Not long after, four trolls appeared, drawn by the scent of their comrade's blood. Their eyes glinted with murderous intent as they advanced towards me. With my flaming sword blazing in my hand, I was ready to meet their fury.
I unhesitatingly leapt into action, charging at the first troll head-on. I pierced through its chest and drove the blade deeper, severing its spine and paralyzing it’s body.
The second troll swung its massive club at me, but I ducked, rolled to the side, and came up behind it. With a fast and brutal strike, I cleaved through its leg, sending it crashing to the ground. Before it could react, I brought my sword down on its nape, decapitating it in one blow. Its head rolled away with its eyes still wide in shock.
The third and fourth trolls charged together as their roars echoed through the forest. I quickly severed the arm of third troll, plunged my sword into its abdomen, and increased the intensity of the flames, completely burning its innards.
The final troll tried to retreat in fear, but I caught up to it and drove my sword into its back. The troll howled in agony as I wrenched the blade free and swung again, slicing through its torso. It fell to the ground in two pieces with its blood leaking from underneath.
With the trolls defeated, I activated my Steal Skill unique skill, and stole the Quick HP Regeneration bloodline skill of the troll next to me. The skills’ levels stacked with the other one that I stole a while ago.
When I tried to steal the skills of the other Trolls from afar, I noticed something strange. No matter how hard I concentrated, I can’t steal them.
Are they too far away?
So, I decided to conduct a little experiment to find out exactly how close I needed to be.
I slowly took a few steps forward, trying to feel a familiar tingle, but there was nothing. I keep stepping closer, until I was just over a meter away. Suddenly, a rush of energy flowed through me, successfully absorbing their Quick HP Regeneration abilities.
"One meter." I concluded. "That's good to know."
A few minutes later, I ventured deeper into the forest. This time, I needed a way to counter elemental magic: Darkness Magic.
Though many scorned Darkness Magic for its associations with the demons, I couldn’t afford to be swayed by superstition or prejudice. If the Hero and I have a face-off, I need every advantage I can muster, and Darkness Magic could be the key to turning the tide in my favor.
To acquire this potent magic, I need to find Darkness Elementals. These beings were said to dwell in the deepest, most shadowed parts of the forest, where the light barely reached. Like Trolls, they only appear at night.
Finally, I found them in a secluded grove shrouded in shadows. Two Darkness Elementals hovered silently like living silhouettes against the backdrop of the dark forest. They exuded an aura of pure darkness, forces that seemed to absorb all light.
I immediately hid behind the thick trunks of the trees and continued to scout them. I activated my Appraisal unique skill to assess the elementals, searching for any additional skills they might possess besides Darkness Magic.
Name: Darkness Elemental
Vitality: B- Tier
Strength: E- Tier
Agility: D Tier
Endurance: D- Tier
Intelligence: A- Tier
Wisdom: B+ Tier
Extra Skills: [Mana Perception E- Tier] [Magic Attack Resistance D+ Tier]
Skills: [Mana Control B+ Tier] [Darkness Magic B- Tier]
Bloodline Skills: [Physical Attack Immunity]
Unique Skills: None
Name: Darkness Elemental
Vitality: B Tier
Strength: E+ Tier
Agility: C+ Tier
Endurance: C Tier
Intelligence: B+ Tier
Wisdom: B+ Tier
Extra Skills: [Mana Perception E+ Tier] [Magic Attack Resistance C- Tier]
Skills: [Mana Control C+ Tier] [Darkness Magic C- Tier]
Bloodline Skills: [Physical Attack Immunity]
Unique Skills: None
The results appeared before me: Physical Attack Immunity and Magic Attack Resistance. These abilities were invaluable, offering defense against both brute force and magical onslaughts.
These were exactly the kinds of advantages I needed to level the playing field against the Hero and the Demon King. If I could harness these skills, my defenses would be nearly impenetrable.
With the enemies' status assessed, I wasted no time on activating my Skill Steal unique skill. I went forward with lightning speed, closing the distance between us in the blink of an eye. As I drew within a meter of their shadowy forms, I reached out, wringing their abilities with ruthless force.
Their Mana Perception, Mana Control, Darkness Magic, Physical Attack Immunity, and Magic Attack Resistance skills were now mine.
Without their Physical Attack Immunity bloodline skill to shield them, I unleashed a thousand cuts that rained down upon them mercilessly.
However, the other Dark Elemental survived, and my physical attack didn’t work. Curious, I activated my Appraisal again to assess its status.
Name: Darkness Elemental
Vitality: B Tier
Strength: E+ Tier
Agility: C+ Tier
Endurance: C Tier
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
Intelligence: B+ Tier
Wisdom: B+ Tier
Extra Skills:
Skills: [Mana Control F Tier]
Bloodline Skills: [Physical Attack Immunity]
Unique Skills: None
There I saw that I failed to steal its Physical Attack Immunity bloodline skill.
Was it because I already stole the other one's Physical Attack Immunity?
I then concluded that there couldn't be two of the same skills at the same time. I also noticed a remnant of its Magic Control skill, but from the looks of it, it was severely weakened.
"So the Steal Skill doesn't take the skills entirely, but rather their levels." I muttered to myself. "Interesting."
I immediately decided to change tactics and imbued my blade with Fire Magic.
"Let's see how you handle this!" I yelled.
Without its Magic Attack Resistance, the Dark Elemental was vulnerable. My fiery blade sliced through it easily, and I watched its body disintegrate into wisps of shadow and smoke.
"That’s more like it." I smilingly said as I sheathed my sword.
It looks like there was still much to learn about skills and its limitations. Next time, I’ll be more prepared.
The next morning, back in the mansion, I snapped my fingers to bring up my status window.
Name: Lucas Belmont
Vitality: S Tier
Strength: S Tier
Agility: S Tier
Endurance: S Tier
Intelligence: S+ Tier
Wisdom: S+ Tier
Extra Skills: [Mana Perception A Tier] [Quick HP Regeneration S+ Tier] [Physical Attack Immunity] [Magic Attack Resistance S- Tier]
Skills: [Mana Control S+ Tier] [Fire Magic S+ Tier] [Swordsmanship S+ Tier] [Darkness Magic A Tier]
Unique Skills: [Appraisal] [Soul Siphon] [Search] [Skill Steal]
Curses: [Curse of the Weak] [Curse of the Talentless]
As the display materialized before me, I felt proud of myself. The skills and abilities I had amassed from last night’s hunt were impressive.
However, something bothered me. My eyes were fixed on the Quick HP Regeneration extra skill. It was a powerful ability, one that would normally be invaluable. But for me, it was now utterly useless. My Physical Attack Immunity made sure of that. Without the ability to get hurt, Quick HP Regeneration had no function. Moreover, my Magic Attack Resistance is almost an immunity, making me almost invulnerable .
"What's the point of having an ability if I can't use it?" I muttered to myself, disappointed.
Despite my rapid progress, there were still crucial abilities that I lack: the Quick Mana Regeneration extra skill to replenish my mana rapidly, and the Doppelganger unique skill, which would allow me to create clones for multitasking.
The problem was, these weren’t easy to come by. Quick Mana Regeneration was an extra skill typically found only in Archmages, specifically the Imperial Court Mages. And the Doppelganger unique skill? That power is currently possessed by the infamous Great Assassin of the Dark Guild, Rama Ballard. A former aristocrat who had been tasked to assassinate the hero in the original novel.
"This… is going to be a problem." I sighed.
The Court Mages were practically untouchable. Their skills and positions made them heavily guarded. Attempting to steal from one would be a monumental risk. And Rama Ballard, locating him is easy, but getting close enough to steal his skill was another story.
Still, I needed those abilities. They were crucial for my plans. Even though I have an abundant mana pool, it’s still not enough for my future battle against the Demon King. And without the Doppelganger skill, my ability to multitask and execute complex strategies was severely hampered.
I first needed information on the location of Rama Ballard. In the novel, it was mentioned that he was a member of the Dark Guild, and his debut appearance began a year after the entrance exam of the Empire Academy, when a certain envious aristocrat hired him to kill the hero.
Finding him would be possible using my Search unique skill. However, if I frequently left the estate, suspicion might grow. The Duke and the others would start questioning my constant absences, and that was the last thing I needed.
"I'll have to wait until I move to the Empire Academy’s dormitory in the capital. That’s when I’ll sneak out and find Rama Ballard." I said to myself.
The Academy would provide the perfect cover. With the chaotic life of a student, slipping away unnoticed would be much easier. Plus, being in the capital meant I’d be closer to the Court Mages as well, making it a strategic move on multiple fronts.
I hope this plan doesn’t go wrong.
Moments later, a knock echoed through my door. It was Emma, holding a letter. “Master Lucas, there’s a letter for you from Diana Milton.” she said, handing it over before quietly departing.
A letter? Perhaps it’s a request payment for her favor. But it's already been a year... Why did she send a letter just now? It's a miracle that she still remembers the favor I owed her.
I quickly opened it, eager to see what she had in mind.
The letter read:
"Dear Lord Lucas,
As payment for the favor you owe me, my request is that you join me in the same class at the Empire Academy. Based on my calculations, I’ll likely be placed in A Class. Since you’re the only aristocratic child I know who’s my age, I would like you to accompany me if possible.
-Diana Milton."
I frowned, puzzled to why she brought up this kind of request.
Is she plotting something?
Her motives were unclear, and given her cunning nature, I couldn’t dismiss the possibility of ulterior motives.
"Why does she want me in A Class?" I asked myself.
It could be a simple desire for familiarity, but I couldn’t shake the feeling there was more to it.
Regardless, I had already agreed to her request. But I still need to stay sharp and watch for any signs of deception.
In the novel, the Empire Academy sorted students into six classes: F, E, D, C, B, A, and S, with S being the highest. Diana was placed in A Class, while the original Lucas ended up in F Class. It was already very suspicious that her prediction was correct. I can’t be sure if she could be trusted or not.
Nevertheless, I still had to perform exceptionally in the entrance exams to ensure I wouldn't be stuck in the lower classes. This wasn't just about keeping my promise to Diana, but also maintaining my reputation as a child of a Ducal family.
I reflected on the Empire Academy's class system. Diana's placement in A Class meant I had a high bar to meet. But with the stolen abilities now in my possession, I now have the power to reach the higher classes.