Paragon of Skills

I stare at the kill notification for Julius Shellford until the text fades from my eyes.

You have killed Julius Shellford (Waterblade – Level 20).

You have gained 2 Levels.

I don't feel much. No shock. No guilt. He was out to kill me. He would have, if I'd let up for even a second. I check my status just to confirm—part of me still doesn't trust the system when it says I've gained levels from killing a noble.

Name: Jacob Cloud

Class: Infernal Architect (Platinum) – Lv. 9

Level: 9

Core Skills:

Hell's Sword – Lv. 100 (Gold – Offensive)

Fire Slash – Lv. 100 (Silver – Offensive)

Fire Shield – Lv. 100 (Silver – Defensive)

Fire Armor – Lv. 100 (Silver – Defensive)

Fire Walk – Lv. 100 (Silver – Movement)

Veins of Fire – Lv. 82 (Gold – Support)

Class Skills:

Furnace Core (Passive) – Lv. 7

Flameform Blueprint (Active) – Lv. 4

Infernal Thread (Passive) – Lv. 7

Ember Keystone (Active) – Lv. 1

Architect's Insight (Passive) – Lv. 1

Hellspire (Active) – Lv. 1

Ignition Array (Active) – Lv. 1

Attributes:

Strength (STR): 36

Dexterity (DEX): 51

Endurance (END): 39

Vitality (VIT): 42

Intelligence (INT): 63

Spirit (SPI): 66

Wisdom (WIS): 55

Charisma (CHA): 18

Luck (LCK): 10

I haven't had time to practice my other Skills; keeping up with a series of events has been challenging. Still, they've leveled up a bit during the encounter. Subconsciously, I've started trying to activate them in a better way, getting a feel for them. From a conversation I had with Sir Greyson while I was trying to level up Veins of Fire beyond level eighty, apparently, when in lack of a Tutor or when someone reaches a very high-level, that's what people do. As they grow stronger and get better at knowing their bodies, they can naturally level up their Skills much more easily than anybody else. A True Diamond Knight can easily bring a Silver Skill at level one-hundred because of their experience. Since I've been using the Grimoire so much, it's become sort of a second nature to get a feel for how I channel my Skills or how I move my body while using them.

In a way, the Grimoire has been teaching me the right approach for all the Skills. It's not just finding the right vein, it's the fact that I've been looking to improve. Now, subconsciously, I always try to improve.

Anyway, not bad for a day's work. I killed the son of a noble house, leveled twice, and walked away with the whole arena staring.

Now, with Sir Renquell taking care of me not getting assassinated, I should be fine until the Sky Hunt. After that, it's time to go Ytrial.

I flex my hands.

I can feel Veins of Fire in my blood, thrumming with power even when they're inactive.

I can still picture the moment I killed Valerius Shellford's brother, Julius.

I shake my head and focus on my Class.

Infernal Architect—Platinum. That means I can level this Class all the way up to Level 200. I have room to grow for a long time. Once I hit 200, that's Diamond threshold. Anything above that, I'll need to evolve my Class, and that's a problem for the future.

"Are you ready?" Felisia knocks at the door of the room of the tavern where I've been staying.

She's begged me to come live to the Clearwater Palace, but I don't feel comfortable there. Honestly, most people in Clearwater are low-levelled and not a threat. Those who are a threat will probably get killed by Sir Renquell.

So, why go in a noble's palace full of servants scuttling around, Felisia's sisters, and who knows whom else.

No, thank you, I'm good here.

"Yeah, yeah," I say, "coming."

Right now, the most important thing while waiting for the Sky Hunt to begin is leveling up. See, Felisia is level sixty, which means I'm fifty levels behind her. From what I gather, Calantha is in the high eighties, and Adrienne might have reached level one hundred by now, which would put her roughly at the level of a Gold-ranked adventurer, compared to her sisters, both of whom are at the Silver Rank level.

I pull on my shirt, run a hand through my hair, and open the door. Felisia stands there with her arms crossed, looking at me like she's about to scold me for being late.

I need to go into another Dungeon to catch up with her—something that she doesn't truly believe can happen in three weeks.

"You look tired," she says.

"I could say the same for you," I reply. "But I'm ready."

She tilts her head, studying me for a second, then just turns and leads the way. I follow, boots thudding down the old wooden stairs. The inn is quiet this early. Only the cook and a sleepy server linger by the hearth.

"Sky Hunt's in three weeks," Felisia says, not looking back. "You have to get a good Dungeon from the Adventurers' Guild, Bocaj—Jacob."

Felisia comes with me all the way to the Adventurers' Guild. The square out front is already packed. Teams of adventurers crowd the steps, some bragging, some arguing, most just showing off their new weapons or Skills. I take a look at the board of available Dungeons.

I start looking through them and I finally see something interesting.

Smoldering Glass Hollow - 1F-2F Bronze, 3F Silver

Skill Crystals: Meditation, Glass Explosion, Glass Cannon

Entrance Fee: 100 Golds

Meditation?

That's one of the Skills I'm after. It's similar to Mana Pool in rarity. Everyone wants it and despite it being Silver Ranked, it flies off the shelves at the price of a very powerful Gold Rank one. It's the starting point for the Meditation line of Skills, which all allow you to regenerate Mana faster.

It's a staple of every Knight, I think to myself. Plus, looking at the rank required to clear each floor, this might be the perfect Dungeon for me. If I stay long enough in it, not only will I get Meditation, but I will also be able to perhaps reach level 50, which would allow me and Felisia to clear our next Dungeon together.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.

If I can clear it alone, I'll get levels and maybe some shards worth a small fortune.

When I finally reach the counter, the clerk—a tall, skinny man with a guild pin—barely glances at me.

"Name?"

"Jacob Cloud," I say.

He checks a ledger. "You're the one from the trial by combat. You want a Dungeon permit?" His voice is louder than necessary, and a few heads turn.

"That's right," I say. "I'd like to

"That's right," I say. "I'd like to reserve the Smoldering Glass Hollow for a solo run. Today."

The clerk raises an eyebrow but doesn't bother arguing. He scribbles my name, stamps a seal, and slides the permit across the counter. "Hundred gold. Up front. No refunds if you die in there."

I count out the coins. Most of my reward from the mines is gone but I got a payment from Felisia for my Tutoring. Plus, this is the only Dungeon that matters right now. Meditation alone is so rare, rarer than Mana Pool even, that it's worth up to five times this price.

Before I can take the permit, a sharp voice cuts across the hall.

"Hold it. That slot's mine."

I turn. A young man in fancy blue half-plate steps forward. His armor is polished, not a single dent or scratch. He's got two goons at his side, and a girl in expensive robes—clearly another noble. The guy's got a smirk that makes me want to punch him already.

"You're the peasant, right? The one who killed Valerius and Julius? I don't care what the Guild says. I called this Dungeon for today."

The clerk shrugs, not caring at all.

"First come, first served."

The guy's eyes flicker with annoyance.

"Let's do it fair. I'm Leonard. Son of House Tyrial. If you want the Dungeon, you have to earn it. If you can break my defenses in three strikes, I'll pay you twice the entrance for the Dungeon. If you fail, you forfeit the permit."

I snort.

"Three strikes?"

He crosses his arms.

"That's right. I'll let you use any Skill you like. But if you can't get through my defense, you don't deserve the slot."

A small crowd gathers. Some look at me with curiosity, others with thinly veiled hope that the 'rat' finally gets put in his place.

Felisia, however, tries to warn me.

"House Tyrial is famous for their defensive Skills! Leave that guy alone! Just go to the Dungeon! He's trying to—"

The crowd starts whispering in mockery of me.

I ignore the noise. I walk right past Leonard and stand in the center of the open hall.

"That's the rat from the mines. Watch him run."

"Three strikes? Hah. I bet he can't even scratch a Gold Rank barrier."

"Does he even know what House Tyrial's Skill is? Maybe he'll cry for his mommy."

"If you want to lose your money, fine," I say, not raising my voice. "Three strikes."

Leonard laughs.

"But, I'll tell you what. I want two-thousand Gold coins. Twenty Platinums."

The young man hesitates but then steels himself.

"Let everyone see. House Tyrial doesn't back down!"

"Jacob, that guy's higher level than you," Felisia whispers in my ear. "Even with Hell's Sword, three strikes is never going to be enough to break his barrier!"

"Don't worry about it," I say with a smile.

His two goons stand behind him, crossing their arms. Leonard taps his breastplate, and a silver light covers his body—a barrier Skill, shaped like interlocking hexagons, hovers over the plate. Another layer shimmers below it.

[Grimoire Extraordinaire – Scan]

Barrier of the Adamant Turtle Lv. 87 (Gold – Defensive Skill)

Mana Saturation: 92%

Major Flaws: 4

Top flaw: Lattice tension fails at the shoulder joint under converging attacks. Too much focus on the frontal plate.

Before I can speak, a girl with brown hair and amber eyes steps in front of me from the crowd. She's got a pretty face, delicate hands, and a voice that sings every word.

"Jacob Cloud, right?"

I pause, sizing her up. She's not nervous. She walks straight toward me, hips swaying like she's on stage. There's something odd about her eyes—too bright, too steady.

"That's right," I answer. "Can I help you?"

She smiles, leans close, and her voice drops to a whisper. "Why don't you just give Leonard the Dungeon slot? I'm sure you can find a better one somewhere else. Why cause trouble?"

There's a tug in the air, a faint sweet scent, like honey in summer. My head grows fuzzy for a moment. The Grimoire Extraordinaire flickers behind my eyes, words forming over her face.

[Charm Song Lv. 73 – Gold Rank – Enchantment Skill]

Effect: Attempts to cloud target's mind and create compliance through auditory suggestion.

Flaws: Insufficient resonance. Mana leakage at the vocal chords. Lasts for 2.8 seconds unless reinforced.

Weakness: If the target channels Mana through the Caved Veins in his skull, the Skill will become fully ineffective.

I keep my face blank. The pressure ebbs. I let the mana slide over me, channeling a little through the Grimoire's recommended vein. The fuzziness passes like it was never there.

I grin and I move closer to her, so close I know she can feel my breath on her ear.

"That's a rare Skill you've got. Charm Song at Gold Rank? Not bad for someone your level. But I think what you just did was pretty illegal."

Her face drains of color. She blinks, then recoils as if stung. "You…"

See, using Enchantment Skills like this one outside of combat is the kind of offense that is sternly punished. It's not easy to locate the users of these Skills, since they're usually hard to pin down. However, having the Grimoire made it a piece of cake.

The crowd doesn't notice anything. Only Leonard, the blue-armored idiot, looks annoyed.

"Mira, what's taking so long?"

I turn to Leonard.

"She tried. But that sort of trick won't work on me." I let my voice ring out. "Anything else you want to try? Or are you all bark? Are we doing this or not?"

The fact the he wanted to use whoever this girl is to try and trick me tells me that, deep down, he's not sure that his Skill will be enough to withstand three blows.

Don't worry, Leonard, I think to myself. One will be more than enough.

Laughter ripples through the crowd now. Mira stares at me like I just slapped her. I can't help but wink at her.

Leonard's jaw clenches.

"Enough games. Come at me. Three strikes. If you can break through, the Dungeon is yours. If not, you crawl home."

I stretch my arms, feeling the Veins of Fire hum under my skin. I bring up Hell's Sword with a flick of my wrist. Flames coil around the blade, runes pulsing from hilt to tip.

First strike.

I dash in and slash upward, feinting toward his shield arm. Leonard tenses, barrier flaring. At the last instant, I pivot, driving Hell's Sword at his right shoulder—where the Grimoire lit up the flaw.

I don't slam it into the weak point—I just tap it.

Leonard sneers. "Is that all—"

But his words die in his throat as a spiderweb of cracks spreads from the shoulder. The silver glow flickers.

Leonard's sneer wobbles.

I stand back, not even winded. The crowd goes silent for a breath. Even Felisia looks stunned.

There's a snapping sound like ice cracking underfoot. The shield flickers, then shatters in a halo of blue sparks. Half the crowd gasps.

Leonard stumbles back, both arms numb, shock written all over his face.

"Alright," I smile, "that was one. Are we counting the armor, too? Should I pierce it completely in order to win."

I see Leonard's face completely pale, knowing that if I destroyed his Skill like that, his armor doesn't really stand a chance against me.

He doesn't answer. His two friends just stare, stunned. A few people in the crowd whisper. Some are just gawking. Nobody expected the barrier to go down in one hit.

I turn my head, scanning the faces around us. I let them see I'm not even sweating.

I ignore him. I look over at Mira, who's biting her lip, amber eyes locked on me with something like disbelief. She keeps her distance now, careful. She's clearly not used to her Skill failing, especially not in public.

But there's interest in her eyes.

Mira lingers. She stares at me, no anger left, just shock and this new interest.

"You broke his Skill with one touch. That's… not normal. You're not normal."

I smirk.

"You should see me on a good day."

I hear Felisia harrumphing on the side and I am about to turn toward her to make sure she doesn't get the wrong idea. I'm just messing with this Mira.

Suddenly, however, I see a man in a long robe coming out of a back door and going straight to the clerk. When the clerk sees him, he shoots to his feet and bows.

"Guildmaster Dorn," the clerk says.

The Guildmaster Dorn looks at the paper with the authorization for the Smoldering Glass Hollow Dungeon.

"Cloud, right?" He says, looking at me, ignoring the shocked Leonard. "Yeah?"

"The Smoldering Glass Hollow is a good Dungeon, but another is also available. I've been told that you're a surprising talent. Another Dungeon, the evolved version of the Smoldering Glass Hollow—the Smoldering Glass Crucible—has just opened. It's a five-floor Dungeon, the first three are Bronze and the last two Silver grade, with a secret floor that only unlocks for the solo-clear of the lower floors. This boss drops Skill Crystals, not just shards. Meditation, Glass Explosion, and—if you clear the final trial—an extra Silver Skill Crystal, random, plus a Soul Core. Only one person can enter at a time."

Everyone widens their eyes at what the Guildmaster Dorn just offered me but I know there must be a catch here. This Guildmaster Dorn probably wants me in a situation that could kill me—I'm pretty sure I saw the guy hanging around the other nobles during my Trial.

"That Dungeon's traps have not been cleared," I hear Felisia say to the Guildmaster Dorn. "If Jacob entered, he'd die!" She turns toward me. "Jacob, it's great Dungeon, but without a very high-level Knight clearing it first, it's a deathtrap."

"Is it?" I say with a smile, turning to the Guildmaster Dorn.