NOVEL NEXT Chapter 32 A Short Rest.
After lying on my back for a while, resting after the hard-fought battles, I couldn't help but reflect. Out of all the versions of myself, the human version was the most dangerous. If both of us had all our resources, I would have lost. The only reason I won was because I cheated a little. But, as they say, the victors write history. Now, looking back at the notifications, I read them to see what my new gains were from this trial.
Congratulations on completing the trial of Pride.
Due to your performance, you have been granted additional rewards and benefits from the trial. You could have stopped after 100 rounds but you went to the end so rewards are set to the maximum.
All Stats + 10, Demon-related abilities strengthened, New skills gained Lesser Blood Domain Lv1/10 Passive, Lesser Domination Lv1/10 Active.
By absorbing the pacts and a small part of alternate versions of yourself during the trial you have increased your Blood affinity by 3%. 91% Blood affinity has been reached. New Traits gained Arcane Anchor Blood and Prodigious Blood.
You have awakened your first sin Pride. Pride may be augmented with a magical affinity, changing Pride differently.
Lesser Blood Domain Lv1/10 - Increased domination of blood around the user. The user also gains a heightened sense of nearby blood, allowing them to detect its presence within a short range. This awareness extends to both living beings and recently spilled blood.
Lesser Domination Lv1/10 - At its initial level, Lesser Domination grants the user the ability to mark individuals they have defeated, rendering them unable to directly harm or rebel against the user. This mark serves as a symbolic and magical bond, exerting a subtle influence over the marked individual's actions and intentions. The mark exerts a mild influence over the marked individual's emotions and decisions, nudging them towards compliance or non-confrontation in interactions with the user.
If the marked individual significantly surpasses the user in strength or power, the magical bond weakens. This can lead to the gradual breaking of the domination, allowing the marked individual to rebel or act against the user's will potentially. The effectiveness of the mark fluctuates based on the relative strengths of both parties, encouraging the user to continually improve their skills to maintain dominance.
Arcane Anchor Blood Trait - The character’s blood is infused with a powerful, anchoring magic that roots their physical, and spiritual form in its natural state. Immune to transmog effects and any form of involuntary physical alteration, including curses or blessings that change their form. Only you can change your form at will, by either evolution or skills.
This anchoring effect can make the character more resistant to other forms of magical healing or enhancement.
Prodigious Blood Trait - The character is a natural prodigy, excelling in learning new skills and talents at an unprecedented rate. Gains double experience points when learning new skills, talents, or spells. Pride has increased the effects of this trait by 20 percent. 70 percent increase in all learning. Learning of any Blood-related abilities increased by 120 percent.
Pride began to speak to me once I had enough time to rest. "Now that you have won, just as I knew you would now, let's discuss what you need to do to get your revenge."
I sat up and replied, "What do I have to do? I don't want to break God's rules. I remember my patron saying he didn't want to either."
"There are nine things you must do before you can achieve vengeance," Pride began. "First, become an A-rank monster. Second, augment me, Pride, with your space affinity. Third, summon more demon followers and build an army, raising their strength as high as possible without falling behind. Fourth, kill a lord monster or a humanoid species lord. Fifth, kidnap a Sage of Time and Space; we need this person to mark the souls of those who hurt us. Sixth, create a portal skill and reach the highest level and rank with it. Sev.....wd..a..sw..ecc."
Why did his voice just cut up at the end right there? Did something happen?
Pride paused and sighed. "Damn it, it seems I am unable to give you the rest of the information right now. But don't worry; when you augment me, we will be able to speak more. You may even complete a few of the requirements I haven't mentioned yet that aren't a part of the main 9 if you work hard."
" I was going to work as hard as physically possible. As I want to be more powerful."
"Alright. Since I can't discuss the rest of the tasks, I will give you a quest," Pride said, tapping his gauntleted hands on the throne. "I want you to max out all three of your affinities and get them to 100 percent. Do this, and I shall strengthen the power of our sins and grant you a new trait."
" I am going to have to find a way of increasing them. So I have Blood, Space, and Ice. I know Blood is the highest as Vogarth said it was when he dropped me here. I will have to see how high they are later."
He leaned forward, his voice dropping to a grave tone. "I will warn you now: rest for a while. Once you pass through that door, Wrath will attack you. He isn't like me, bound by rules and a code. Wrath is a beast-like monster in our flesh. He is the future you who fell when facing him in the trial, just as I am the version of you who failed the second trial of Pride. Don't fail and become like us."
"I thought that might be the case since I was warned not to let the sins consume me," I replied, my resolve hardening. "But don't worry, I won't let myself fall. I will control my fate. I won't be some playtoy for others trying to do me harm ever again."