With a little bit of math, he decided to place 99 stat points into it, dividing it into batches of three. With that method, he gained 165 points instead, boosting the stat by far more than normal. Then he closed his sheet, and opened his skill branches.
1120 Skill Points available
Branch of the Body
5 available skills
Branch of the Mind
4 available skills
Branch of the Soul
3 available skills
Branch of the Weapon
6 available skills
Branch of the Ruler
4 available skills
Before anything else, he purchased the branch that he had resolved to buy since seeing it.
Dao Resonance(0/500) Level 1
Greater chance of Dao breakthroughs. The next level grants a further increase.
It had set him back 250 points, but it was well worth it. He could already feel an increased sense of power coursing through him, coming from his Dao. After that, he started to peruse the choices more closely. Searching through the Soul part of the skill branches unearthed two promising skills.
Karmic Cycle(0/100)
Unlocks the Karma Stat, which may allow for additional effects.
Lucky(0/100)
Greater chance of favorable effects.
Neither of them were overly expensive, and after reading through the effects, he bought them both. He knew that, due to his Daos, his Karma would be naturally high, hopefully giving him a boost. For the other one, luck was always useful, no matter how strong you were. A notification pulsed in his vision, and he quickly opened it.
You have unlocked the Karma stat!
Karma is a measurement of your effects upon the world around you, whether good, or bad. Both sides have their upsides and downsides. The higher, or lower, this stat is, the more power you can gain from it. Karma can be used to empower your body or skills in the case of Positive Karma, or to cause harm to others in the case of Negative Karma. High Positive Karma will increase your chances of favorable events coming to pass, while Negative Karma will do the opposite.
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Current Karma Stat: 45
Sam smiled, and closed the notification. He could immediately feel an increase in his luck, in a strange sort of way. Rather than a conscious increase, he could feel every movement of his body tightening in, and becoming as efficient as possible, with his movements doing exactly what he wanted them to do. There were no further upgrades for the Karmic Cycle skill, as it only had one effect. However, there were still many more things to purchase.
Firstly, he bought two levels in Iron Bones, which would hopefully increase his survivability. He could feel his bones condensing and tightening, creating a latticework of crystalline durability throughout his entire body. Then, stacking upon that, he bought two levels in Iron Body, which increased his overall durability sharply. Clenching his fist, he could hear his tendons creaking.
With a little over two hundred points left, he bought two levels in Lightning Neurons, and one in Increased Blood Flow. Both enhanced his speed, which he would be needing a lot of in the fight to come. With all of his skills settled, it was time to fight.
The ship glided down through the air, borne aloft thermals caused by the intense heat of the water below. It landed atop Mount Etna, and Sam hopped out, hefting his hammer. His heart hammered within his chest. This would be the hardest fight that he had ever taken part of. The mock battles with Gordanus did not count.
As the others departed the ship, he banished the craft, shrinking it down into its portable form. With a sigh, Sam took an item out of his storage device, and clicked a button on its side. A pulse of energy shot outwards, traveling at the speed of light. It crossed the planet in an instant, revealing the location of the fight to everyone over a certain level of power. For this battle, the forces of Earth would need to come together, no matter their squabbles.
Luckily, Gaea seemed content to wait, channeling the volcanic energy of the Earth into her form. For the next few hours, Sam and the others cultivated, until he felt two auras approaching. Opening his eyes, he saw the Overlord flying in on a slab of red light, and Rodney Kane borne aloft by wings of darkness. Both men landed before them, with cruel smiles on their faces. Sam felt his weapon resonate with their own, and he realized that all seven of the Seven Seals were in the same place, for the first time. His hammer vibrated, trying to get to the other weapons.
“So this is where it all ends,” the Overlord said. “When we Earthlings prove ourselves to the System.”
“To hell with Earth,” Rodney Kane spat. “I want every last drop of essence that this Titan will produce.”
“Nice to meet you two as well,” Sam said, a grimace on his face. The Overlord was already bad enough. Rodney Kane left a foul taste on his tongue.
Both men ignored him, and began to channel their energy into themselves, preparing for the fight to come. Sam did the same, and his companions followed suit. Buffs were layered upon Sam, the Overlord and Rodney Kane by the others, supercharging their power.
With a deep breath, Sam stepped forwards, and channeled his Dao and elemental energy into his right hand. Thrusting forwards, he sent a massive spear of power down into the boiling water. It carved through the liquid like butter, and a few moments later, a thunderous detonation sounded. A plume of water erupted like a depth charge had gone off. Immediately, the ground began to shake. A head rose from the water, of gargantuan proportions. Titanic, even. Made from glowing rock, Gaea’s visage stared down at them like the face of a primordial god. Eyes of burning heat raked across the land, and found them wanting.
“So, the butchery of my family was not enough. You still want more.” It was not a question, rather a statement. There was only one way this fight could end. In bloodshed.