Chapter 187: The Power of Friendship

Chapter 187: The Power of Friendship

Name: Isaac Thoma

Class: Incarnation of the Promethean Spirit

Species: Einherjar

Level: 100

XP: 54,771/1,010,000

Health Status: Healthy

Mana: 2,300/2,300

Stats

Fortitude

215

Perception

355

Strength

225

Agility

415

Magic Power

230

Magic Regeneration

390

Free Points: 0 Stat, 1 Skill

Aura

Aura of the Crimson Dawn (short range, combat, blood, regeneration)

Aura of the Desperate Seeker (long range, sensory, mental, projection)

Aura of the Eternal Warrior (mid range, combat/mental/sensory, armament)

Central Skills

Form of Horror XXIV

The Chosen Weapon XXVIII

I Am The Sword X

Grave of Swords XX

Armory of Ancient Times XVII

Legacy of a True Warrior XII

Skills

Hundred Faces XXVII

Stealth XXIX

Power Strike XXX

Piercing Strike XXX

Sundering Strike XXX

Blades XXX

Sneak XXVII

Sweeping Strike XVII

Far Strike XXVII

Manifold Strike XXI

Hunter’s Gaze XXX

Phantom Step XIX

Unknown Fear XXVII

Bestial Regeneration XXVIII

Undying Focus XXIV

Tools of Terror XIX

Fleeting Presence XVII

Crippling Blow XVIII

Absolute Blade Mastery XVIII

Compounded Impact XVII

True Cut VIII

Legendary Blow XVII

Fully Geared XII

Knightly Leader XVI

Analyze Person IX

Continent Strider VIII

Burden of Power VI

Expert’s Insight V

General Skills

Gralloch XII

Alchemy XII

Death’s Embrace VIII

Bloodline of the Survivor (Empower Relatives)

Advanced Bureaucracy VI

Police Procedure V

Healing I

Quest Giver I

Omniglot (4 languages known)

Aspects

Aspect Skills

Arcane Poltergeist (3 stack)

Flight of the Poltergeist

Ephemeral Form

Haunting Pursuit

Greater Hydra (3 stack)

Hydra’s Regeneration

Redundant Organs

Ignore Injury

Megalodon (2 stack)

With that, he vanished in a puff of smoke that stank of rotten fish. Yeah, that tracked.

Congratulations, Incarnation of the Promethean Spirit, for uncovering a secret of the world!

You have helped in the efforts to uncover the secrets of the Earth’s souls.

For uncovering a secret of such magnitude, you have gained 500,000 XP (0.5*1,000,000 reduction for only being a supporter in this endeavor)

“And there’s Level 101.” Isaac grinned “So apparently I get XP for making scientific discoveries now.

“There is an Aspect combination that allows for space travel which used the Cosmic Leviathan, Void Dragon, and the Lord of Time and Space.”

Nothing.

“Okay, that didn’t work. The gods Janus and Hermes are the most likely to help humans directly.”

Nothing.

Isaac then proceeded to list a dozen big secrets he hadn’t spilled yet in this timeline but the only [System] message he got was a disappointing clarification.

No XP is gained for reiterating knowledge held before the Class Incarnation of the Promethean Spirit was gained.

Seems like the [System] itself was now fed up with him.

He sighed heavily and passed that knowledge along to the others.

“One more thing,” Isaac announced in a formal voice, got to his feet, and gave an exaggerated courtly bow.

“I, Isaac Thoma, Incarnation of the Promethean Spirit, hereby formally request to join the Round Table of Camelot.”

Arthur rose from the table and replied in the same manner “Welcome to the Round Table of Camelot, Isaac Thoma.”

Would you like to join Arthur Wells’ Skill [My Round Table]?

This organization’s stated goal is to save the World, and its past actions and stated future plans show a strong adherence to this founding principle.

Your task would be to support this cause.

In addition, this Skill will create a spectral copy of you which carries with it some of your Skills.

Are you are willing to accept these conditions, to strive towards this shared goal?

Y/N

Without hesitating, Isaac clicked on “Yes”.

“So, who else already joined?” Isaac asked.

Instead of answering, Arthur created a [System] window in front of him.

Round Table of Camelot

Member

Assigned Shade

Arthur Wells

none

Elena Hightower

Arthur Wells

Steff Cooke

none

Adam Bailey

none

Robin Pearson

none

Seon Yoo-jin

none

Franz Habicht

none

Isaac Thoma

none

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

Thirteen slots, over half of which were filled.

Thirteen people to fight a nihilistic cult, to overcome human nature, and beat back Armageddon.

Isaac recognized the names Robin Pearson and Steff Cooke as belonging to other members of Camelot, though he hadn’t had any substantial conversations with either of them.

The rest, meanwhile, were the people who’d been in the Starhail with him. Even Yoo-jin had joined in.

“We were waiting on you to pass out most of the shades.” Arthur explained, “Whose power would you like to borrow once every few days?”

Isaac had thought about it a few times. Habicht’s investigative powers would come in useful in a wide array of situations, but Isaac could cover much of what they did with [Analyze Person], his senses, and common sense.

Bailey’s physical modification would have been useful as well, but the borrowed [Skills] were too limited to be of true use.

And so on. There were many capabilities that would help, but what he decided on was a powerset that covered his combat weaknesses.

You have gained the Shade of Seon Yoo-jin, “The Shield of Seoul”

You gain +20 in his highest Stat (Fortitude), +15 in his second highest Stat (Strength) and +10 in his third highest Stat (Magic Power).

You have chosen to borrow the following Skill(s):

Glacial Fortress (one week cooldown)

The power was rather simple, yet also absurdly powerful.

[Glacial Fortress] conjured a mass of spikes and defensive ramparts a hundred meters across and between fifty and two hundred tall, depending on what the situation called for, the whole thing forged from almost indestructible ice which clocked in at almost negative one-hundred-and-fifty degrees centigrade. The cold wouldn’t hurt the caster’s allies, of course.

It could be shaped however the user wanted during its creation and altered for a couple of minutes afterward, though the longer the fortification had been in place, the harder the change was.

The whole thing was perfect for protecting a large group of allies in case of a sudden overwhelming AOE attack or trapping a large monster within.

It was also not something anyone would ever expect Isaac to pull out, it simply didn’t match his [Class], nor was it available through any Aspects. In other words, it was the ultimate ace up his sleeve.

And if anyone found out about it, well, he could always switch to another shade. Anyone who went after a member of the Round Table would not only have to plan for that person but also every [Skill] held by every other member.

Isaac’s own shade would be passed around between the various members of the Round Table as it held his training [Skills], wherever it was the most useful.

There was also Bailey’s powerful healing that could be summoned at the drop of a hat.

Unfortunately, switching shades without being right next to Arthur was ... tricky, to say the least. It took an hour to switch out shades and five minutes to send out shades that weren’t bound to anyone to someone who didn’t currently have one assigned either. And they needed constant communication to arrange everything, which would hopefully be included in a future [Skill] upgrade.

But even the basic [My Round Table] was powerful as hell. Arthur could wield the unassigned shades as his own personal army, vastly increasing his own power. And the flexibility it gave to its other members was invaluable.

“So that’s that.” Arthur said, “Formalities done, answers wrung out of the prankster god, and we’ve formally agreed to work together.”

He sighed, seemed to struggle with his self-control for several long moments ... and exploded.

“CanwepleasetalkabouttheutterinsanityLokijusttoldus!”

“Magic was real, humans messed with it until the gods had to delete it and there’s an afterlife.” Isaac shrugged “Not something we can change, not something we can influence, all we can do is deal. End of story.”

“How can you be so calm!” Arthur exclaimed.

“I’ve dealt with terrible crap and horrible revelations before.” Isaac shrugged again.

“People can mess with magic to the point where even the gods grew nervous.” Elena said, addressing no one “Loki didn’t outright say it, but I’m not the only one who heard, right?”

Isaac grinned viciously as he answered “I didn’t hear it, but you might be right. There might be a way to pay them back for everything!”

What followed were a few hours of spitballing just what the gods might have been worried about, specifically, until Isaac hurriedly got up and said he’d be back in a few hours.

“Where are you going?” Arthur asked.

“I’ve got a can of Surströmming I promised a god I’d relocate. And my off-the-books minion just located the perfect target for that.” Isaac said with a bone-chilling smile, flickered, and vanished, streaking away in the direction of Heathrow.