"Do it..." muttered Vahn, followed by Sis severing his access to the many Authorities that granted him near absolute power within the framework of Invirtua. As she did, he could feel his very being contracting inward as his connection to his millions of adherents weakened. He could still feel them, but it was like they had become as distant as stars in the night sky.
'But I don't feel all that different. If anything, I feel stronger...' Vahn noted, instinctively pulling up his Status.
--------------------------------------------
Name: [Vahn Mason]
Title(s): [Dragon God of Infinite Possibilities], [God of Intertwining Fates], [One Who Cultivates Flowers], [Champion of the Downtrodden], [One Who Maintains Balance], [Dragon's Champion], [Devilish Lover], [Wife Hunter], [Lucky Bastard], [Object of Envy], [Phenex Bane], [The One Who Watches], [Interloper], [Stallion], [Equine Enjoyer], +53...
Race: Human, (????)
Age: 89 Height: 191cm Weight: 103kg B/W/H: 96/75/94
Origin: Termina
[Parameters]
Power Level: (405)202,500
Strength: (B)A+
Dexterity: (B)A+
Constitution: (A)S+
Intelligence: B+
Wisdom: B+
Charisma: S+
Luck: S+
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Soul Tier: 2 (Hero Soul)
Karma: 78, 551,423,750
OP: 141,300,481
[Skills]
[Will of the Emperor: Innate(SSS)], [Stalwart Adonis: Innate(B)], [Tiamat's Territorial Mark(SS)], [Aura of Karmic Protection(S)], [Chainbreaker(S)], [Veil of the Traveler(S)], [Pain Tolerance(S)], [Bedroom Arts(S)], [Petting(S)], [Aura Conversion(S)], [Parallel Processing(S)], [Wound Transfer(A)], [Spearmanship(A)], [Battle Focus(A)], [Keen Senses(A)], [Treasure Sense(A)], [Meditation(A)], [Martial Arts(A)], [Devil Magic(A)], [Holy Magic(A)], [Cooking(A)], [Telekinesis(A)], [Primogenesis(A)], +223...
--------------------------------------------
Seeing that his Status hadn't changed since the last time he checked it, a wave of confusion washed over Vahn.
(It's because your appearance and power are a reflection of how you see yourself) elucidated Sis, adding (We no longer have access to Invirtua's broader systems, but that doesn't change that you've trained with and are lover to powerful S-Ranks.)
'Mmn...I see...' Vahn muttered internally, inspecting his body and flexing his hands open and closed in the center of his flame-resistant meditation chamber. While his counterpart continued exploring the Corridor, he was preparing to enter a setting where he could gain experience, increase his strength, and possibly even suffer organically. There weren't many worlds that came to mind with his base, planet-busting strength, but that's where his key and Gacha Gate came in. Now, rather than restricting his power to the setting's upper limit, they were designed to restrict him to the average power of humans within the setting.
"Alright, let's see what fate has in store for us..." Vahn mused aloud, his aquamarine eyes flashing as he produced a golden key with his personal seal on it from his Inventory. Upon inserting it into space itself, the white outline of a door appeared, within which emerged golden light that made it impossible to see what awaited him on the other side.
Spurred by his curiosity and many other emotions, Vahn stepped through the portal with an expectant smile. As he did, he felt like he was stepping through a wall of thick gelatin, a phenomenon he had learned to associate with a substantial restriction being placed on him.
'Hmmm...the humans in this world must not be very strong. I feel like all of my power has left me...' noted Vahn, once again opening his Status to see how it had changed.
--------------------------------------------
Name: [Vahn Mason]
Title(s): N/A, [68 Titles Sealed]
Class: Awaiting Class Selection
Race: Human, (????)
Age: 89 Height: 191cm Weight: 103kg B/W/H: 96/75/94
Origin: Termina
Current World: OL-2138
[World Parameters]
Level: 5
HP: 5(+)
MP: 5(+)
P. Atk: 0(+)
P. Def: 0(+)
Agility: 0(+)
M. Atk: 0(+)
M. Def: 0(+)
Resistance: 100
Special Ability: 0(+)
Skill Points: 50
Total: 160
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Soul Tier: 2 (Hero Soul)
Karma: 78, 551,423,750
OP: 141,300,481
[Connatal Skills]
[Will of the Emperor: Innate(SSS)], [Stalwart Adonis: Innate(B)],[Chainbreaker(S)], [Veil of the Traveler(S)], [Pain Tolerance(S)], [Wound Transfer(A)], [238 Skills Sealed]
[Racial Skills]
N/A
[Class Skills]
Awaiting Class Selection
--------------------------------------------
"Oh, wow...it's been a while since I've seen numerical stats in the single digits, much less zero..." Vahn mused aloud, his brows rising. At the same time, he took stock of his immediate surroundings, a lush and lively forest that echoed with the sounds of birds and insects.
'Mmn...this is uncomfortable...'
Though he found the scenery pleasant, Vahn's attempts to expand his Domain left him feeling an icy chill and a faint but growing pressure in his mind. He was able to spread it, but the range was barely ten meters, and the effort left him bleeding from both his nostrils.
"Interesting..." Vahn muttered, producing a towel from his Inventory to wipe his nose. He found the fact that he didn't immediately heal novel, but since all the Titles and Skills that granted him regeneration were sealed, it was to be expected.
With each of his attributes having plus marks next to them, it didn't take a genius to understand that Skill Points were meant to be allocated in stats, skills, or special abilities. Before that, Vahn had five points granted to him by his Level to invest in several Classes.
--------------------------------------------
Fighter(Common)
Swordsman(Uncommon)
Fencer(Rare)
Magic Swordsman(Epic)
Militiamen(Common)
Soldier(Uncommon)
Spearman(Rare)
Hoplite(Epic)
Thief(Common)
Scout(Uncommon)
Treasure Hunter(Rare)
Phantom Thief(Epic)
Devotee(Common)
Acolyte(Uncommon)
Cleric(Rare)
Chosen(Epic)
Mage(Uncommon)
Elementalist(Rare)
Necromancer(Rare)
Summoner(Epic)
Archer(Common)
Hunter(Uncommon)
Trapper(Rare)
Falconer(Epic)
Trainee(Common)
Monk(Uncommon)
Pugilist(Rare)
Soul Linker(Epic)
Guardian(Uncommon)
Spiritualist(Rare)
Invoker(Epic)
Spirit Lord(Legendary)
Slayer(Uncommon)
Executioner(Rare)
Highlander(Epic)
Dark Knight(Legendary)
Popshot(Common)
Gunner(Uncommon)
Gunslinger(Epic)
Deathhand(Legendary)
Herbalist(Uncommon)
Alchemist(Rare)
Maester(Epic)
Geneticist(Legendary)
[Page 1/19]
--------------------------------------------
With a total of 202 Classes to choose from, a handful of which were listed as Legendary or even Mythical, Vahn could have spent hours perusing the active and passive skills associated with each. Instead, as he hadn't all of a sudden forgotten how to fight, he decided to choose a Class that would benefit his base skill set, the Epic-Ranked Chaplain.
--------------------------------------------
Class: Chaplain
Rank: Epic
Class Skills:
Level 1: Aspergillum
Level 2: Binatio
Level 3: Sacellum
Level 4: Last Rites
Level 5: Walking Church
Level 6: Sanctify
Level 7: Aspersion
Level 8: Sanctuary
Level 9: Crucifixia
Level 10: Judgment
--------------------------------------------
After quickly perusing the Skills associated with the Chaplain Class, Vahn finalized his decision without reconsideration. From there, he invested his Skill Points evenly across each of his stats, sans Resistance. He assumed it was at 100 due to the properties of his blood, but even if that wasn't the case, there simply wasn't a plus mark for him to invest his Skill Points into it. As a result, his final Status was as such:
--------------------------------------------
Name: [Vahn Mason]
Title(s): N/A, [68 Titles Sealed]
Class: Chaplain(5)
Race: Human, (????)
Age: 89 Height: 191cm Weight: 103kg B/W/H: 96/75/94
Origin: Termina
Current World: OL-2138
[World Parameters]
Level: 5
HP: 5->13
MP: 5->12
P. Atk: 0->7
P. Def: 0->7
Agility: 0->7
M. Atk: 0->7
M. Def: 0->7
Resistance: 100
Special Ability: 0->5
Skill Points: 50->0
Total: 160->165
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Soul Tier: 2 (Hero Soul)
Karma: 78, 551,423,750->78, 551,423,850
OP: 141,300,481
[Connatal Skills]
[Will of the Emperor: Innate(SSS)], [Stalwart Adonis: Innate(B)],[Chainbreaker(S)], [Veil of the Traveler(S)], [Pain Tolerance(S)], [Wound Transfer(A)], [238 Skills Sealed]
[Racial Skills]
N/A
[Class Skills]
[Aspergillum(F)], [Binatio(F)], [Sacellum(E)], [Last Rites(E)], [Walking Church(D)]
--------------------------------------------
"Phew...my eyes are starting to hurt looking at all these numbers and descriptions..." Vahn mused aloud, adopting a faint smile as he turned his attention to the group of what he presumed to be Goblins that had been encircling him using the forest as cover. They were green-skinned, skinny, child-sized humanoids with blank white eyes, elongated ears that tapered to points, and gaunt faces that resembled those of elderly, very perverted old men with razor-sharp teeth.
Though he couldn't tell exactly how many there were without his Domain, Vahn wasn't concerned. Instead, his expression was calm and composed as he produced a polished black bokken from his Inventory and stated, "I can smell and hear you," in a humor-tinged tone.
Looking to his right, Vahn met the gaze of a Goblin using a bush for cover. That was evidently enough to convince the entire ambushing group that he could see them, as they abruptly burst forth from their hiding spots to charge him from all directions.
With his perception still enhanced far beyond the limitations of a normal human, Vahn counted a total of thirteen loincloth-wearing, poorly armed Goblins charging at him. He noticed two others climbing trees with stick-formed, tweed-strung bows, but he doubted they would be able to strike true, even if he remained still.
Shifting his gaze relaxedly to the closest Goblin, Vahn's right hand moved in a slow and graceful motion, at least from his perspective, to smack the barely meter-tall creature on its crown. From the Goblin's point of view, he had drawn a black afterimage before their companion was suddenly face-planted in the ground with a deep indentation in the top of its head.
[You have been awarded 12 Experience for defeating a Goblin(Lv 3).]
Though he wasn't particularly interested in earning experience to increase his Level, Vahn moved with the grace of a male Geisha, dodging the tip of a rusty sword aimed for his lower back, lowering his center of gravity, and performing a sweeping slash that sliced through the protruding abdomens of three Goblins.
"Die...!" shouted a Goblin with a makeshift stone hatchet, causing Vahn's brows to rise as he hadn't expected the salivating, bloodthirsty creatures to be capable of speech. On the other hand, The Path translated even the sounds of animals into speech he could understand, so there was a good chance he was hearing that.
Trusting that his own speech would be translated in kind, Vahn weaved between a series of thrown spears as he responded, "I harbor no enmity toward your troupe or tribe. Leave me be, and I have no reason to pursue you."
Ignoring Vahn's attempts to reason with them, the Goblins continued their assault until more than two-thirds of their sixteen-strong group remained. Only then did they seem to realize their numbers weren't granting them an advantage so much as more targets for him to strike.
"M-Monster...!" shouted one of the surviving Goblins, setting the example for the rest of the group by being the first to turn and flee into the forest. As they did, Vahn observed them with a look of pity, a faint sigh escaping his nose before he passed a somber gaze over the eleven corpses on the ground. Unlike monsters in the Tower and Corridor, they didn't scatter into motes of light or leave behind items when slain. Instead, the air felt heavy with the stench of iron and refuse as their blood pooled beneath their still bodies and soaked into the grass and dirt.
"Actions have consequences...this was an end wrought by your own actions..." Vahn muttered, closing his eyes to offer a silent prayer for the deceased Goblins. It then occurred to him that he hadn't had a chance to try his newly acquired Class Skills, but since the key and gate he used to access the world were one-way, he would have plenty of opportunities to test them as he was effectively trapped until he either died or decided to disperse of his own accord.
"It's curious, though...isn't the key supposed to place me near someone of narrative significance...?" Vahn asked aloud, his gaze scanning the area as Sis speculated (Perhaps that group of Goblins was pursuing or detained someone that matches that description? Even if that isn't the case, you might be able to uncover a plot thread by tracking them back to their lair. What do you think?)
"Mmmn...it feels kind of mean-spirited to track them down after I let them go..." responded Vahn, adopting a conflicted frown. He knew that Goblins were, more often than not, vile creatures that overran unprepared villages and abducted human women as brood stock. If these were those types of Goblins, they definitely warranted complete annihilation. But it would also obligate him to aid anyone he happened to free.
"What an unpleasant start to a world..." Vahn sighed, slowly moving in the direction the Goblins had fled. He wasn't looking forward to whatever he would find, but, as it would plague him to learn he was correct and that he had done nothing, he pressed forward, his eyes shifting from their usually gentle aquamarine hue to a menacing gold with vertical slits...
...
..
.