As the corpses are dragged off to be harvested for parts and loot, I take a seat at the edge of the clearing with Artemis coming to curl up around behind me like my very own fluffy recliner.
Horus joins us a moment later, landing to perch on Artemis’ ample back and causing me to smile softly at my two Companions that I am so truly lucky to have in my life.
Still smiling, I turn to the notifications that have appeared since the end of the battle, eagerly anticipating some growth as I pull them up.
First up, my skill advancements:
Wilderness Survival(J):24-26
Huntsman’s Athleticism(App): 20-22
Wild Rampage(App): 13-18
Natural Reinforcement(J): 23-26
Blood-Fueled(App): 18-20!
Eco-Missile(App): 14-16
Environmental Clean(B): 5-8
Viking Defender(U): 1-4
Forest Fade(B): 1-3
Blood-Fueled(J): [Active] Grants the ability to magically burn up any blood or organic life-giving material spilled from enemy during and after combat. Blood will be used as Mana, or fuel, directly for Spells or to refill Mana pool. Costs minimal Mana to activate and an equal Mana offering for every Mana gained in the process thereafter. Every 10 levels in Spell will increase tier and potentially unlock additional aspects or capabilities. Apprentice Bonus: May now use inorganic compounds spilled from creatures formed out of other materials, such as rock, bark, or any other natural element.
Journeyman Bonus: Once per day, Player may now actively target an enemy they have blooded and draw out their life’s blood at a rate of 1 HP per second with an equal exchange rate to refill Player’s mana.
Now that is a tasty upgrade! I had been using it just as a quick and dirty method to refill my mana in combat but now, I’ll be able to utilize it as an attack as well.
Congratulations! You have killed an assortment of Beasts for a total of 95,000 XP!
You have leveled up!
You have 2 free Attribute points available!
Constitution +1
That is a ton of XP! While my party and I likely got the lion’s share, our young trainees would have gotten some seriously respectable amounts as well, much more than we ever got at their levels.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
I consider my free points thoughtfully, but I already know where one is heading: to get my Constitution to the next tier!
Having forgotten how close I was, I get a little shock when I notice that I have a value of 19 there after my Class designated point went toward it.
Foot tapping lightly on the grass in anxious excitement, I just decide to place the first free point in Dexterity and then, with bated breath, place the final point into Constitution and sit back for the show!
Congratulations! You have reached the Journeyman tier in Constitution, as a bonus for your continued advancement you now heal twice as fast naturally and 4 times as fast with assistance; i.e. healing spells or potions.
Ehh, a little miffed I didn’t get an upgrade to my Top Tier title but I suppose that’s still a pretty good bonus. I can’t expect no one else to have reached Journeyman in a stat yet, especially if they focused on one stat or received extra points from a Class or titles like I do. That’s without even taking into account our little sojourn into the dungeon.
Satisfied all the same, I pull up my full PAID to see the current picture of myself and my advancement.
PAID
Player: Nova
Age: 27
Race: Human
Class: Wild Huntsman(R)
Class Ability: Huntsman’s Duty, Advanced Companion(Path)
Level: 13
5,200/409,600 XP to Lv.14
Martial Style: Natural Disaster(A) Lv.32!
Attributes (Human range between 1 and 5):
Strength 12
Dexterity 11-12
Constitution 18-20
Intelligence 11
Soul 11
Mana: 121
HP: 100
Skills: Wilderness Survival(App) Lv. 26, Huntsman’s Athleticism(J): Lv.22, Wild Rampage(App) Lv.18, Viking Defender(U) Lv.4
Unlock next free Skill point at Lv.21
Spells: Natural Reinforcement(J) Lv.26, Blood-Fueled(J) Lv. 20, Eco-Missile(App) Lv.16, Environmental Clean(B) Lv.8, Forest Fade(B) Lv. 3
Unlock next free Spell point at Lv.22
Items: Icy Soul Hatchet(U), Basic Storage Ring, Huntsman’s Bark-Steel Jerkin & Greaves
Titles: Natural Born Killer, Soul Searcher, Top Tier II, Human+, Dungeon Trainee I
My eyes light up as I see that I have tiered up my Style!
Quickly, I mentally select the pulsing exclamation point next to it and read the contents, the previous tier-up bonuses helpfully listed first:
Apprentice Bonus: The power of each strike you infuse is now only limited by your will and your understanding of the element you wish to infuse your strike with.
Journeyman Bonus: The very world itself bows to your will. Once per day, may utilize this aspect of your style to transform your attack into becoming the very embodiment of a chosen natural phenomenon, becoming that which lays waste in service of the greater world as a whole.
Adept Bonus: The world bends subtly to your will. You may now minutely alter the very laws of nature around you, changing and shifting the elements into your Style based attacks. More advanced elements(i.e. gravity, time, space) will require more effort to utilize. You grow closer to your concept Player, keep striving for greater and greater heights.
Now that is very interesting, could have a pretty synergistic effect with some of my Spells and Skills too if I understand it correctly but only practice and time will truly tell.
Then, the notification I expected earlier finally reveals itself:
Congratulations! You are in the Top Ten of your world to reach Adept tier in any ability! Your title Top Tier II has been upgraded to Top Tier III!
Top Tier III: All Adept Tier leveling (Skills, Spells, Levels) will be 15% faster than normal.
Smiling in satisfaction, I close out my PAID and lean back into Artemis’ snoozing bulk, arms placed behind my head.
‘Just gonna rest my eyes for a minute….’ I think to myself as a yawn overtakes me and the adrenaline of battle completely fades from my heart and mind at last.