“You want ME,” I utter, emphasizing the word me, “To kill YOU!!!”
“Yes,” It replies calmly as if talking about the weather, “But we can do that after we deal with my second request.”
“What’s your second request,” I remark.
“I need you to hide the abilities I’ve gifted you from everyone. At least until you reach the SSS rank. I don’t care how much you trust them, If anyone sees you using void, you kill them or make them disappear. Anyway, check your notification. I’m feeling tired.” it says and lays back closing its eyes.
I’m starting to think he isn’t as weak as he’s making himself seem. Ignoring my suspicions, I open my notifications.
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Outside interference has been detected.
Mana pathways have been turned into Void pathways.
Shadow-aspected Mana core has been turned into Void Aether core.
Mana stat has been removed.
Aether stat added.
Aether stat +100% bonus
Aether stat +10 stat points
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I look at my notifications and back at the weird being. I notice the smug look on his face but don’t pay it any mind. If he went as high as he did with this Aether instead of Mana, then I should be okay as well.
I pull up my status.
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Status
Age: 16
Name: Elijah Ashborne
Level: 20
Affinity: Void
Strength: 10
Agility: 15
Constitution: 20
Mind: 15
Aether: 20
Bonuses added:
+100 Aether
Primary Artifact: None
Secondary Artifact/s: None
[Stat Points: 0]
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Reading through the status, I can’t help but think of what void can do after seeing the Creatures the Being has.
Suddenly, I hear the Being start laughing hysterically and coughing.
“Seems like that boy you came with isn’t normal as well. He’ll be a fine companion for you on your journey. Anyway, are you done looking at my awesome gift,” it says,
I nod my head.
“More like a curse. How am I supposed to use any abilities when all I have is Void aether? You said you wanted me to hide it, but what will I use to fight? Plus, once I come out of the portal, they’ll check my status,” I say in response.
He waves his hand and a box appears.
“These should help, but you’ll have to find a way to explain how your affinity changed. Before you say anything else open the box and bond to the items. You’ll understand on your own,” He says.
The ground starts to shake, which causes him to scream and cough blood. I see a flash and the humanoid creature is there cleaning the Beings mouth.
“Seems time is running out. I probably won’t be able to speak for longer. Bond to the item and then kill me,” the being states.
I stare at him before taking the box. Opening it, I see a small round item inside alongside an intricate golden ring. I pick up the orb.
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Pseudo Water Mana Core - SSS rank: Starts → F rank - Void Affinity
Stolen Mana Core from a high ranker who was killed at the hands of The Herald of Chaos. A crystalline reservoir of untapped magical. The death of the high ranker is said to have led to the death of billions as the universe of Astollen was left without its protector.
Skill:
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- Mana Core: Grants the user a Water aspect Mana core. The rank of the core starts at F rank and will grow with essence stones added. Can bond to 1 item at current rank using this core as the base.
Do you want to bond to Pseudo Water Mana Core as one of your secondary artifacts?
Yes/No
Note: This will take up 3 of 4 slots available for secondary artifacts due to the high rank of the item.
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I mentally click yes and feel it sink into my hand and travel into my dantian. I close my eyes to follow the pseudo core and see it settle beside a giant pitch-black core I recognize as my void core. I see the ball send out thin strings throughout my body and realize that they are Mana Pathways.
I pick up the ring next and get another notification.
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Ring of Deception - No Rank - No Affinity
Skill:
- Status Change: Grants the user the ability to create a fake status screen that can be substituted at will.
Do you want to bond to the Ring of Deception as one of your secondary artifacts?
Yes/No
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I mentally click yes and bond to the items. I look at Being in a new light both at its kindness and strength.
I unsheath my sword and walk up closer to it. I see it smile as my blade touches its neck. I can’t help but think about what locked it inside this dungeon.
I look back behind me and see the countless summons. How they stand there and gaze at me as I kill him. If they’re like the Humanoid creature, then they all are intelligent. I wonder… I quickly stop my train of thought as I feel a wrinkled hand placed on top of my own. I look down to see the Being help me plunge my dagger into its neck.
I stare into its deep purple eyes as they slowly lose life and hear screeches from its summons. My blade shatters and I fall back as the Being dies. I hear multiple dings but ignore them. I feel tears well up in my eyes and quickly wipe them away.
The throne, chains, and the Beings body all disintegrate into dust, leaving me stranded on the empty platform.
‘All of us are slaves. Don’t become arrogant and forget that. Farewell.’ I hear a voice say in my head, immediately knowing it was the Being. I lie here for some time thinking about my fate before deciding the self-pity time is over.
I open my notifications.
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You have killed The Herald of Chaos.
Experience has been deducted due to him being chained. Experience has been deducted due to him being debuffed. Experience has been deducted to his abilities being sealed.
You have levelled up x37
You have been granted a D-grade chest for your accomplishment in killing an opponent impossibly higher than you.
You have unlocked Quests and the Shop.
You have awoken your Primary Artifact. Primary Artifact has been granted.
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I gasp at the levels I gain but quickly focus on the last sentence. Holding my patience to see the primary artifact, I open the chest first. It appears in front of me and I see a beautifully engraved Glaive with a blue blade and a black wooden Pole.
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Glacial Torrent - D rank - Water Affinity
Skills:
- Inferior Water Mana Manipulation: Grants the user the ability to manipulate their water Mana - Sub-zero: Grants the user the ability to channel Ice Mana for 3 seconds once every day.
Do you wish to use your Pseudo Mana Core secondary artifact slot to bond to Glacial Torrent:
Yes/No
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Damn, that’s nice. I mentally click yes, and pull up my Primary Artifact information next.
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Void’s Pact - F rank
An artifact is a mysterious artifact rumoured to have been forged in the depths of an ancient, long-forgotten realm.
Skills:
- Void's Armament: Allows the user to create permanent Weapons and Armour from the void's aether. Once made, Items cannot be altered. Only one Item is allowed at F rank. - Level 1
- Void's Reserve: Grants the user a void pocket dimension. Accessible at will through the system interface. - Level 1
- Void's Concealment: Grants the user the ability to conceal and alter their status, artifacts, tattoos, memories and flesh. - Level 1
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Reading through the abilities granted by my artifact, I smile at the last one and look down at the tattoo of my Ring of Deception. I guess I won’t be needing this.
[Dungeon is closing in 20 min. After the timer is down, all participants will be transported out.]
Seeing the notification, I open my status to sort things out. I hide away all traces of my Void abilities including my Aether Core, Aether Pathways and Void’s Pact Tattoo.
I throw my backpack into the Void’s Reserve along with my Ring of Deception after unbinding it. It causes them to disappear and a screen appears with 5 slots. In one, I see my bag while in the other my Ring of Deception. Another screen appears telling me my remaining Secondary Artifact Void Core Slot is now empty and I cannot bind to another artifact for the next 72 hours.
I lower my level as well and open my new status screen to look at the changes.
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Status(Fake)
Age: 16
Name: Elijah Ashborne
Level: 39
Affinity: Water
Strength: 10
Agility: 15
Constitution: 20
Mind: 15
Mana: 0
Primary Artifact: Glacial Torrent
Secondary Artifact/s: None
[Stat Points: 19]
Quests: None
Shop;
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Smiling at my new Status, I dismiss it when I hear the large doors open and see Dante run in, deciding to allocate the stat points later.