The imp’s focus was absorbed into his own, and Hunter felt the satisfaction coming from his bracer. Before he added more material, he wanted to check the skill levels he had gained in the last battle. There seemed to be a fair number of them, and if he reached twenty-five Path points, then it would be time for the next Path to be completed.

Altogether, he earned one level in sprinting and dodge, two levels in sword mastery, and a level in pain resistance. Since level ups with resistances didn’t give any Path points, he earned a total of four points.

Finally, he grinned.

His total number of Path Points was twenty-five, so he had enough points to complete the Greed II path or the Archive Acolyte Path. He considered which Path he would take. On the one hand, the Archive paths had given him utility skills. On the other hand, greed had provided him a massive advantage in weaponry. The extra skill and attributes had been a bonus. Covetous Gaze by itself had provided a third of the Path Points he currently possessed. It was truly a Path to power, and power is what he needed if he wanted to clear the Rift.

Having decided the way forward, he placed all of his points in the Greed II Path. Every five points gave him one attribute point in Strength, Intelligence, Willpower, and Perception. The rush of power was almost overwhelming.

He felt layers of muscle develop across his body. His shoulders visibly broadened, and his posture straightened as he finally grew the muscle required to support his lanky frame. He knew he wouldn’t be winning any bodybuilding competitions anytime soon, but he felt like his muscles finally fit his frame.

After the rush of power finished, he clenched a fist and could feel the inherent strength in the palm of his hand. He looked down at them and the changes to his Perception made themselves evident. He could parse out the individual whirls on his skin. His mind began to rapidly catalog and memorize every aspect of his skin. After just a few moments, he felt like he could close his eyes and remember every line and whirl. He was confident that he would be able to sketch a perfect recreation of his fist.

When Hunter looked up from his hand, he had a sudden confidence in the rightness of his choice. This was the Path to power, and he wasn’t going to be afraid of mystical Archivists or demonic influence. He was confident that he could suppress the power of his greed and find his way in this apocalyptic realm.

When his minor transformation was complete, he checked the final message he received from completing the Path.

Congratulations! You have completed the Greed II Path. You have earned the Active Skill: Midas Touch.

Midas Touch (Lvl 1): Greed is having the will to reach for what you want and the strength to touch it. If your Strength and Willpower are at least three times higher than the level of any equipment you touch, you can transform it into a Greed aspected item. Mana costs increase with the level of the item. Higher levels will improve the quality of the final product.

Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.

Hunter raised his eyebrows at the notification. The Greed Path was designed to self-propagate. First, it gave him the ability to analyze other items and then it allowed him to convert them to more greed items. Not only that, but there was a straightforward way to grind his new skill. He had a bunch of equipment on his body, and there was a whole armory full of items that he could convert.

He couldn’t help the giddy laugh that escaped his mouth as he converted the armored glove on his left hand. He took a look at its information.

Common Gauntlet of Greed (Lvl 5): This common-tier gauntlet is used to transform mana into the skill Corrupting Touch of Midas. With prolonged exposure, the target of the Corrupting Touch of Midas will be overcome with greed. This is especially effective against Heavenly or unaffiliated enemies. This corruption can have various effects depending upon the target’s Strength and Willpower. Overuse of this item will escalate demonic corruption. Due to its demonic origin, familiarity with this item will not precipitate skill growth.

Hunter checked how much mana the skill had cost. It had taken twenty-five mana. Even with the previous combat, he still had a little under two hundred and fifty mana. His increased intelligence increased his pool by a fair amount. He figured he still had enough mana to convert all of his gear. Like a kid at Christmas, he touched every single piece of his clothing in turn and studied their effects.

The Trappings of Wealth (Lvl 3): This common-tier padded tunic and pair of trousers are used by members of the Infernal Horde. It is designed to be worn under other forms of armor and helps to reduce blunt force attacks. When both items are worn together, they have the ability to help regulate body temperature and can make minor adjustments in color to blend into the surroundings. The effect is enhanced with further evolution.

Goldstriders (Lvl 5): This common-tier pair of boots are used by members of the Infernal Horde. It provides a minor boost to movement-related skills and footsteps are silenced. This effect is enhanced with further evolution.

Goldwrap (Lvl 3): This common-tier girdle is used by members of the Infernal Horde. Each pouch is its own Bag of Holding with a higher capacity than a typical Ring of Holding. When currency is placed within the Goldwrap, there is a small chance that it is converted into a higher denomination. This chance increases with further evolution.

The Timely Investment (Lvl 5): This chainmail, breastplate, and pauldron combination are used by members of the Infernal Horde. When all items are worn together, they have a small chance of absorbing the energy from incoming attacks, whether they’re physical or elemental in nature. This chance increases with further evolution.

Overall, Hunter was pleased with the changes to his equipment. He was a little disappointed that many of the items were grouped together instead of developing their own powers. Some of the effects were worthless on a battlefield but had great utility. For example, he didn’t think that he would be using the Corrupting Touch of Midas anytime soon, and the currency transformation seemed like a gimmick more than anything.

However, the defense provided by his armor, the speed from his boots, and the new stealth-related abilities would be welcome additions to his capabilities. The armor itself looked fantastic as well. Everything was a matching gold alloy, and his gray tunic and trousers had become black as night. If he converted all the items in the armory and then fed it all to his equipment, he might be able to gain enough protection to actually survive the Rift.

He couldn’t wait to get started.