Jason stood over the corpse, still laughing manically until Alex reached out a hand and touched his arm, making Jason jump back instinctively and summon a Shadow bolt. Alex threw up his hands in self-defence, while Bernard summoned his shield, stepping in front of Alex to protect him from Jason.
Jason suddenly regained his composure, dispelling the shadow bolt and speaking to the pair, “Sorry about that. I'm still on edge from the fight," he said, his voice trembling with excitement. "I've never felt such power before. It's like I tapped into something."
Alex and Bernard exchanged worried glances, unsure of what to make of Jason's newfound abilities. Alex cautiously approached him, "What happened back there, Jason? How did you defeat that level 6 warrior, from what I saw he was no joke?"
"I don't know," Jason replied, shaking his head. "It was like a surge of energy took over me. I felt this overwhelming desire to win, to be the last one standing, to kill him. And then, it was like the shadow bolt became an extension of myself. I could control it, manipulate it, and change it how I see fit."
Bernard lowered his shield, still keeping a watchful eye on Jason. "You've changed, man," he said. "I've never seen you like this before. You don't seem like yourself right now."
Jason looked down at his hands, his expression serious. "I don't fully understand it myself, but I feel like something has awakened in me. It's like the system has granted me this power, and I need to figure out how to harness it."
Alex hesitated for a moment before speaking again, "But Jason, using that power… you killed those warriors so ruthlessly."
Jason's gaze softened. "I know, but I do believe I did the right thing. If I didn't kill them, they would have come after us and done much worse. A part of me enjoyed it and relished in their defeat. I've never felt anything like that before - I felt free, free to choose my path. And if you don't agree with it, then you're a fool because the old world is gone, and you need to get with the times. If you're weak, the strong will take what they want from you."
Before Alex could respond, Bernard placed a hand on Jason's shoulder, offering support. "We'll figure this out together," he said. "But right now, we need to focus on finding Mark and getting back to the group."
As the three of them continued their journey to find Mark, Jason couldn't shake the strange sense of euphoria he felt after the battle. It was a mix of excitement and fear, knowing that he was capable of taking lives if necessary. He questioned his own actions and wondered if the system was truly changing him.
Alex and Bernard were deep in thought as well, processing what they had witnessed. Jason's behaviour was concerning, but they understood the harsh reality of this new world they were in. Survival required strength and adaptability, and sometimes that meant making difficult choices.
As they kept walking in the forest, they spotted Mark sitting under a tree, seemingly lost in thought. Upon seeing the others, Mark stood up and approached them with a worried expression.
"Where have you guys been? I heard a lot of noise and explosions," Mark said, glancing at Jason's stern expression.
Jason hesitated for a moment, unsure of how to explain what had happened. But Bernard spoke up, choosing his words carefully. "We encountered some hostile people. Jason managed to take them down, but it was... intense."
Jason wondered to himself why the forest didn't say anything to Mark about what happened. The last thing Jason remembered about Mark was him in a cocoon of roots, protected by the forest.
Mark's eyes widened, realizing the gravity of the situation. "Hostile people? Are you saying that people are actually killing each other in this tutorial?"
Alex nodded solemnly. "Yes, it seems that way. The system has changed everything, and it's a harsh reality we have to face."
Mark looked visibly disturbed, but he knew that dwelling on it wouldn't help their situation. "Alright, we need to stick together and be cautious. There's no telling what dangers we'll encounter."
They continued on their journey, with Jason still pondering the changes within himself. He couldn't shake the feeling that something inside him had awakened, a darker and more primal part of him that he had never known before.
But just as Jason thought about checking his system notifications, Caroline ran to them, asking if they were okay. All they received in response was a look of profound sadness, with no words spoken. Caroline didn't press for more information, sensing the gravity of the situation. Dorothy, who had joined them, asked about Adrian's whereabouts, only to be met with the heartbreaking news of his death. Dorothy stood there in shock, unable to find the words to express her grief, while Bernard provided a brief account of the ambush and how Jason and Alex had arrived just a moment too late to save Adrian's life.
The group stood in stunned silence as the weight of their loss settled upon them. Jason, breaking the silence, spoke up with a determined tone. "We need to gather ourselves, start a fire, and get some rest. We'll rise early and focus on hunting and levelling up." Alex was about to voice his reservations, but Bernard interjected, agreeing with Jason's plan. He emphasized that by staying strong and levelling up, they could better defend themselves. Pointing to Jason and Alex, the only ones with levels in the group, Bernard assured the others that they would help them reach level 1 and acquire their own skills.
Jason nodded in agreement. As they reached the campsite in solemn silence, Jason collected the firewood that Mark had gathered. He turned to Alex and asked if he could use his skill to start the fire. Alex, still carrying the weight of his emotions, let out a deep sigh, releasing the mistrust and doubt that had clouded his mind. Kneeling down beside Jason, he summoned his skill and ignited the fire. Alex then placed his hand on Jason's shoulder and nodded, conveying his understanding and acceptance of Jason's actions and the conviction he had shown in the face of adversity.
The group then made the fire, making plans to sleep as Bernard and Jason volunteered to keep watch, just in case something happened.
Jason sat by the fire, keeping watch alongside Bernard. As the others slept, he took the opportunity to check his system notifications, eager to see the rewards for their hard-fought battles.
‘U have slain level 4 rogue, +50TP, +200 EXP'
‘U have slain level 3 warrior, +35TP, +150 EXP’
‘U have slain level 6 warrior, +120TP, +450 EXP’
‘You have reached level 5, level cap reached’
‘Skill Selection Available’
Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.
‘Participant will not be able to level up until skill is chosen’
‘You have 40 stat points to distribute
‘Inherent ability detected ‘Son Of The Reaper’’
‘Title unlocked: Original sin’
‘Skill unlocked Mana control (common)’
‘Shadow bolt upgraded from (Uncommon) to (Rare)’
Reading through the notifications, Jason's eyes widened in amazement. The thrill of victory surged through him as he saw the rewards of their battles. The defeated foes had granted him a substantial amount of TP and experience points, propelling him to level 8. With his newfound level, he had 40 stat points to allocate, allowing him to further customize his abilities.
But what caught his attention the most was the appearance of an ability, 'Son Of The Reaper.' The name alone sent shivers down his spine, and he couldn't help but wonder what it entailed. Perhaps this was a skill related to his affinity with shadow and darkness. The title 'Original Sin' was also intriguing, indicating that he might have done something extraordinary or unique within the system.
Another significant development was the upgrade of his signature skill, 'Shadow Bolt,' from a common skill to an uncommon one. This upgrade would likely enhance its power and effectiveness, making it a more formidable weapon in battles to come.
As Jason contemplated the implications of his newfound abilities, he felt a sense of responsibility weighing on his shoulders. With greater power came greater challenges, and he knew he had to continue growing.
He also noticed how killing people gave a lot more TP and EXP compared to monsters. This made it more obvious why the ambushers were so willing to kill people rather than monsters. He then decided to identify his title: "Original Sin" - a title given to those who awaken an original inherent ability that isn't recorded in the system archives. It provided +20% to all stats and +50 Storage.
Jason was shocked. The storage alone was amazing, but +20% to all stats was even better. He couldn't complain about it. He knew that percentage-based bonuses were not something that came easily, so he wondered why he received them so easily. The title mentioned that he unlocked an original inherent ability, so that's what he checked next: identifying "Son of the Reaper."
Son Of The Reaper (Common): Given to Jason Hayes after reaching a critical moment in his life, realizing that in order to get what he needs, he has to get stronger and do whatever is necessary: +25 to all stats,+25% to intelligence, +25% dark affinity, +500 to dark affinity, Active skill unlocked due to Inherent Ability:
Death's Embrace (Common): Gives Jason Hayes the ability to devour his enemies' corpses, stealing a portion of their stats (the enemy must be inflicted with Jason's Dark affinity before death, must be used within 5 minutes of death, cannot be used on higher-level individuals than Jason).
Jason was star-struck, sitting there not knowing what to do, say, or frankly anything. All that came out was a quiet "Fuck." turned to him and asked if everything was okay, and Jason turned to him, still in shock, and said nothing, just checking my stats. Jason then turned back to his stats and tried not to think about it right now and just kept going through the rest of his notifications, which mentioned that he couldn't level up until he picked a skill. Jason mentally thought, "Skill selection," and got presented with five skills. Jason went through them all:
Dark Resilience (Common): Passive skill
Harnesses the power of darkness to enhance the user's resilience against dark-based attacks and effects. Effect: +20% dark resistance, -10% resistance to other elements.
Skill: Night Vision (Common): Passive skill
Enhances the ability to see in the dark, granting improved vision in low-light conditions. Effect: +50% visibility in dimly lit areas or at night.
Shadow Veil (Rare): Active Skill
Allows the user to cloak themself in shadows, granting invisibility and improved stealth capabilities. Effect: +30% stealth. Cost: 10 Mana Per Second
Requirements: Dark Affinity:10, Intelligence: 30, Agility: 20.
Skill: Soul Siphon (Rare): Passive Skill
Description: Utilizes the Users connection to the shadows to siphon a portion of his enemies' life force upon successfully landing an attack. Effect: 5% life steal on each successful hit.
Requirements: Dark Affinity:50, Intelligence: 50.
Skill: Shadowkin (Epic): Active Skill
Allows the user to create a 5-meter circle around them and merge with the shadows, becoming one with the darkness around them. Effect: makes the user immune to physical attacks and enhances movement speed by 50% for 5 minutes. Usable once every 10 minutes. (When in shadow form, the user uses mana at the cost of 100 Mana per second. If the user takes damage, it is deducted from mana. Once Mana has run out through damage or Mana exhaustion, the skill will automatically cancel. Anyone within the circle is affected by Dark Affinity Mana to a lesser degree.
Jason looked on in shock. He didn't even bother remembering the other skills until he saw the last one, "Shadowkin." He was scared that he didn't have enough intelligence, but for some reason, he knew he could select the skill. He mentally chose "Shadowkin," and the skill selection window disappeared, flooding his mind with knowledge. It was strange; he didn't feel this with the other skill that he acquired from his inherent ability. After it was done, Jason thought he should probably check out his stats as he hadn't done so in a while:
Name: Jason Hayes
Level: 5
Moniker: N/A
Race: Human (F)
Class: Mage
Subclass: Warlock (Epic)
Profession: N/A
Titles:
Forerunner: +5% to all stats
Warlock of Beginnings: +10% intelligence, +10% mana, +10% vitality, +5 inventory capacity
Mage: +10 to intelligence, +10 to mana
Warlock: +15 intelligence, +15 mana, +2 vitality
Original Sin: +20% to all stats and +50 Storage
Vitality: 34
Stamina: 6
Mana: 143
Strength: 9
Intelligence: 166
Perception: 5
Agility: 5
Luck: 6
Dark affinity: 687
Available Points: 40
Skills:
Identify (Common)
Polyglot (Common)
Shadow Bolt (Rare)
Soul Drain (Uncommon)
Void Shield (Uncommon)
Mana Control (Common)
Son Of The Reaper (Common)
Shadowkin (Epic)
Jason was ecstatic with himself; this was amazing, he thought to himself. Then he saw he had 40 more points to distribute. When Jason mentally thought about distributing his points, a screen popped up not dissimilar to the RPG screens he would see when he used to play his games. Jason got confused when he saw that there was one stat point he couldn't put any points into, and that was luck. He noticed that the percentages brought it up, but he couldn't actually add any points to it. He didn't let this discourage him as he looked at the other stats. Jason then thought about the path he was currently taking and examined his current stats. It would be wise to put his points into mana and intelligence, and that's what he did, splitting it down the middle: 20 points to intelligence and 20 points to mana, bringing his total intelligence to 203 and his mana to 180.
After Jason did this, he felt a rush of power and relief, as if it had always been there, and he was missing it. Jason also saw a notification for a skill upgrade: Shadow Bolt upgraded from Uncommon to Rare. Change: now costs 80 Mana per bolt instead of 100 Mana per bolt. Can now charge up Shadow Bolt and control its trajectory.