"How, oh how, are you alive?" Zel muttered to himself from within his private chambers back in his personal pocket dimension known as Ardetia, which resided within the 14th Blasphemous Hell.
He had his legs kicked up on a table as a part of his consciousness watched the actions of a certain Golden Foxkin.
By all accounts, the strapping young fellow should be dead. Not a single one of the proper precautions needed to avoid death by infernal flame exposure was in place at that rustic little roadside camp in the Farwinds.
Sure, if Zel had commanded a lesser type of infernal flame, survival could be expected with a handful of weak side effects.
His flames were pure and without a distinct form, however, and that made them all the more potent for the unprepared.
When Zel had met with Sheelda, the rules forced him to allow her to leave with no permanent injuries, so while looking at his facial hair had injured her slightly, it wasn't anything serious since he had been suppressing the life-threatening aspects of his infernal flames for her sake.
Lone, on the other hand, had been in his presence for minutes with no such courtesies afforded to him. He had stared into Zel's eyes and had looked at his beard and eyebrows without so much as a wince.
Sure, there was a hint of damage to the boy's soul but one of the three guests within him that even Zel feared was undoing that damage with each passing hour.
"The only answer is a unique one, isn't it?" Zel asked himself as a smile crept onto his face. "My little toy, you have multiple unique skills, now don't you? What to do with this information..."
There were many people he could sell such information to; mortals, infernals, celestials, dragons, Divines, or even some of the eldritch beings with enough sense in them to speak with.
Selling it was too simple though. No, he'd hold onto this and keep it all to himself for now. He wanted to make use of his new toy, after all, now didn't he?
Through his consciousness, Zel witnessed as the foxkin gathered up his companions and then announced, "Soph, head for the capital. This Sheelda issue needs to be dealt with, one way or the other."
Zel nodded, rather content with himself. "The dice never lie. Why I do say, these past couple of days have been more productive than even the last few centuries combined."
He was ridding himself of a life-long nuisance and such an interesting mortal was mere inches away from putting itself into an inescapable deal with the devil.
There was one, concern, however. ""She" definitely destroyed all of the copies of that infernal tome. There's no way the Omnidevil's would have lied about that, even if it happened well before my time."
Zel tapped his finger onto the desk a few times in thought. "How then, did this little fox read its contents?"
He witnessed through his split consciousness as the lovely little human woman disappeared as if by magic. Likely because she had done it with magic.
"Another unique skill?" Zel's smile only grew. "How infinitely interesting."
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Lone waited, seated at the campfire, elbows on his knees and with the fingers of his hands interlocked.
With Soph's Teleportation capabilities and considering her MP pool, it would only take her and Sophie a couple of days to return with Sheelda in hand.
He had a plan in mind. One he didn't like, but anything was better than letting the devil win.
"Oi, what're ya sulkin' fer?" Hamish asked him.
Lone regarded the man who was more than a century old with exasperation. "I'm annoyed that I'm gonna have to stay here in the Farwinds for probably a few more months than I wanted to, assuming the Sheelda and devil issue resolves the way I intend it to."
Hamish thumbed his nose and nodded as he sat down next to him. "Fair 'nuff. Ah dinnae care enuff tae ask ye o' yer plans. So, instead o' bein' ah soorpuss, wanna train instead? Ye, me, an' the wee lassie."
Lone pursed his lips at that. "I mean, sure. We've got a few days until Soph returns anyway, so may as well be productive."
"Aye, 'ats the spirit. Any skill or skills ya wanna work on in particular?" Hamish asked in a friendly tone.
Lone nodded. "Yeah. Wanna get Blood Clone's additional effect - the one I got the skill for. And on the side, there's a new idea I have for Meditation and the memory banks for Puzzle Locked Mind."
"And I'll work on Teachin' Mastery wae the wee'un," Hamish replied.
"What level're you at in the skill?" Lone asked.
Hamish shrugged. "Probbly lower 'an ye. Intermediate level three."
"Yeah, I'm at advanced level five," Lone bragged, a smug grin on his face. "I'm a fast learner."
"Yer ah bastard is what ya are," Hamish grumbled. "Well, nae time like the present. Breena! Get over 'ere! Ye an' me are gonna attack Lone until his daft wee blob ah blood can block us withoot 'is input!"
"Y-Yes, Mister Hamish!" Breena yelled in response as she began running over to them.
Lone shook his head wryly. 'I was fully prepared to let you two die if it was required for me to escape the Arch Devil and I still am ready to make that sacrifice if needed. I wonder if that makes me a cold-hearted and cruel man? I don't think it does, but who knows.'
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Two days of non-stop training came and went with plenty to show for it.
Hamish had gained a single level in Teaching Mastery while Breena had levelled both Needle Mastery and Cooking Mastery once each, bringing them to beginner level two.
Lone, on the other hand, had gained exactly what he wanted for the pair of skills he had been training while also levelling up a couple of others. The only thing he hadn't earned was a new additional effect or any significant change in Meditation.
Congratulations! The host's active skill [Blood Clone] has levelled up! It is now Advanced Level 4.
Congratulations! The host's active skill [Blood Clone] has levelled up! It is now Advanced Level 5.
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
Congratulations! The host's hard work and experimentation has resulted in their active skill [Blood Clone] gaining a new effect when otherwise it would not have gained one!
Active Skill: Blood Clone
A skill popular amongst blood mages who have Vigour higher than that of the average mage.
The host may create a connection between their blood and their mind, allowing them to control the blood to do their bidding.
The limits of the Blood Clone are defined by the host's ability and by the skill's rank in equal measure.
Maximum size: 7,540 [+543] drops of blood.
Maximum density: Each drop is equal in hardness to softwood [up from a grain of sand].
Maximum speed: 4.02m [+0.21m] per second.
The host can now create and keep the clone within their own bloodstream, allowing very precise control of said bloodstream.
[New!] When not being directed to do anything else, the clone will passively attempt to protect the host from all attacks.
Cost: 3,000 SP Mastery: Advanced Level 5
It had taken giving the contract binding Hamish the permission to allow him to attempt to kill Lone for the additional effect to manifest. That and several hours of constantly getting stabbed by what would have been fatal strikes on any other C-ranker.
Finally, however, the skill now did what Lone had got it for in the first place. It just needed to get harder, faster, and larger, to become a very impressive external layer of protection that could keep him safe long enough to create his Bone Armour.
On the front of Puzzle Locked Mind, of course, he had earned the memory bank additional effect - the thing that was the very reason he had purchased the information on the skill. It, however, unlike Blood Clone, hadn't levelled. This meant it hadn't ranked up either so the locks were still fairly weak.
Congratulations! The host's hard work and experimentation has resulted in their passive skill [Puzzle Locked Mind] gaining a new effect when otherwise it would not have gained one!
Passive Skill: Puzzle Locked Mind
A skill that makes the host's mind akin to a dwarven puzzle box.
Creates 5 puzzles that must be defeated sequentially for an adversary to attack your mind. The puzzles restore themselves automatically over a 4 hour period.
[New] The locks may be used to store the host's memories, allowing perfect recollection of said memories. Even when destroyed, the locks still serve this function.
Cost: N/A Mastery: Beginner Level 10
Both new additional effects proved to Lone once and for all that a rank-up wasn't necessary to improve a skill, which was incredibly good news to him. It meant master rank wasn't the ceiling for a skill that wasn't destined to evolve.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Drawing Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 9.
Congratulations! The host's passive skill [Drawing Mastery] has levelled up! It is now Beginner Level 10.
Lone found some time to draw whenever Breena and Hamish needed a break from endlessly attacking him. He'd found himself mostly sketching portraits of Soph and Sophie that didn't do their beauty any justice.
He didn't really take himself for the sentimental type or the kind of man to get lonely easily, but he really did miss her. It only went to show how deep his love was for the complicated woman.
"It ain't 'at strong, huh?" Hamish asked as he attacked Lone's exposed back, only to find a blob of blood the size of a small cup of water attempting to block the hit.
His dagger pierced right through it effortlessly.
Lone shrugged. "That's expected, but the way the skill works, it can grow infinitely since it improves outside of level and rank-ups. I don't doubt that it has the potential to be the strongest defensive skill in the world if given enough time."
"Aye, ah can see it," Hamish nodded. "Ah dae wonder what the current strongest version o' this skill looks like and is capable of."
"Good fuckin' question," Lone replied. "I'd love to inspect and research that if ever I come across i-"
Suddenly, two people appeared. One was covered in sweat and looking exhausted, and the other was surrounded by barriers and was constantly flexing and unflexing all of their muscles.
As soon as Sheelda's eyes met Lone's she redoubled her efforts to break free of Soph's Barrier Prison, no doubt being controlled by the scripture magic ensnaring her soul to kill him.
"You okay, Soph?" Lone asked.
The short blonde-haired woman that he loved was damn-near panting from exhaustion. "She's broken out three times already. I'm super low on mana and haven't slept in three days. I'm fine, and you?"
Lone chuckled at her sarcasm and felt a strong desire to wrap her in a hug but he resisted. Now wasn't the time.
"Got enough juice left to teleport yourself, Breena, and Hamish away?" he asked. "If my information is correct, she's an S-ranker, so I don't want any accidents happening while I have a chat with her."
Soph nodded weakly. "Sure. Just about, I think. Next time you want me to kidnap someone, make it easy like it was with the kids..."
"Get any levels out of it?" Lone asked as he watched her approach Breena and Hamish.
She stuck her tongue out at him. "Two in teleportation and three in Barrier Prison."
Lone smiled. "Hey, two more levels in Teleportation and it's advanced. Big progress."
"Big pain in the ass," Soph muttered as she teleported away. The very next moment, the green barrier impeding Sheelda's movements disappeared.
The dwarf flung herself at Lone madly. Without any rush and with a carefree attitude, Lone said, "Bone Armour."
Numerous punches and blows came his way, but nothing could break through or even so much as crack his malicious-looking armour.
"Feel free to keep trying to kill me. You aren't capable enough and I know the scripture magic is forcing your hand just as my own would try to strike me down if I murdered you right now," Lone said calmly as he sat down and crossed his legs, completely ignoring the S-rankers attacks. "Going after you was strictly forbidden in my contract, you see."
Sheelda didn't answer him and instead screamed as she bloodied her fists against his defences.
"No physical skills to boost you? Just raw Strength?" Lone asked as he started sliding down the road from the force of the woman's hits.
"Tail Spear," he invoked before stabbing the floor in nine different points around himself to get anchored.
"Let's talk about the devil in the room, shall we?" Lone said. "Because I have no intentions of being ensnared by a motherfuckin' Arch Devil unlike you did."
Sheelda's eyes opened wide with fear. Her lip trembled a bit even as she continued to throw herself at him pointlessly. "W-What do you mean?"
"You got finessed is what I mean. That cunt didn't agree to kill me, he agreed to get rid of your scripture magic bindings, which you didn't notice. His plan to do that was to get me to kill you, which would dispel the magic automatically," Lone explained.
Sheelda looked around frantically as if expecting the Arch Devil to appear. She clearly fully believed Lone's words and thought Zel would come to finish the job since he clearly didn't intend to.
"Don't worry, he can't interact with me in any way whatsoever unless it's just to talk, and if he showed up, his infernal flames would kill you, which would fuck him over since he isn't allowed to do that himself," Lone stated.
A few more punches and kicks bounced harmlessly off of his incredibly hard bones. "So, let's talk about how I can remove your scripture magic without killing you and what you'll give me in exchange."