NOVEL NEXT Chapter 42: Advancement
The night air brushed against the bark that Leif possessed in place of skin. He felt no discomfort, no pain. It took him a moment to adjust to the completion of the trial, his mind soaking in memories of what had transpired.
He just stopped, remaining perfectly still. For over an hour he sat, emotions from within roiled while his monstrous physiology enforced an artificial calm. There was no adrenaline, no dopamine or endorphins.
Having experienced the thoughts and emotions of his past self, only now did the spriggan realise how hollow he had been up until now. How lacking in humanity. And that realisation lit the smouldering embers of desire.
He had chosen to fight, to do what he must in order to reclaim a portion of his old life. But only now, hours after making the decision, did he understand what it meant. The amber sap that coursed through his body like golden blood churned, power flexed within him in resonance with something.
Then the moment faded, and Leif let himself relax.
The trial hadn’t been what he’d expected. In a way he felt cheated, if Leif had known the content of the trial he would have done it far sooner. It had been a link to his past, he should have undertaken it immediately and not waited for his skill fusions. He… paused.
No, that isn’t right. Towards the end, the decision I made. Would I have made the same one only a few days prior. Knowing what I do now, how much did it change me? Leif contemplated. He couldn’t wallow in regret.
The man he had once been had gone to war, and it was up to the present Leif to bring him home.
Once more he thought over the trial. Advancing was supposed to be more challenging depending on how many skills one had. But how could his trial have scaled in difficulty? If he had undertaken it with eleven skills, or even twelve, what would have changed?
Would the system have shown him more? Happy days, together with family? Or would it have been different in its entirety?
Didn’t Sieg mention a monster in his trial? Leif shook his head and finally looked at his system notifications. He needed the distraction.
Congratulations! You have successfully completed the level 25 advancement trial!
For resonating with the past and coming to a solid conclusion about the decision made your trial completion grade is: High!
No additional reward is granted based on passing grade!
For passing this milestone you may now advance your levels beyond this point!
Banked experience will be awarded after rewards are finalised!
Your general class limit has increased from 2 to 3!
All attributes have their efficacy increased by +10%!
For achievements earned and difficulties overcome up to this point you may further increase the effects of a single attribute of your choice by +30%!
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Attributes:
Free: 2
Might: 37 (+10%)
Alacrity: 44 (+10%)
Intelligence: 27 (+10%)
Willpower: 25 (+10%)
Spirit: 33 (+10%)
Charisma: 34 (+60%)
===
Leif read over the system windows as the exhilarating rush of power flooded his body. Strength rippled through his bark and plant fibre muscles. He flexed his body, feeling the quantitative improvement of his enhanced attributes.
Another thirty percent to an attribute of my choice. That seems very potent. Leif thought, rolling his shoulders.
He considered which attribute to apply the bonus to. The most obvious option was something like [Might], [Alacrity] or [Spirit], those attributes were directly beneficial to how he fought and would likely be the largest boost in power.
But there was another option. A potentially stupid option. What if I increased my [Charisma] by thirty percent? The idea seemed foolish, but… a part of him latched onto the idea. Maybe it could help me become like I was?
With a ninety percent total increase to [Charisma] after his [Noble] class perk was taken into account he would effectively have sixty four in that attribute. Then [Grand Action] could increase any other attribute by twenty percent of that sixty four… just under thirteen points.
Leif briefly considered that he didn’t remember ever learning arithmetic. The spriggan supposed he learnt it as a child. A child… The thought briefly distracted him but he quickly refocused, pushing down the dull ache of loss. If Leif thought about his past he felt as if the guilt of leaving may crush him.
Numbers Leif, focus on the numbers. He chided himself internally. The amber heart beating in his abnormal chest calmed, returning to its regular cadence.
Bringing any other attribute up to a forty percent bonus would provide a larger increase to all but his lowest attributes. But the flexibility [Grand Action] could grant was very tempting.
I wonder if there are ways to add [Charisma] scaling to certain skills via fusion? [Under My Protection] uses fifty percent of my [Charisma] if I use the skill to protect another for example…
Actually, now that he thought about it. Which skills did he currently possess use the [Charisma] attribute?
[Charisma] was the attribute that increased one’s force of personality and amplified their presence. [Grand Action] and [Under my Protection] were the obvious skills, they literally stated their use of [Charisma] in their skill descriptions.
[Aura of Nobility] was another that used [Charisma], he could instinctively feel the skill's connection to the attribute. But just what did his aura skill do? Sure, it helped him control his innate presence and projected his noble heritage. But what else?
Leif hadn’t really considered it before, but didn’t his aura affect the range of his other skills? [Amber Sympathy] let him sense intent and emotions in a radius around him. When his aura was suppressed by Hera his senses were likewise compressed, pushed down and forced to retract.
He triggered the time perception aspect of the skill, and sure enough it’s range almost exactly coincided with his aura’s radius. He focused, and his aura billowed out further, going from around ten metres to its maximum of around thirty.
Leif noted how his aura and perception were both faint and indistinct at his maximum range. He could more clearly feel the sleeping animals nearby his boulder than the ones further away.
He felt at each of his other skills, but he didn’t feel the obvious connection to [Charisma] for any of them.
So he was left with a question? Was it worth it? Would he be able to gain more skills that utilised [Charisma] in the future? It was a risk, but it felt… right somehow. As if the risk was worth taking.
He didn’t think this was due to some hidden hand pushing him in this direction, more like instinct. It felt as if were he to choose this path he would gain the options to benefit from the choice in the future.
Somehow.
You have selected [Charisma] as the beneficiary attribute for the +30% bonus! Confirm? Y/N
Congratulations! Banked experience will now be distributed!
Level up! Class [Amber Blight Spriggan] is now level 12!
For prowess shown in battle you have gained a level!
+1 to [Might] +1 to [Spirit] +5 free points!
New class skills available! [Veil of Nature] or [Embolden Vegetation]!
Level up! Class [Amber Blight Spriggan] is now level 13!
For overpowering rampaging death energy you have gained a level!
+1 to [Might] +1 to [Intelligence] +1 to [Spirit] +5 free points!
Level up! Class [Amber Blight Spriggan] is now level 14!
For surviving a deadly encounter and restoring an ally from the brink of death you have gained a level!
+1 to [Might] +1 to [Alacrity] +1 to [Spirit] +1 to [Charisma] +5 free points!
New class skills available! [Nature’s Beacon] or [Amber Steps]!
For an instant Leif was stunned. Three entire levels? As it turns out, no. Not just three levels. There was more to come.
Level up! Class [Brawler] is now level 5!
For defeating multiple foes using your body as a weapon you have gained a level!
+1 to [Intelligence] +1 to [Charisma] +1 free point!
Level up! Class [Brawler] is now level 6!
For going blow to blow with a foe far more powerful than yourself in a life and death battle and living to tell the tale you have gained a level!
+1 to [Spirit] +1 free point!
New class skills available! [Combative Gumption] or [Bounding Leap]!
Leif was stunned at the sheer amount of levels, stats and skills. He had three pairs of skill options before him. Not only that but he had nineteen free attributes. The spriggan was about to spend them when he noticed the final system prompt. It was a new class.
For displaying your aptitude for life aspected magics, reversing the near fatal intrusion of death energy and successfully bringing someone back from the very brink of death, you have the opportunity to gain the [Attuned: Life] class!
Class slots: 1/3
Accept? Y/N
For constantly healing and protecting your allies even in the direst of situations and proving yourself a capable healer and combatant even under the most stressful of circumstances you have the opportunity to gain the [Adept] class!
Class slots: 1/3
Accept? Y/N
Oh, two new classes. Great.