anymore.
No wisp, this orb was significantly better. It could run the golem for everyday purposes and if there was a significant fight coming, he could re-summon the lesser elemental to pilot it during a complex battle situation.
With a thought, the sphere vanished into his soul space.
The loot portal still called out for him so he knew a second item awaited. He reached in and pulled it out.
Weight of the Earth Pants - Soul Bound (Tier 3)
These pants have the following characteristics:
* Immunity to Earth Damage
* Extreme resistance to blunt force
* Medium defence against piercing and slashing
* Medium magical resistance against elemental magic
* Self repairing
Grants the Tier 0 earth ability - Hard to Move at the skill level of your highest elemental magic.
Growth. On owners, progression through class level thresholds may grant additional earth spells and/or gain defensive characteristics.
Tom nodded. A tier three armour piece was better than he had hoped, and this one was quality even for the tier. The defensive characteristics, of course, only applied to strikes on his legs, but the fact that it would almost completely absorb a strike from any of the standard monsters or people around him was useful. Someone like Thor could smash his knee with a full swing of his hammer, and the attack would bounce right off.
Then there was the spell associated with the armour. It was only tier zero, but it came on at his highest skill level as opposed to the usual fifty percent penalty. That would give him an extra threshold benefit.
Spell: Hard to Move (256) Tier 0
Passive skill toggleable.
Increases your effective weight when people or object run into you and reduces damage taken proportionally. Bonus weight does not apply when you initiate the contact. Amount of additional weight is increased by skill level. Current weight increase 780%, damage reduction from collision 93%.
Threshold bonus 128 - Passive Toggleable. A quarter of the spell benefit applies when you initiate contact.
Threshold bonus 256 - Active Spell. For fifty mana, double effective weight and improved damage resistance for five seconds.
Threshold bonus 512 - Active spell. For an extra forty mana, become immovable and immune to all collision damage for 1 second. Cannot be used offensively (Title: Stage Advancement (Earth))
Tom managed not to jump up and down and do a fist pump. There was so much he could do with these pants and those threshold benefits.