I thought that the string of messages would have been over once the skill integrations had concluded, but yet another surprise was in store for me.
-Conditions have been met. [Vallen Lv.10] is eligible to undergo evolution. Please select evolution route. Possible routes are [High Vallen], [Greater Vallen], [Vallen Assassin].-
Heeeh? Evolution? I never thought it'd come so soon... I wonder if it's a level thing or
Checking out my options, it kinda gave me a headache. [Greater Vallen] was a standard evolution route that could be selected upon gaining any kind of
[Vallen Assassin], though... it was a hidden class evolution that triggered when the
And the thing was, this evolution route was extremely attractive. It would increase the growth rate of my offensive stats, as well as give me some new skills and raise my rank from D to C+. Overall, it was probably both the most powerful and the most limiting option. It was limiting in the sense that the later evolution route would probably be narrow and divergent from the regular [Vallen] evolution routes, but the offensive power growth was really too much to give up on. The power curve that it tempted me with seemed to outstrip the other two evolution options.
Having deliberated on it for a moment, I decided to evolve into [Vallen Assassin]. A purple cocoon wrapped around my body, and I felt a heat in my lower abdomen. Strength flowed into my limbs, and a cracking sound accompanied a stretching feeling in my head. Sooner rather than later, the evolution was complete.
I touched my horns and found that they had warped from being straight to curved, forming an S-shape beside my temples. Additionally, a third small horn had erupted from just beneath my hairline. I then checked my navel and found a fleur-de-lis symbol surrounded by a triangle imprinted in gold.
Perhaps that was the mark of evolution?
-Notice. [Vallen] has evolved into [Vallen Assassin].
-Acquired {Subskills} have been integrated into [Spatial Magic Lv.5].
-Notice. [Ava Kino] has evolved.
[HP: 500/500 +1%/s]
[MP: 462/1000 +1%/s]
[PWR: 81 (+45)]
[DEF: 35 (+40)]
[MAG: 180 (+30)]
[RES: 35 (+20)]
[AGI: 120]
[WIS: 100]
[WPR: 110]
SP: 0
[Reincarnator (B)] [Giant Slayer (C)] [Headstrong (C)] [Instant Killer (C)] [Speed Slayer (D)]
[World Handbook Lv.2] [Resilience Lv.2] [Cull The Strong Lv.2] [First Impression Lv.1]
[One-Hit Lv.1]
[Skill Management Lv.2] [Weapon Refinery Lv.1] [Critical Edge Lv.1] [Detection Lv.1]
[Identify Lv.6] [Area Cast Lv.5] [Thought Acceleration Lv.3] [Navigation Lv.2] [Quick Cast Lv.2] [Acceleration Lv.1] [Backstab Lv.1] [Butchery Lv.1] [Dark Magic Lv.1] [Skinning Lv.1] [Stealth Lv.1] [Swordplay Lv.1] [Target Lv.1] [Life Magic]
[Flight Lv.3] [MP Super-Regeneration Lv.1] [HP Super-Regeneration Lv.1] [Spatial Magic Lv.8] [Dimension Strike Lv.1]
{Blessing Description: Blessing of a girl who gave herself a [Name]. Its power will grow as she does.
Blessing Stats: +20 [WPR], +20% EXP gain.]
Special Effect: Subject will be loyal to [Ava Kino]. Skill growth rate improved.}
{Skill Description: Inflicts selected skill damage on target in a [Parallel Dimension], then collapses probability to deal damage to target.
Skill Prerequisites: [Vallen Assassin].
Skill Effects: Always applies [Backstab]; Always applies [Critical Edge]; Skill damage cannot be avoided; MP Consumption 60.}
{Skill Description: Locks onto opponent. The next skill effect cannot be avoided.
Skill Prerequisites: None.
Skill Effects: Ensures the next skill hits. Skill fails if [Target] has been applied onto an illusion. Skill may fail if opponent possesses an evasion skill of higher rank and/or level than [Target]. MP Consumption 30.}
Ano...System-san, isn't this a little too overpowered? I feel like I'm really strong now??
Despite seeing how strong I had become, I noticed that the amount of EXP needed to reach the next level was an astronomical 5000. Clearly, the amount of stats I would be gaining from here on out would slow down tremendously. It had taken me almost a week to reach level 10 by constantly fighting against monsters stronger than myself, and throughout all that time I had only gained a total of 5500 EXP. Going by that pace, it would take me another week just to gain another level. I suppose that was why there were so many C-ranked monsters in the [Labyrinth]. Having evolved to C rank, the amount of EXP required to reach the next stage of evolution and reach B rank was enormous in comparison to the amount of available EXP. While reaching C rank itself wasn't too difficult, attempting to bridge the chasm and reach B-rank was probably a pipe dream for many of the monsters here.
I had a feeling that the dividing lines of strength probably were strongest between B and C rank, and then between S and A rank. At C rank and below, monsters were truly small fry. At A and B ranks, monsters could be considered very strong. Above S rank, however, they would be akin to forces of nature. Even though I had gotten this strong and most C rank monsters that I could face would probably barely pose a threat unless I faced them in large numbers, I would probably be unable to beat a single B-ranked monster without a solid plan, a favourable matchup, and a decent serving of luck.
For the meantime, though, I decided to collect my spoils of war. Retrieving the [Mana Cores] from the [Greater Arachnophobos], I pondered on how to enact my next plan. First, I split open their abdomens. Situated in the lower portions of their abdomen, near the spinnerets, were large organs that revealed a thick, milky-looking liquid. This is what I was after. Although it looked somewhat similar to certain unmentionable substances, this was essentially the liquid version of spider silk. From my knowledge of Earth, spider silk is liquid until it touches air, which then causes it to solidify and become silk threads. I poured mana into the liquid silk, pinched a small amount of it, and started stretching.
-Conditions have been met.
Oh! I hadn't expected that it would give me a skill. Then again, this is how this world works. Having acquired the new skill, I made quick work of all three spiders' silk reservoirs, netting me almost 300m of silk wire. Though it wasn't so thin as to be considered thread, its thickness was basically close to that of thin metal wire. Its hardness was also probably close to that of metal. Channeling my mana into the silk wire, I attempted to manipulate it simply through using mana alone, moving, hardening, and sharpening the wires.
After some time of trying, the mechanical voice once again rewarded my efforts.
-Conditions have been met.
I immediately followed up by slicing off the large fangs of each of the spiders, used [Thread Manipulation Lv.1] to break the silk wire down to six segments of 50m each, and tied each segment to a fang. This would serve as not only a weight, but a grappling hook. I pulled out a [Mana Core] that I had just retrieved from the [Greater Arachnophobos], placed it on top of the six segments of wire, then cast [Weapon Refinery]. After the glow from the successful refinement faded, I opened my mouth.
"[Secret Fang]"
The silk wires glowed purple, and mana drained from my body. Left behind were wires that were no longer white, but a purple so deep and dark that they were almost black. The attached fangs also had elongated and narrowed, looking much more like a talon. They shone with an almost obsidian-like sheen. I then stored the wire in 6 different subspaces, so that when I wanted to activate [Thread Manipulation], I could have 6 different wires approaching from different angles.
I really am fulfilling the Assassin trope, huh...
Activating my [Skill Management], I selected [Skinning Lv.1], [Butchery Lv.1], and [Thread Making Lv.1]. I wanted to combine these skills somehow into a skill for processing monster parts. Not only would this make my skill window less cluttered, it would also leave open a lot of room for intuiting how to process other monster parts and I wouldn't have to attempt to independently raise the level of each of these skills.
Six attempts later, the combination succeeded.
-
Well, I guess it already existed. That's unsurprising and exactly what I was aiming for. I wanted to get a skill that already had
With even more tools at my disposal, the [Labyrinth] was looking less like a deathtrap and more like a banquet of EXP.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW
[PWR: 25]
[MAG: 40]
[DUR: 160]
[Bind Lv.1] [Hardening Lv.1] [Sharpen Lv.1] [Spatial Lash Lv.1]
{Skill Description: Binds target with thread.
Skill Prerequisites: [Thread/Wire].
Skill Stats: Immobilises enemies which have lower [PWR] than [PWR][DUR]/100.}
{Skill Description: Hardens thread.
Skill Prerequisites: [Thread/Wire].
Skill Stats: Doubles [DUR]. For any incoming attack, damage < [DUR] will not damage thread; damage > [DUR] will reduce [DUR] by overflow damage.}
{Skill Description: Sharpens thread.
Skill Prerequisites: [Thread/Wire].
Skill Stats: Doubles [Critical Edge Lv.1] effect when inflicting damage with [Thread/Wire].}
{Skill Description: Inflicts damage by lashing thread against enemy.
Skill Prerequisites: [Thread/Wire].
Skill Stats: Base Damage [PWR] + 0.2[MAG], Damage Scaling 0.4[PWR] + 0.2[MAG] - 0.6[RES], + 0.5[PWR] if [Sharpen] is active; [DUR] Consumption 1.}
{Skill Description: Allows user to manipulate [Threads/Wires] and to learn
Skill Prerequisites: None.
Skill Effects: After casting
{Subskill: Distort Space
Skill Description: Warps the designated space.
Skill Prerequisites:
Skill Effects: Causes projectiles to be diverted within distorted space; Can create false impressions; MP consumption 35; Degree of distortion possible scales with [Spatial Magic] level.}
{Subskill: Transfer
Skill Description: Connects two points in space.
Skill Prerequisites:
Skill Effects: Creates a portal between two designated points, objects or organisms may pass through; MP consumption 20-200; MP consumption scales with portal size; maximum portal size scales with [Spatial Magic] level.}
{Subskill: Spatial Corridor
Skill Description: User passes through a [Parallel Dimension], evading detection.
Skill Prerequisites:
Skill Effects: User walks through a [Parallel Dimension] before collapsing probabilities, causing travel to evade detection skills completely; MP consumption 50/s; certain detection skills may still detect user; level of concealment scales with [Spatial Magic] level.}