*New features available:
-Shop: Explore the shop to purchase upgrades.
-New Shop Panel: Talent Shop
--Talent Shop: Purchase new Talents.
-New Shop Panel: Companion Beast
--Companion Beast: The System has detected the Host has a suitable companion beast egg, which can be hatched here.
*New Changes:
-System has reached version 1.3, and has improved its Ask Function.
———
William looked at the effects of his new System Upgrade. Talent Shop? This might be very good.
System, open the Talent Shop.
———
TALENT SHOP:
-Random Talent: 5PP
-Random Magic Talent: 10PP
-Random Physical Talent: 10PP
-Random Weapon Talent: 10PP
———
Hmm so I can spend less points and get a completely random Talent, or be more specific for a higher cost. This beats trying to find natural treasures all the time for new elements.
William didn't have any points right now, so testing the effects would have to wait. He was now more eager to earn Potential Points and see how powerful he would become.
He climbed down from the deformed tree to see Torc's group waiting for him.
"What were you doing up there? The place is a disaster." Torc was cultivating quietly when he felt an increase in Fire Element particles. After struggling to concentrate, Torc had checked the tree with his impressive eyesight only to see William's body emitting the heat signature of a pool of lava. This terrified Torc, as he had never seen such a dangerous Fire Mage before.
William felt telling a half-truth wasn't appropriate this time, "I managed to advance my Fire Affinity after that fight."
Ray was baffled, since when was advancing your Fire Magic so dangerous? Not to mention that William wasn't even a Cultivator yet. "So you're a D Rank Fire Manamatus now?" he became even more certain that William was hiding something. He glanced at Holt, who was sitting on a tree stump listening to the conversation.
"Yes, what about it?"
"Well if that's the case, we can probably fight more Wind Wolves now." Ray seemed excited about taking down more beasts, but in reality he was planning to get William killed so they could divide his items. All is fair in a cruel world like this. It's your fault for standing out too much.
"I'm down."
"You're...down?"
"It's a saying, it means I agree, let's do it!" William scratched his head awkwardly. I forgot this world doesn't understand modern slang, oops.
The group turned around to locate one of the Wind Wolf groups they discovered before. This one was a group of three that they previously passed up.
"I'll target all of them at once, can you two hold off one Wind Wolf?" William asked Ray and Holt, who nodded.
William started by throwing a giant fireball this time, but he used much less Mana to make it weaker. The speed remained the same as before, but one could tell it wasn't by any means weak. The spell impacted near two of the Wind Wolves, while the third only received a small part of the attack.
The two Wind Wolves were thrown backward by the spell but managed to stay on their feet. The Wind Element was collectively used, instantly extinguishing the flames.
Holt wasn't idle. He raised two Earth Walls in succession with a small gap in the center that was too narrow for the Wind Wolves to pass through. He readied a lightning bolt and threw it at the lone Wind Wolf through the gap.
The lightning was quite effective as it paralyzed the Wind Wolf briefly. It was temporarily unable to circulate its Mana or prepare any techniques, and Ray tossed a fireball much weaker than William's at it to deal some damage.
Torc pulled out his shortswords and stabbed at a Wind Wolf that tried to go around the Earth barriers. The Wind Wolf was forced to back up and attack the Earth wall directly, which crumbled after a few hits.
William remained in the back for the rest of the fight, saving his Mana by only using Nature's Aid to heal his allies. He stuck close to Holt's Earth walls to prevent any sneak attacks, as the Wind Wolves were still too fast for him to react properly. He pressed his hand against the Earth wall to make a small hole for sight, but a System notification interrupted his train of thought.
-Discovered Earth Magic: +1 Potential Point
So I actually have to come in contact with the Element for the System to recognize it? That makes so much sense now! William thought the System just wasn't functioning properly, since he had already experienced Earth, Wind, Ice, and Lightning Magic but never earned any Potential Points.
He refocused on the fight. A Wind Wolf was having difficulty fighting Torc, but the other two were assaulting Ray and Holt. William threw a half-power Giant Fireball at the two Wind Wolves, forcing them away from the duo. William turned back to help Torc kill the other Wind Wolf.
Ray saw this as a good opportunity. He prepared a Wind Blade in secret, trying to disguise it as the attack of a Wind Wolf. Even Torc didn't know that Ray had a second Element. The Blade was launched in William's direction, who was caught completely unaware.
The Blade cut into William's back, wiping out almost half of his health and launching him toward a nearby tree. On impact, William took another 40 damage but was mostly fine.
-Discovered Wind Magic: +1 Potential Point
Health: 122/300
William was angry at Ray for sneak attacking him but pretended to be knocked unconscious. His body slumped and rolled to the side. The Life Element circulated and secretly healed William's wounds under his clothes. He avoided healing all the visible wounds.
His Life Sense expanded, and William watched Ray carefully while he fought the Wind Wolf. The man appeared to be fighting seriously, but William's Life Sense could see a swirling vortex in his right hand that was extremely small. He assumed this was the Wind Magic Ray used.
A few seconds later, another Wind Blade was conveniently launched in William's direction. William willed a small Flame Wall into existence to block the attack, much to Ray's surprise.
The kid is still unconscious, does he have a protective amulet? How can a Commoner be so loaded? the greed in Ray's eyes intensified.
It was at this time that Torc finished off the first Wind Wolf. He moved to help the duo hold back the other two Wind Wolves. This was turning to be a disaster, as William had been knocked unconscious and his two companions were very weak.
Torc became serious. He focused on the movements of his shortswords, moving faster and faster until the Wind Wolf couldn't keep up with his attacks. The Wolf collected many wounds over time and was forced to back up. Torc didn't stop there. He gathered his strength and threw a shortsword straight into the eye of the Wind Wolf, eliminating its life force.
Ray became nervous. If William didn't die here, he might not have another chance. He secretly threw out two more Wind Blades at William, but both were blocked by a Flame Wall.
Ahhh, f*ck it. The kid has to go today. Ray gathered four Wind Blades to throw at William, but as he turned around to launch them, he noticed something odd.
Where is he?
"Right here bud." William shoved a giant fireball in Ray's mouth, watching as his head exploded into a shower of embers. The spell was so fast that by the time Torc sensed the formation of a Fire spell, it had already exploded.
-Killed a human. +5 Potential Points, -1 Humanity
--Unlocked Extended Statistic: +3 Potential Points
-Humanity: A measure of your love for the Human race. If this number becomes too low, the Host will be more prone to bloodlust and will be targeted by Righteous Factions.
-Detected the Host was first targeted with malicious intent. Humanity penalty reverted.
5 Potential Points for killing a bad guy? Nice, I just need to make sure I'm only killing people that want to hurt me.