NOVEL NEXT Chapter 40: A Bit of Acceleration Never Hurt Anybody
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Congratulations! You have reached level 29 in your Race and Class! Skill Points gained: 8 You have reached level 30 in your Profession! Skill Points gained: 1 Total Skill Points available: 63 |
Aldrin read through the alerts as he surveyed their newest jungle battlefield that was littered with small craters, fissures, and overturned trees. "How many levels, guys?" He asked.
"I got two levels! I'm still deferring my next tier until we are out of here though and talked to a Beastmaster," Jared said.
"Two levels to my class and five to my profession," Pierre calmly said.
"Still none for me!" Evie smiled.
"I need only one more level and then I can rank up both," Aldrin said, the anticipation enhancing his confidence that was bordering arrogance.
"Now we just have to find the guardian of their statue," Pierre said, gesturing to the broken remnants of the Jade Golem Ambushers that littered the surrounding ground.
Aldrin stood, scrutinizing his surroundings, hoping to spot something that would give a clue to where the Ambusher hid. He knew they had to be watching from somewhere because of how directed the golems had fought them.
"Stay on guard, but distribute your skill points," Aldrin commanded, his senses kicking into overdrive. Every smell, pinprick, and things that moved did not escape his notice. Yet no matter how he tried, the Ambusher still waited.
One by one, they each took turns distributing their skill points they had accumulated thus far. When it got to Aldrin's turn, he looked through his skills, eagerly awaiting to hit level 30. He figured he only needed another round of endless enemies to really push himself to the level barrier and breakthrough, granting another boost to his already growing power.
He wasn't the only one that felt that way either, as the excitement in the way Jared looked around for more enemies and Pierre was checking his blades for any chips and scratches. They were just as eager as he was to reach a new benchmark.
Vampire Skill Tree
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Hemomancy Level 1: Manipulate your own blood to form weapons(50 HP Cost)(Granted) Level 2: Manipulate your own blood to form armor unique to you(100 HP Cost)(Granted) Shadowmancy Level 1: Blend into the shadows of the night(Granted) Level 2: Shadows become tangible and can follow your will(Granted) |
Resistance Skill Tree
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Silver Reduction Level 1: 100% damage to you(Granted) Level 2: 75% damage to you(Granted) Level 3: 50% damage to you(Granted) Holy Reduction Level 1: 100% damage to you(Granted) Level 2: 75% damage to you(Granted) Level 3: 50% damage to you(Granted) |
Night Reaver(Tier 2) Skill Tree:
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Blood Aura(Passive): Some Vampires crave violence and feed off it, letting their bloodlust exude through their pores.
Level 1: 3% damage boost and chance to stun enemies when fighting five or more enemies(Granted) Level 2: 5% damage boost and chance to stun enemies when fighting four or more enemies(Granted) Leech Imbuement(Active): What kind of Vampire would you be if you could not imbue some of your Vampiric nature into your weapon?
Level 1: 1% health returned to you after each hit(Granted) Level 2: 3% health returned to you after each hit(Granted) Level 3: 5% health returned to you after each hit(Granted) |
Happy with what he spent so far, he left himself with 29 SP for when he crosses the threshold to Tier 3 to at least get some skills and spend some in his actual stats.
"Everyone ready?" Evie asked once she saw Aldrin return his focus to the rest of them. Each of them nodded, checking their weapons and armor.
Aldrin looked around once more, peering into the dense brush, examining each tree that looked slightly different from the rest, but to no avail; there was not a single hint nor sign of what awaited them.
"We are gonna have to trigger one of its traps. I'm not picking up on anything out there. Still, just be ready," Aldrin said, using his senses to the max to scrutinize every sound and movement.
"Well, we should have a better grasp on how to fight it now anyway," Pierre said, looking at the remains of the Golem Ambushers, then took a step forward.
Aldrin noticed the hair thin tripwire too late before Pierre tripped it, triggering wooden spears to shoot from behind them from the deep brush. He pushed Pierre down while Evie reacted quickly and tackled Jared down. Aldrin was the first to hop back onto his feet, his eyes scanning every dark corner. There was a glinting flash followed by a thick, jade crossbow bolt. It punctured him in the shoulder, forcing him into a spin that knocked him over from the force behind it.
He grunted and growled as he pulled the bolt out of his shoulder. His already ruined leather armor further becoming a tattered mess the longer he stayed in the dungeon. Evie rolled and hopped to her feet, throwing a flat oval-shaped runestone that skipped across the land and into the area the bolt came from, exploding on impact in a burst of ice.
It was no use as another bolt fired from behind them, and with quicker reflexes thanks to her higher tier, she spun and threw another oval-shaped runestone at the target. Jared followed her lead, coming up in a kneeling position, letting loose three arrows in quick succession, each imbued to be explosive as they collided with Evie's runestones, bathing the area in fiery might.
Pierre ducked into stealth, his form becoming almost an ethereal shadow as he slinked off to find the Golem. Aldrin shifted into black fog and seeped into the ground to stay low as he rushed to downed Golem that was face first in the ground, unmoving. He reformed, aiming to sever its head, but the Golem reacted by rolling over and fired a quick snapshot from its hand crossbow that Aldrin barely deflected with his swing.
Following with the momentum of the swing, he spun with the blade, but the Golem rolled backwards with more dexterity than Aldrin expected it to have. Fortunately, that was when Pierre appeared from stealth with a double backstab, one where the kidneys of a human should be and in the neck. If it was actually human or a living thing, it would have been immediately dead, but the Golem simply threw its roughly shaped jade head backwards, head-butting Pierre, making him lose his grip on his daggers.
The Golem then stepped forward out of Pierre's grip, his daggers still buried in the molded gem body, and twirled on his feet, delivering an open-palmed strike into Pierre's chest. A crack and a muffled grunt followed as the Golem's strike pushed Pierre back into a roll, stopping him flat on his back. Aldrin flashed forward as the Golem turned, adopting a fighting stance, bracing itself for Aldrin.
Aldrin grinned to himself as he used his newfound ability and called forth the shadows from beneath the Golem and entrap him. Thick inky tentacles viciously erupted from the shadow of the Golem, wrapping themselves aggressively tight to make the Golem immobile. Without thinking, Aldrin jumped over the Golem, just in time for one of Evie's runestones to have another direct impact on the Golem, this time resulting in the electric net she had used for the fox.
He landed next to Pierre and grabbed him to throw him back to safety and then imbued Sin-Screamer with Cleaving Strikes and Leech Imbuement, making the blade's runes glow with a shifting sickly yellow and a deep crimson red. He clenched his jaw and swung with all his might, Sin-Screamer easily slicing through the air and through its head. The trapped Golem went still, then crumpled to its knees and fell over.
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Congratulations! You have slain: Jade Golem Trap Master EXP Awarded! Bonus EXP Awarded for slaying all Jade Golem Ambushers and their Leader |
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Loot Gained: Jade Golem Ambusher Mini stature 1 Gold, 23 Silver, 17 Bronze Uncut Jade Gems x5 Jade Bolts x19 |
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Through a hard fought battle, you have advanced to level 30 in your Class and Race. Do you wish to ascend to Tier 3? |
Aldrin re-read the system message three times, blinking in disbelief. "Guys, I did it. I reached it," he said almost breathlessly, afraid that if he raised his voice, the message would disappear. He had never achieved level 30 when he was a human and now here he was. The anticipation was killing him, so he hurried and selected yes.
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Congratulations! You have advanced to the Rare 3rd Tier Class:
Velgrave Revenant, Vampiric Knight(4 points per level): Before the Progenitor Wars and its price it enacted, Velgrave Revenants were the enforcers and executioners for the Lords and Ladies of Vampire-kind and their noble houses. When released upon a target, their arrival heralded only screams and their departure heralded silence. So it soon became known that facing a Velgrave Revenant meant facing certain death.
Skill Points Awarded: 9 Total Skill Points: 38 Bulwark(Passive): Become a tank on the battlefield as your skin hardens Level 1: +100 to health, +10 natural armor(2 SP) The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.Terror(Passive): Only the weak will fear you Level 1: 1% chance to hit or inflict with fear(2 SP) Summon Steed(Active): Every variation of a knight needs a noble or, in a Vampire's case, an ignoble steed. Level 1: Summon your own skeletal horse(2 SP)
Death Comes For All(Passive): I mean, you are a walking corpse that drains its victims of their lifeforce; wouldn't you be afraid too? Level 1: Animals no longer attack you out of fear(2 SP) Dread Charge(Active): There is an old myth that Vampires are faster than the human eye can track, you make good on that myth. Level 1: Charge 5 feet in any direction of your choosing, inflicting damage on those you pass by(2 SP) Bloodletter Slam(Active): Sometimes you gotta smack your food around to loosen it up. Level 1: Take hold of any body part of an enemy and slam them into the ground(dependent on your Strength)(2 SP) |
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Congratulations! You have reached a new rank! Race: Vampire Progenitor (Mature) Finally, you are considered an adult amongst vampire-kind, or at least if you made it this far. Mature Vampires begin to delve into their nature and finally embrace it. Unlocks new skills along the Vampire Skill Tree and Level 3 in some skills. |
Aldrin read through everything carefully. He had made it and none worse for wear, either. He felt the changes within himself gradually overcome his current abilities as he felt more of himself settle and unlock something deeper. Before looking at his other skills, he bought the first levels of his new class's skills.
Vampire Skill Tree
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Vampire Skill Tree Thirst-Passive Ability Level 1: Vampires lust for blood, especially the newly turned vampires, as they are slaves to their thirst. (Granted) Level 2: As vampires transition from newborns to adolescent and mature vampires, their bloodlust lessens.(Prerequisite: Juvenile/Mature)(Granted) Level 3: (Prerequisite: Elder) Level 4: (Prerequisite: Ancient) Bite-Passive Ability Level 1: Returns 25% damage as health or mana(Granted) Level 2: Returns 50% damage as health or mana(Granted) Level 3: Returns 75% damage as health or mana(6 sp) Level 4: (Prerequisite: Elder) Claws-Passive Ability Level 1: Your claws are now able to rend light armors such as those made from cloth and leather(Granted) Level 2: Your claws are now able to rend medium armors and below, such as hardened leather and chain-mail(Granted) Level 3: Your claws are now able to rend heavy armor and below, such as full plate armors up to dawn and dusk steel(Granted) Level 4: (Prerequisite: Elder) Charming Gaze(Chance to pass increases with Charisma and Willpower)(Success of the same Tier equates to Charisma + Willpower stat divided by 2) Level 1: Subtly influence sentient and creatures' minds with one command(Granted) Level 2: Greatly influence sentient and creatures' minds that can understand instructions (Granted) Level 3: Completely dominate sentient and instinctual minds, as you can now flex your will through them(Granted) Undead Body-Improved by Willpower and Vitality(Willpower + Vitality adds to natural Defense Value) Level 1: Bodily functions are turned off, i.e. hunger, sleep, and the need to breathe no longer affect you(Granted). Level 2: Resistant to slashing, bludgeoning, and pierce from non magical weapons as your body continues to adapt to its change(Granted) Level 3: Your body is now resistant to magical weapons(Granted) Regeneration-Passive only out of combat Level 1: A newborn vampire can heal minor cuts and bruises since their body is still considered mostly mortal(Granted) Level 2: Small appendages now grow back as the vampire ages into adolescents(Granted) Level 3: Whole limbs grow back since the vampire has reached maturity(Granted) Level 4: (Prerequisite: Ancient) Supernatural Reflexes(Increases with Dexterity divided by 2) Cooldown: 1 Month Level 1: 2 second time freeze if you are about to be killed instantly(Granted) Level 2: 4 second time freeze(4 SP) Level 3: 6 second time freeze(6 SP) Level 4: 8 second time freeze and combat prowess is improved(8 SP) Vampiric Awareness Level 1: Night vision is granted; hearing and smell are improved(Granted). Level 2: Able to feel minor shifts in the air 10 feet around you(Granted) Level 3: (Prerequisite: Elder) Shapechange Level 1: Able to change into a fog/mist and a swarm of bats(Granted) Level 2: Able to change into the form of a Direwolf or Direbear(4 SP) -Polymorph: Change into the form of those you have consumed Level 3: (Prerequisite: Elder) Level 4: (Prerequisite: Ancient) Blood Curse(Takes Health and Magic) Level 1: Create Zombie(2 SP)(10 Health, 10 Magic) Level 2: Create Ghoul(4 SP)(100 Health, 100 Magic) Level 3: Create Vampire(6 SP)(1,000 Health, 1,000 Magic) Level 4: (Prerequisite: Elder) Vampiric Agility Level 1: Ability to jump further than your pinnacle human(Granted) Level 2: You are now able to stick to any surface(Granted) Level 3: (Prerequisite: Midpoint of Mature; Level: 39) Master of the Night Level 1: Grants communication with creatures of the night(Granted) Level 2: You are the apex of the night; all creatures of the night will either be terrified of you or submit to you without question(4 SP) Level 3: (Prerequisite: Ancient) |
Vampire Progenitor Skill Tree
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Daywalker Level 1: skills and buffs return to you during the night but you are still killed instantly during the day(Granted) Level 2: skills and buffs increased by 25% during the night however sunlight harms your stats by 75% if you are active during the day(Granted) Level 3: Skills and buffs increased by 50% during the night however your stats are harmed by 50% if you are active during the day(Granted) Level 4: (Prerequisite: Elder) Level 5: (Prerequisite: Ancient) Humanity Level 1: You have a reflection(Granted) Level 2: You no longer feel cold to the touch as faux warmth floods the surface of your skin(Granted) Level 3: No invitations are needed to enter the homes of the living(Granted) Trace Your Roots Level 1: (Prerequisite: Elder) Vampiric Ascension (Prerequisite: Elder) Vampire Magics-Able to Specialize in one of the three branches once you meet the required specialist and have attained a Tier 4 Class Evolution Hemomancy Level 1: Manipulate your own blood to form weapons(Granted) Level 2: Manipulate your own blood to form armor unique to you(100 HP Cost)(Granted) Shadowmancy Level 1: Blend into the shadows of the night(Granted) Level 2: Shadows become tangible and can follow your will(Granted) Necromancy Level 1: Summon 1 humanoid Skeleton(Granted) Cooldown: 30 seconds Level 2: Summon 1 beast Skeleton(4 SP) |
Unique Skill Tree
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Blood Rage Level 1: Boost your stats by 2x for 30 seconds, leaves you craving for blood(Granted) Level 2: Boost your stats by 3x for 30 seconds, the craving for blood intensifies(4 SP) Level 3: (Prerequisite: Elder) Level 4: (Prerequisite: Ancient) Conversion Level 1: Convert any animal you mentally dominate into enhanced versions(Granted) Vampiric Aura(Passive):Through their Vampiric Aura, vampires can emanate their presence to charm, manipulate, or instill fear in others. As you practice, you will discover how to control and enhance your aura, which will become even more powerful as you rise through the ranks of vampirism. |
Resistances & Immunities
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Silver Reduction Level 1: 100% damage to you(Granted) Level 2: 75% damage to you(Granted) Level 3: 50% damage to you(Granted) Level 4: (Prerequisite: Elder) Holy Reduction Level 1: 100% damage to you(Granted) Level 2: 75% damage to you(Granted) Level 3: 50% damage to you(Granted) Level 4: (Prerequisite: Elder) Wooden Stake Level 1: Instant death(Granted) Level 2: Comatose until taken out(Granted) Level 3: (Prerequisite: Elder Magic Immunities -Death -Unholy -Ice -Poison -Disease -Curse -Shadow -Blood -Mind -Fire |
Velgrave Revenant(Tier 3) Class Tree:
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Bulwark(Passive): Become a tank on the battlefield as your skin hardens Level 1: +100 to health, +10 natural armor(Granted) Level 2: +150 to health, +15 natural armor, 10% regeneration to Health and Mana(4 SP) Terror(Passive): Only the weak will fear you Level 1: 1% chance to hit or inflict with fear(Granted) Level 2: 2% chance to hit or inflict with fear, 1% chance for enemy to flee(4 SP) Summon Steed(Active): Every variation of a knight needs a noble or, in a Vampire's case, an ignoble steed. Level 1: Summon your own skeletal horse(Granted) Level 2: Summon an armored zombie horse(4 SP) Death Comes For All(Passive): I mean, you are a walking corpse that drains its victims of their lifeforce; wouldn't you be afraid too? Level 1: Animals no longer attack you out of fear(Granted) Level 2: Sentient beings have to pass a willpower check to function(4 SP) Dread Charge(Active): There is an old myth that Vampires are faster than the human eye can track, you make good on that myth. Level 1: Charge 5 feet in any direction of your choosing, inflicting damage on those you pass by(Granted) Level 2: Charge 10 feet in any direction of your choosing(4 SP) Bloodletter Slam(Active): Sometimes you gotta smack your food around to loosen it up. Level 1: Take hold of any body part of an enemy and slam them into the ground(dependent on your Strength)(Granted) Level 2: When you sink your blade into the ground, focus on your target(s) for a pit of blood blades to skewer your enemies(4 SP) |
"You all did well." Evie beamed at each of them when she noticed they had finished. "How do you all feel? Well, actually, how do you two feel?"
"Subtly stronger," Pierre said, flexing his nimble fingers and twirling a blade with his other free hand.
"More complete," Aldrin smiled, excited to tackle his new abilities. He had two skill points leftover, but he figured he would wait and focus on his stats next level up. He had a feeling higher stats were going to be needed soon.
"Ready to take on the world?" Evie continued to beam at them while they nodded in agreement.
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"Well, don't. Don't get cocky because you're now Tier 3. A lot of people will tell you that this tier is when you really start to face life and death. The higher you go, the more danger there is. Monsters who are a tier below you will try to run from you now as you exude a subtle pressure. Well, it'll be more so in your case, Aldrin, since you already have aura. But the others, the others that recognize you as Tier 3 will see you as a threat to whatever territory they claim," Evie warned them.
"What about people?" Jared asked.
"They will tell the difference, but not like monsters can, although if they have a Noble for a class or profession, then that is a different issue we will address when and if we encounter someone like that," she said. "Now, why don't you pay a visit to the last holder of the statue?" She grinned.