Jason's eyes flickered open, his body feeling lighter, fresher than it had in days. His muscles no longer ached, and his mind was clear. "How long was I out?" he muttered, rubbing his temples as he pulled himself up.
"Over twenty-four hours," Kaitlins voice answered. She sat nearby, watching him carefully. "You were out cold. I wasn't sure if you'd wake up in time." Jason exhaled sharply. Less than two hours left for his trial. The weight of the system's restrictions still pressed against him.
Kaitlin reached into her bag and pulled out a small, black wooden ring. "This was in the Elderwood's remains. I figured it was yours." Jason took the ring and slid it onto his finger. Immediately, a cool sensation spread through his body, as if his mana was flowing more freely.
System Notification: You have obtained an Eldertree Ring
Effects: Storage Ring function: 10 cubic meters of space available
+ 15 Mana and Mana regeneration increased by 20%
A second later she handed him a glowing parchment paper. "There was this too." Jason unfolded it and read the description. A nature based skill. His lips pressed together. "You should take it," he said, pushing it back toward her. "What? It dropped from your kill though." She protested. "It suits you better." He replied.
Kaitlin hesitated, then nodded, accepting the parchment. The scroll dissolved into particles of green light, absorbing into her body. The system recognizing her new ability.
Active Skill 3/5: [Verdant Surge]
Creates an area of rapidly growing vines that trap enemies and heal allies
Cost: 6 mana per second.
Once she finished absorbing the skill Jason noticed another item standing against the wall. A long twisting wooden staff. "A weapon?" Kaitlin picked it up and felt a surge of mana course through her. The system recognized it as a magic enhancing weapon.
[Elderwood Staff]
Reduces mana consumption of skills by 10%
Jason smirked. "I guess the tree liked you more than it did me." Kaitlin rolled her eyes, but couldn't hide the excitement as she had gained a valuable weapon. Jason stood, stretching his limbs as he checked his mini-map. Nothing. He frowned. "The system says my trial isn't over, but I don't see anything?"
This meant one thing. He had to find the last First Class monster himself. With less than two hours remaining Jason set off. His movements were sharp and precise. The Gravity Seal still made him heavy, but he had fully adjusted to the restriction. His body no longer resisted, instead it worked with it.
After searching for what seemed like an hour, he felt it. A pulse of raw, animalistic killing intent. Jason's mini map flashed red. Then, he saw it. A massive, monstrous gorilla beast stood atop the crumbling remains of an old stadium. It was easily four meters tall, its thick fur plated with stone like armor. Every inch of it's body screamed brute force. Jason locked onto the status window above its head
First Order: Tyrant Gorilla - Level 35
Jason smirked, "finally, you show up". With less than thirty minutes left to complete his trial, he had to give it his all. The Tyrant Gorilla stared at him, as if he could sense his strength, then it pounded its chest.
A thunderous roar erupted through the stadium as the Gorilla used its skill:
War Cry: Temporarily Increase all stats by 20%
Jason could feel the beast getting stronger by the second. The air vibrating from the sheer force of the beast's presence. Then, it charged. Jason barely had time to react. The massive creature moving like a blur, appearing before him with shocking speed. A boulder sized fist swung towards him.
BOOM. Jason blocked the strike with his sword, but the impact sent him skidding back twenty meters. His arms throbbing from the sheer force of the attack. The gorilla was quick, but not faster than him. Jason exhaled, gripping his greatsword tightly. He activated Exoskeleton. His muscles hardened, his bones reinforced, his strength surged.
The gorilla charged once again looking to land another strike. Jason pivoted, sidestepping the attack while slashing his sword upwards, aiming for the Gorilla's ribs. CLANG! His blade barely scratching the Ape's stone armor. Jason clicked his tongue. "Tough bastard".
First Class Passive: Stone Guard (Level 2): Physical Damage Reduced by 20%
The gorilla snarled, strength storming through its arms as it swung downward. Jason barely dodged as a shockwave blasted outward, sending him flying back once more. It was a brute with incredible strength. As the dust cleared the Gorilla wasn't in site, Jason's instincts screamed for him to move.
He suddenly looked up with barely any time to react. A massive, stone coated fist smashed him from above. CRACK. Jason was sent flying through a concrete wall. His breath left him in a painful grunt. He barely rolled away as another fist came crashing down, cratering the ground where he lay.
Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.
His vision blurred, but he forced himself up activating Overdrive, his agility surging, his speed nearly doubling as it slowly creeped to to 170. The gorilla swung again. Jason dodged, then countered instantly. His sword cleaved into the beast's leg.
The Gorilla staggered. A deep gash split across its knee. Jason grinned, it felt that one. Then the air suddenly crackled. The gorilla's entire body began to spark with blue lightning.
Thunder Surge: Agility increase by 50% for 30 seconds
Jason's eyes widened slightly. It wasn't running away, it was preparing to go all in.
The Tyrant Gorilla moved even faster, now just a step behind Jason's Overdrive speed. It roared and slammed a thunder charged fist into the ground. Electricity surged outward in a shockwave. Jason jumped, barely avoiding the blast. The gorilla vanished from sight, then reappeared mid air, swinging down.
Jason crossed his sword in front of him. BOOM. The impact sending Jason crashing into the ground. As the dust settled he grit his teeth. Less than five minutes left. Time to end this. That's when Jason saw it. The gorilla crouched. A new attack.
Sonic Punch: Condenses all strength into a single strike
Jason exhaled. He only had one shot, deactivating Overdrive he poured everything into strength. His gravity still locked at 3x the normal amount. So he used it, kicking off the ground he launched himself into the sky, cracking the pavement beneath him.
The Tyrant Gorilla snarled, punching out with all it's might. Jason swung with his. Sonic punch met Starbreak. BOOOOOOOOOOM.
A massive shockwave exploded across the stadium. A blinding flash of light erupted as two overwhelming forces clashed. The world froze, the air shook, not a single being made a noise. There was complete silence as the dust settled.
Jason was lying flat on his back, head sent through a pillar of stone. Exoskeleton deactivated. His sword was not in his hands. The gorilla stood, the blade piercing straight through its heart. It's glowing eyes dimmed as it collapsed backward, the final roar dying in its throat.
Jason lay there, his blade still embedded in the beast.
----------------------------------------
System Notification: First Class Trial Complete: 30 seconds remaining.
[You have slain 3/3 First Class Monsters.]
+82 Health, + 73 Agility, + 92 Endurance, + 91 Strength, + 78 Mana
----------------------------------------
Congratulations on Completing your Trial:
Class: Unclassed → Gravity Knight
Exoskeleton → First Order Skill: Exoskeleton: Reinforces the user's body with a hardened exoskeleton, increasing combat capability.
- Increases Health by 25%
- Increases Strength by 20%
- Reduces all incoming damage by 20%
- Now grants Bio-Wings (Mana fueled flight capability)
Overdrive → First Order Skill: Overdrive: Allows the user to enhance either Agility or Strength by consuming Mana or Endurance. (Cannot use both Mana and Endurance to enhance the same stat simultaneously.)
Gravity Shift → First Order Skill: Gravity Manipulation: Manipulates the gravity in a 5 meter radius, up to 4 times.
New Passive Skill: Titanium Core: The user's bones, muscles, and internal organs have been reinforced and adapted to withstand the immense strain of Gravity Manipulation.
Level Up! x 10
All stats + 10
Name: Jason Cole
Level: 35
- Health: 194
- Agility: 193 (183 + 10)
- Endurance: 190
- Strength: 229
- Mana: 186 (171 + 15)
Unassigned Points: 20
----------------------------------------
Jason lay there, his breath steadying as the rush of battle faded. The system’s notifications flooded his vision, each one cementing the reality of his victory.
He flexed his fingers, staring at the sky. His body felt different. Stronger. No, far beyond what he had ever imagined.
Slowly, he pushed himself up. The pain that had been gnawing at his body seconds ago was gone washed away by the flood of power surging through his veins. His body no longer resisted the weight of 3x gravity. Instead, he welcomed it. It felt natural. Like he was born for this.
Jason clenched his fist, feeling the overwhelming force contained within his limbs. He had been fighting tooth and nail just to survive, but now? Now, he was a monster.
He smirked, rolling his shoulders as he tested his newfound strength. His bones felt denser, his muscles tighter and filled with raw energy. The effect of his Titanium Core passive skill was already working his body had fully adapted to the strain of his own abilities.
Jason took a deep breath. His senses were sharper. The exhaustion from battle? Gone. The crushing weight of gravity that had been his constant burden? Now a part of him.
He walked toward the fallen Tyrant Gorilla, its massive corpse still radiating faint electric energy. His sword was still lodged in its chest, the remnants of Starbreaks final impact crackling along the wound.
With one hand, Jason pulled his blade free, the heavy steel feeling lighter than ever. His mini-map no longer flashed red. His trial was over. And then, he saw it.
Lying next to the Gorilla’s heart was a faintly glowing parchment. Jason reached down, carefully picking it up. As soon as his fingers brushed against it, the system’s notification appeared.
----------------------------------------
Thunderfall: First Order Skill:
Effect: Summons a devastating thunder strike in an area. Damage scales based on Mana expenditure.
----------------------------------------
Jason read the description, a slow grin forming. "So the ape really did leave me something good."
Unlike the Tyrant Gorilla, he wouldn’t just use brute force. He would refine this skill, making it his own. He could already imagine compressing the lightning with Gravity Manipulation, turning Thunderfall into a pinpoint devastation attack.
Jason folded the parchment and absorbed the ability into his system.
He exhaled, staring down at his own hands. He had just wiped out three First-Class monsters in two days. He had completed his trial, ascended to Gravity Knight, and was now stronger than ever. Jason wasn't struggling to survive anymore. He was hunting.