Chapter 114: Aura path chosen.

Chapter 114: Aura path chosen.

No matter how hard I tried to make sense of the system notification, I just couldnt wrap my head around it. Since when did the system add ominous little comments to its notifications? Was I missing something here?

Suffice it to say, I put off my decision until I got home, where I discussed what I had been offered with my parents, who seemed just as stumped as I was. Seeing no other option, I postponed the skill evolution until I had the chance to talk to someone of a higher tier. I couldve asked one of our guards, but I didnt trust them enough to share something that could land me in a lot of trouble if I wasnt careful. As a result, I decided to ask Andros, Reitos guild master. He was tier 5 as well, and he probably knew how to navigate this issue.

From what I could tell, choosing a certain skill would make me head down a certain path, none of which sounded like much fun on the surface. Despite all the attached nonsense, the skills practical effects were nothing to scoff at.Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

I could admit, for example, that [Method to madness] would be an immense power boost to any spellcaster. I, however, had no relevant knowledge when it came to spells. Apparently, you had to shape mana into a certain shape and in a certain way to get a certain effect, which would then translate into a spell. The mana would clump together and act as ordered.

Compared to skills, spells were rigid and inflexible. On the other hand, their major advantage was that they lacked many limits that skills seemed to be restricted by such as distance, properties and even power. Spellcasting required immense concentration and mana, but if done correctly, one could cross into the next tier seamlessly.

That all sounded good on paper, until you realised that most spells would never be recognised by the system, which meant that one had to learn new spells each tier, unlike skills that grew just as ones level did.

Few proper spellcasters were worth their salt, but those that reached high tiers were typically people of unparalleled knowledge and wealth.

This was everything Cerion had told me, when I had asked him about spells and the like. I only took one thing away from his explanation, though. Spell casters preferred to get stronger by listening to lectures and reading books, rather than killing monsters by the thousands like the rest of us did.

Spellcasting had never been an option for me from the start, though. My affinity made sure of that. [Method to madness] was a ground-breaking skill, but I wouldnt be the one to use it.

The next skill, [Crawling road], seemed to have a fantastic practical effect. It would allow all of my skills to become even more powerful in a clash, destabilising my opponents skills and spells on contact, bit by bit. Unfortunately, the bit about sharing pain seemed a bit... morbid. I wasnt in any pain when using overloaded skills, thanks to Dark form. Maybe the system hadnt accounted for that? Did I need to be in pain to use the skill?

Not to mention the skills title itself. [Crawling road]. Who knew what the skill would eventually turn into?

The final skill seemed like the most unique of them all. Through sacrifice, I could give sentience to my mana? That seemed useful, especially since the mana was loyal.

The added blurb seemed the tamest of the three as well, though I didnt like the correlation to liches, which became immortal by separating their essence from their body.

There was only one issue. An obvious, glaring issue. Sacrifice. The sacrifice of what? Others? Myself? My morality? Helios forbid... my family? The risk that came with this skill seemed... enormous.

I retreated into my room and sat on my bed. Hoping to distract myself from these thoughts, I retreated into my mental palace.

Appearing in the shoddy wooden shack, I didnt even bother looking outside and closed my eyes to meditate.

Time passed.

It seemed like a decent suggestion, though it came with some difficulties when it came to practical application.

[Method to madness] was dominant and turned mana into some kind of enslaved force. Sure, I acted overbearing sometimes, but I didnt see that as something desirable.

[Part of the great sight] acted oppositely. It elevated mana to a godly status, literally placed the importance of mana over everything else that made us mortal, that made us human. This was exactly what I was trying to avoid with mental palace.

Finally, [Crawling road] involved sharing pain with mana. I had no idea what kind of pain the skill was alluding to, but the ability to share, rather than give or take seemed to fit me better than the other two.

Andros interrupted my line of thought.

Should I send a letter to your uncle and the guild head? he asked.

...No. No, I dont think thatll be necessary... I muttered. In my heart, I had already made my decision.

A few minutes later, I was heading to the protected room that had been prepared for my class evolution.

As I walked down to the dungeon, I picked the skill I had settled on. My status screen updated before my eyes.

Name: Arthur Titles [Dark prodigy] Class: [Overloading Death Knight] LVL 50 Strength 304 Constitution 300 Dexterity 300 Intelligence 100 Wisdom 263 Affinity 599 Free stat points 0

Skills:

Passive:

[Overloading combustion core](0%), [Dark flow sight](4%), [Cascading mana-intrusive Swordsmanship](16%),

[Mental palace](N/A),[Dark Form](52%), [Crawling road](0%), [Weak mana sense](N/A),[Blackened essence(formative)](0%)

Active:

[Ghost apparation](21%), [Corrosive mark](3%), [Relentless orbs](4%), [Sword laser](1%), [Onyx chain wind](2%), [Aura step](49%)

[Crawling road] would be a long, winding path, no doubt. And yet, here I was, ready to take that first step.

Now, to finally reach tier 3.