Zane swallowed. Again.
He'd held the fruit in his mouth because he knew he was on the verge of a level up. And the level up came with one very specific perk.
There was a flash. Then he stood up, shirt all but shredded off his body, his trousers torn to limp strips, but underneath was cords of smooth, clean muscle. There wasn't a mark on the skin. Perfectly healed.
The chief's face went slack with horror. It tried to get up, even managed to stagger to a knee. No, you don't. "Round two."
He took a step and full strength, full essence, he blasted a Titan's Fist in the Chief's face. Again.
It was like a bolt of lightning touched down. And when it vanished, it left a smoking heap. This time the Chief did not get up.
There was a deafening silence.
ย
๐๐๐ โ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐!
๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ค โ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐: ๐/๐
The Chief's body began dissolving to white.
All its minions ran screaming, but they didn't get far before they were stumbling over themselves, smoking into nothing too; it seemed once their boss went, so did they. And all that essence flushed straight into Zane, thick rivers of light merging to one.
ย
๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐ผ๐ค๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ -> ๐๐
ย
๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ก!
๐ผ๐ค๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ -> ๐๐
ย
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐!
๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ช๐๐ฃ ๐ [โ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]
๐ธ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐% ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐พ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ช ๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ค
ย
He grinned stupidly. He was still drunk off the heat of the fight, but he felt himself quickly cooling. It took a moment to get himself to focus, take in the words floating before him. His first titleโhow neat. 3% might not seem like a lot, but spread over dozens of strikes in the course of a battle, it'd surely add up.
ย
๐๐ ๐ฆ ๐๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐๐ค๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐.
๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ข๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ค๐. ๐๐๐๐ช ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ช ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ช. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ช.
ย
๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ผ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐!
๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ [๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐]
๐ฝ๐ ๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ค๐ ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ฅ. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐, ๐ช๐๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ-๐๐ช๐๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ค๐ฅ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฆ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐ค: ๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค ๐ก๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐. โ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ช.
ย
๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ (๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐) [๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐]
๐ป๐๐๐ ๐๐ค๐ฅ๐ฃ๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ช, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ก ๐๐๐ค๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฃ ๐ก๐ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ค.
ย
๐๐๐๐๐: ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐น๐ ๐๐ช (โ๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ง๐) [๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐]
๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ค ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐'๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐ค ๐๐๐๐ ๐จ ๐๐%. ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ค๐๐ช ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ค๐๐ค ๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐, ๐๐ก๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ช ๐๐ช ๐๐%. ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ก๐ค ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ค, ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฃ๐๐ค๐๐ค ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐%. ๐๐๐๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐ฅ ๐๐๐ง๐๐.
ย
Zane reread the numbers. Then again.
What.
He thought about Goblin Slayer granting a 3% boost to damage against only goblins. 25%? 50%?! These titles were not at all alikeโif he assumed Common was the lowest rank, just how much higher was Signature?
What the fuck did I just get? He was reeling. This Title gave him the sense that it was something so huge, he couldn't even understand the implications of it from where he was standing. Even so, he could tell this was not normal.
Before he could think further on itโ
ย
๐๐๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐๐๐. ๐ฝ๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ฅ-๐๐๐๐ค๐ค ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. โ๐๐๐๐ค๐ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ค ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐.
โ๐ ๐ฅ๐: ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ค ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐. ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ค ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ค. ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ค๐๐, ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐.
ย
He blinked, shook his head, tried to wrap his head around the new thing. Right. The system did mention that classes evolved. He'd been wondering when it would happen. He'd expected it at Level 10, actually.
ย
๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ [โ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]: Knights are armored guardians. They excel in defense, protecting allies, and holding strategic positions, but are also capable of meting out punishment. Knights are ideal for those who hold strong in the heat of battle, a balanced class. ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐: Spirit Sword I (Common)
๐น๐๐ฃ๐ค๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ [โ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]: Avatars of raw fury, Berserkers are relentless in their attacks, thriving in the chaos of combat. They overwhelm their foes through sheer ferocity and grow stronger as the battle intensifies. ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐: Spirit Axe I (Common).
๐พ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฃ [โ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]: Gladiators are masters of the arena, skilled in engaging multiple foes with grace and efficiency. They blend offensive prowess with crowd control, ideal for those who enjoy a showy yet effective combat style. ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐: Spirit Spear I (Common).
๐๐๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ธ๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐ค๐ฅ [โ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]: Focusing on hand-to-hand combat and agility, Martial Artists are swift and precise. They make lethal weapons of their bodies, ideal for those who prefer a more refined, technique-oriented approach to physical combat, valuing speed and skill over brute force. ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐:: Spirit Gauntlets I (Common)
๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฃ๐ [๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐]: The Iron Vanguard specializes in resilience. Known for their ability to endure and counter heavy assaults, Iron Vanguards are adept at controlling the flow of battle through their unyielding presence. This class excels in defensive tactics, turning endurance into a weapon by outlasting their opponents, converting defense to offense. ๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐: Soul Pavis I (Common)
ย
Zane was pretty close to selecting Berserker. It was a good thing he hesitated, becauseโ
ย
๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ค๐ค ๐ก๐๐ฅ๐.
โ๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ [โ๐๐ฃ๐]: The Chain Reaver is where primal wrath meets the elegance of chain combat. Their chains are extensions of their spirits, transforming into weapons of war that wield explosive, suffocating power. The Reaver binds, and the Reaver reaps.
๐๐ ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐: Prometheus Chains I [Signature]
ย
โฆIf the other classes were Common, and this was Rareโand it came with a signature 'Soul Weapon', whatever that wasโฆ
That Berserker class, that axe, spoke to him. But he'd just seen the difference between Common and Signature. This was not a choice.
ย
โ๐๐๐ค๐ค ๐พ๐๐๐๐๐! โ๐๐๐๐ โ๐๐๐ง๐๐ฃ [โ๐๐ฃ๐]
๐๐๐ง๐๐-๐ฆ๐ก ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฅ ๐๐ ๐๐ฆ๐ค: ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ช +๐.๐, โ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ +๐.๐, ๐๐ฅ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ +๐.๐ , ๐ป๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐๐ฅ๐ช +๐.๐, ๐๐ก๐๐๐ +๐.๐.
ย
โ๐๐๐ค๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐!
โ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฃ๐ช ๐ (โ๐๐ค๐ค๐๐ง๐) [โ๐๐ฃ๐]
๐ผ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐ก๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ช ๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐จ๐๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ค, ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ช ๐๐๐ก๐ฃ๐ ๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐ค๐ค ๐๐๐ ๐ก๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ง๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ค. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ค ๐๐ ๐๐ฉ๐ฅ๐๐๐ค๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ช๐ ๐ฆ๐ฃ ๐๐ ๐๐ช.
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โ๐๐๐ค๐ค ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐!
โ๐๐๐๐ โ๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ (๐ธ๐๐ฅ๐๐ง๐) [โ๐๐ฃ๐]
๐ผ๐ฉ๐๐๐ฆ๐ฅ๐๐ค ๐ ๐ค๐จ๐๐๐ฅ, ๐๐๐-๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ ๐ค๐จ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐ ๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐๐, ๐ ๐๐ช๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ; ๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฅ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐๐ ๐๐๐ค๐๐ค๐ฅ๐๐ฃ. ๐๐๐๐ค ๐ค๐๐๐๐ ๐๐ฃ๐ฆ๐ค๐๐๐ค ๐ค๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ฃ๐ ๐ฆ๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ค, ๐ ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐๐ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ง๐ ๐ฃ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ค๐๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฃ.
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๐๐ก๐๐ฃ๐๐ฅ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐!
โ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ฆ๐ค โ๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐ [โ๐๐ฃ๐]
๐ธ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐จ๐๐ค๐๐ ๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐, ๐๐๐ก๐๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ ๐ ๐๐ ๐ฅ๐. ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ ๐๐๐๐ก๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐. โ๐ฆ๐ฃ๐ฃ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ช ๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐ฃ๐ค๐ฅ ๐ค๐ฅ๐๐๐.
๐๐ฅ๐๐๐ ๐ โ๐ ๐จ๐๐ฃ๐ค: โ๐๐๐ง๐ช ๐ฅ๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐๐ฃ๐ค, ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐, ๐๐ฅ๐ค ๐จ๐๐๐๐๐ฅ ๐ค๐๐๐๐๐ค ๐จ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ฅ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐'๐ค ๐๐๐ง๐๐.
ย
He felt like he'd been struck by a whirlwind, and now that things had finally calmed down, it was time to assess the damage. He was still baffled by what just happened.
First, that Title. Savage Sage. Its descriptionโthat was him. Was it tailored to him? But that notification made it sound like it was the other way around; he was chosen for it. And as for his class evolution... chains? He was ambivalent about it. He never fought with chains before. He never played characters that fought with chains before. Did Kratos count? He was skeptical they could actually be used to fight. Light to the Sage, heavy to others, it saidโฆ
He could feel them there, like a new limb, waiting. If he wished, he could simply summon them and they'd come. So he did.
They burst into being mid-air, ranged before him like two great coiling serpents. He could believe these are chains meant for a God. It was pitch black, the blackest thing Zane had ever seen; it was not reflective at allโlight went in and got swallowed whole. The links fit his grip perfectly, like they were made for him.
He saw all this while the chains were falling. Then they hit the ground, and he was thrown off his feet.
He stumbled back up and blinked. There were two new furrows dug deep into the ground, dust drifting over them. He swore. It wasn't kidding when it said these things were heavy. It wasn't kidding when it said they'd be light to him too; he could shuffle around just pretty easily, but every small shift made the earth groan.
He realized he could actually control the weight with his mind. Or rather that he had a kind of bond with it, and he could use that bond to carry most of its weight, artificially lighten it.
Could he move it around with his mind too? He tried, but all he could do was point it, steer it. No. He couldn't give it energy, impetus with just his mind; that had to come from its base, his hands. His mind would do the steering, his hands the throwing.
And it came so easily too, as though he'd been practicing for years. Chain Mastery did this? He lashed it up and down, and it undulated like a wave; it felt like cracking a whip. He took most of the weight with his mind, and it clattered like a common chain.
Then he put all the weight back and threw it casually to the side, and it flattened half the tree line.
Three big ones were almost fully decapitated, the trunks clinging on by a strip; wood chips showered everywhere. Through the gaping maw he'd torn in the canopy, he got a glimpse of blue sky. Sunlight burst through, making a golden pool on the twilight-purple ground.
Zane was quickly changing his mind. Yeahโhe could see how these things could be useful in a fight.
Then he had an idea. He turned to the massive moon tree, cocking his head. He lashed his chains at it, curled them around the base, and yanked with all his might.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then it started trembling at the roots, and Zane yanked again, harder.
It burst clean out of the ground. It was like the chains were an extension of his strength stat. He felt the tree's enormous weight bearing down on him; the chains shook with the effort of it, but still he managed to turn it over in one slow revolution.
He shook it vigorously, and Moon Fruit dropped like hail into the crater the tree left behind.
Satisfied, he tossed the tree off to the side. It rolled over to join its fallen brethren, and Zane enjoyed a pleasant dinner on the goblins.
That was all very fascinating, but he felt to really understand what he'd just gotten, he'd have to test them live. Only all the goblins were dead.
It was time to move regions. He couldn't wait until tomorrow. Next up: Crystalback Highlands!