A few more hours passed as Tyler slowly traced the demonic signature. It was hard to tell what time of day it was and he was growing ever annoyed at the fact that he was currently stuck underground and surrounded by a forest of glowing mushrooms. He made several attempts at hunting more Sporians, but the level disparity was much too high now and they gave barely a trickle of experience. So after an hour of much too easy fights, Tyler stuck to running past every monster in his way as he neared the source of abyssal energy.

When he got there, he paused as he stood in the cover of a large mushroom stalk. Three hooded figures in dark black robes stood over what looked like a sacrificial altar. The tallest of the figures seemed to be mumbling something, a few syllables making their way to Tyler’s ears but not enough for him to know what the hell he was saying.

The other two…what was he going to call them? Demonologists? Sure, that was probably correct. The other two demonologists had sickly red energy in their hands as they weaved their arms in esoteric motions. However, while this scene in and of itself would give him pause, it was the other bodies that made him feel the need to act.

Two bodies of a red-skinned race lay on the ground, dead and emaciated. Though it was hard to tell from this far away, Tyler’s Perception was high enough that he could tell one was a man and the other woman. And on the altar, as the tallest man was raising a knife, he saw her. A small girl, bound and gagged in tattered peasant clothes lay tied to the black stone, tears in her eyes. Like the bodies, her parents Tyler assumed, her skin was red and she had silver hair that was tousled and tattered. She also had two horns atop sprouting from her forehead. Surely she wasn’t a demon girl or something right? Either way, when Tyler saw the helpless look in her eyes, his legs moved on their own.

“Looks like I came upon some trash.” Tyler said as he got within speaking range, his staff held in his hand.

Thanks to his new Card’s aura, he was obscured and simply looked like a misty figure to the three men, who paused to look at Tyler from under their hoods. Tyler didn’t stop there like an idiot however, and instead called for his power as he used [Grasping Tentacle] on all three men. The two smaller men cried out in surprise as they were attacked but the taller one simply used his dagger and cut apart the tentacles.

“Well well, what do we have here? An interloper in this part of the forest. And just who might you be?” Said the man, who, now that Tyler was close enough, seemed to have a scar across his face and chipped yellowing teeth.

Tyler scowled as he channeled his mana inside himself and ready another of his Cards. “No one important, really. Just a passer-by. Surely killing a young girl and her family is beneath you?”

Deception is Level 3.

The man who had spoken before sneered and spat onto the girl’s face, brandishing his knife. “Are you such a fool that you do not recognize a demon? We’re doing her a favor by ending her life here and now.”

“Yeah, not too sure about that. You guys are giving off more demonic mana than she is. Don’t try that bullshit on me. You’re all demonologists. It’s how I located you in the first place.”

Tyler wasn’t sure what race the girl and her deceased parents were, but he highly doubted they were demons. From what little he knew of Abyssal denizens, they were usually monstrous and hulkling and even the weakest of imps could take down a group of humans easily. Given the family had obviously been captured and the adults killed, it was doubtful. And even if they were, what right did he have to judge an entire race. Tyler was nothing if not open-minded.

The tall demonologist tsked in annoyance as he hunched over and turned his gaze fully over towards Tyler. This time, he pulled the hood back, showing Tyler just how ugly the man truly was. His face was gaunt and eyes sunken in as if he hadn’t slept in a week. He was balding, with only patches of wispy gray hair on his head. Painting a glowing hand at Tyler, the man intoned as he cast a spell from his Catalog.

“Abyssal Flame!”

A red fireball streaked out from his outstretched palm and rocketed towards Tyler’s position. On instinct, Tyler ducked out of the way as the hot projectile soared past his left shoulder and impacted on a nearby mass of mushroom, causing it to ignite before melting.

Dodge is Level 19.

Shit, that wasn't good. And just when Tyler thought things couldn’t get worse, the tentacles that had kept the other two demonologists occupied had run their course.Thankfully they seemed to rush forward with rusty sickles in hand instead of casting magic. One swiped at his face, making Tyler weave down under the attack and strike at the man’s ribs. A shallow cut on his shoulder made him turn to the other demonologist with a fist cocked, a punch to the solar plexus knocking the wind out of his target before Tyler rocked his head back and headbutted the man right in the nose, making the robed figure cry out in pain before he was kicked to the side.

Void Sight alerted Tyler to another incoming demonic fireball and Tyler pivoted on the heels of his feet, grabbing the other man in front of him and using him as a human shield to absorb the fiery spell. The man screamed and the smell of burning flesh assaulted Tyler’s nostrils, making him push the man towards the last demonologist. The taller one just lashed out with his dagger at his comrade, ending his life as blood spurted from one of the man’s severed carotid arteries as he fell to the ground, grasping at his wound before expiring.

“Would you stand still?” The tall man growled out as he aimed another ball of fire at Tyler.

“No, I don’t think I will.” Tyler mumbled to himself, dodging another ball of flame as well as a flurry of strikes came from the demonologist whose nose he had apparently broken.

Tyler lashed out with his staff, tossing in some punches and kicks as he was peppered by attacks from two enemies. Thankfully, his new Card gave him just enough speed and his [Void Sight] alerted him of attacks incoming; he managed to weave between most of the attacks, though a few managed to get into contact with his body and he could see his health slowly trickling down.

Dodge is Level 20.

…

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Dodge is Level 23.

Unarmed Combat is Level 24

“Will you just stand still and die already?” The demonologist in melee range snarled at him.

“No thanks, I happen to, you know, like living?”

Why was he even trading quips with these assholes? Tyler mentally shook his head and dodged another fireball from the apparent leader of this group of abyssal servants and pivoted on the heel of his right foot. Dipping low, he swung with his momentum and knocked the feet out from under the man, causing him to drop to the floor. Tyler hesitated for a moment before he pushed mana into his foot and stomped on the man’s neck and ended his life with a sickening crunch.

The last remaining man looked at the two bodies of his underlings, then back at Tyler before sneering.

“Just my luck, and we were so close to opening a portal. Tell me, who sent you, the Church? The Drow? No, it doesn’t matter. I, Aldous, will finish you off here and now.”

Before Tyler could respond, the man bit his thumb and discarded his upper robe, letting it fall to the floor. The demonologist then began to draw symbols on his skin using the blood from his thumb before he clapped his hands together and shouted something in a language Tyler didn’t understand and invoked a Card of some kind. Before his eyes, the man, Aldous, began to change. His skin darkened and turned red. His scrawny frame bulged as muscles grew to an absurd amount and Tyler was thankful that the man’s clothes managed to stay on.

“Behold, the power of the Abyss!” The now-transformed man roared out in a deeper, more guttural tone.

Then Tyler was rushed. The man was so fast that even with his Trait, Tyler was sent flying and skidded across the ground before hitting a mushroom. Just that one attack had chunked Tyler’s health down by 15%. Shit, looks like this was a much more serious fight then. Steeling himself, Tyler quickly cast Grasping Tentacles, Wither and Geyser in rapid succession on the red-skinne brute heading his way. He was about to cast Mind Sear when Aldous raised a fist and a gout of flame burst from underneath Tyler’s position.

The pain was terrible, the smell of burnt flesh attacking his nose as terrible shocks coursed through his nerves and caused Tyler to scream out in agony before he jumped backwards and sank into the small pond of water near the ritual altar to put out the fire. The pain slowly subsided but just that spell had taken off another 20% from his total health pool.

As a result of your actions, a new skill has been discovered.

[Heat Resistance]

Common

Level 1

Talk about going from the freezer and into the frying pan, huh? Best not to get hit like that again. Or do. That could be funny! Decreases damage taken from all sources of fire damage per level of this skill.

Heat Resistance is Level 2.

…

Heat Resistance is Level 5.

About damn time he got something like a resistance skill, but the pain was still unbearable. Thankfully, it had mostly subsided by now. And just in time too as Tyler dodged out of the way of a large red foot coming down to crush him. Using his card, Geyser, Tyler shot himself up out of the pond and did a small flip to get to his feet. He reached for his staff but then cursed as he saw it several yards away where he must have dropped it after getting hit by the fiery gout.

Instead, Tyler chose to focus on dowsing and attacking Aldous with constant blasts of Geyser, imbuing his Dao into the card for added damage and to apply a chilling effect to the ability.Once more, Tyler wished he had a damned single target spell other than Mind Sear. While that ability was strong it was also a channeled ability unless he wanted to get into melee range. He’d have to ask Agha about getting one from somewhere when he returned.

Aldous roared unintelligibly as he charged up another cast of whatever Card he had that caused a gout of flame to appear. This time though, Tyler dodged it by summoning a geyser of water to push himself out of the way.

Dodge is Level 24.

Sadly, this happened to put Tyler right in front of Aldous, who sneered down at him like a beast and swiped a giant fist from the side in an attempt at a side-hammer strike. Tyler raised his arms in a defensive pose as he poured mana and his own Dao into his legs. The result made it so that Tyler this time didn’t go flying and for once stood his ground against the hulking mass of demonic muscle. Though he lost another chunk of damage, this one dropped him to triple digits.

Unarmed Combat is Level 25. Beginner Tier.

You gain: +20 DEX, +10 STR, +10 END

The momentary shock made Aldous pause, as he hadn’t expected his strike to be stopped. This gave Tyler enough time to focus on his mana and pump it through his body in what he could only assume were some kinda veins. He wasn’t too sure about how that worked but it would have to do for now. Focusing on the pattern of [Wither] in his head, he used his Will to push the effect he wanted. At first nothing happened, but eventually he watched the effect take place. So focused on the fight that he didn’t see the briefest flash of a symbol on his hand, the Symbol of Yarla.

The boosted Card effect looked like some sort of rapid disease as it crawled up Aldous’ body. Slowly the man’s arms began to shrink and seemingly dehydrate. A flicker of intelligence could be seen in the man’s eyes as he realized his situation. Tyler had thought he had won, but was just barely able to dodge a series of several kicks and punches that pushed him away from Aldous.

Dodge is Level 25. Beginner Tier.

You gain: +15 DEX, +10CON

Well at least he had raised that to Beginner Tier. He was progressing nicely. Looking at Aldous, the man grabbed…something from his pocket somehow. It was a black sphere that had a red rune in the center. Giving one last glaring look at Tyler, the demonic and likely dying man crushed the orb and…vanished, leaving Tyler confused. However, it seemed the man had vanished or teleported away. To where, he didn’t know. But at least he wouldn’t have to worry about that guy anymore.

You have killed: Human x2

Bonus experience is awarded for killing an enemy above your level.

Congratulations, you are now Level 35. You have five unused stat points.

Sighing, Tyler dumped the points into Strength and pushed down bile as he realized he had intentionally killed two people. Sure they had tried to kill him and were pieces of shit. But they were still humans. He’d need a drink as soon as possible. With the combat over with, Tyler approached the young girl who was still tied to the sacrificial slab. Picking up the sickle from one of the dead demonologists, Tyler moved to cut the rope keeping her tied down. The kid immediately scrambled away from him with fear in her eyes. Tyler, for his part, just tossed the sickle away and ignored her. He was tired and low on health so he had no energy left to try and console her. So he went towards the nearest mushroom tree and sat down with a grunt.

The best thing he could do for now was meditate and try to regenerate. He could worry about everything later when he wasn’t on the verge of passing out.