CHAPTER 5: | SKILL ADVANCEMENT
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A humanoid figure moved with unhurried, careful strides across the moss-kissed pavement of the ancient forest.
His tattered black cloak, a shadow woven from night itself, whispered and billowed with each step, dragging lightly on the damp earth.
His abyssal black eyes, deep as the void, were utterly devoid of emotion.
They swept over the vibrant tapestry of the forest, observing the delicate dance of emerald leaves as they fluttered down and the vibrant splashes of butterflies that painted the air.
Yet, no warmth touched his gaze, only a chilling, quiet anticipation.
He paused, then withdrew a heavy, leather-bound book from within his cloak, a book filled with unknown records, simply named [Ascendance].
The very air around him seemed to hum with faint power as he flipped through its ancient, crackling pages.
A subtle curve, red as a freshly picked tomato, appeared on his lips, a stark contrast to his otherwise impassive face.
He plucked a solitary, blood-red rose from a nearby bush, brought it close to his nose, then inhaled its sweet, fleeting scent, and murmured.
"The start of the Grand Play has finally begun after decades of waiting."
The words, barely a whisper, carried a chilling promise.
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A few hours later, the metallic tang of blood from the last whark that I've devoured still lingered on my tongue.
A familiar, yet always brutal, scene unfolded before me again.
Wharks, my own kin, were yet again interlocked in a frenzied brawl after finishing their last.
Their massive, whale-shark-like forms blurred through the murky water, a violent ballet of tooth and muscle.
The sickening scrape of their steel-brush maws against each other's tough hide echoed, a raw, brutal symphony of survival.
Crimson clouds of blood bloomed across the horizon, painting the deeps a violent red as their thrashing forms vanished from my sight, only to reappear inches before me.
Their needle-sharp, brush-like teeth clamped down, as it pierced my hide and raked across my nerves.
Like a swarm of relentless leeches, the wharks latched onto my scaled hide.
Pain, sharp and merciless, jolted through me, a searing, grinding pressure that threatened to breach even my hardened defenses.
But it was futile.
My scaled hide, thick and resilient, blocked their desperate attacks with effortless ease.
A cold satisfaction flickered within me.
I coiled my body like a loaded spring, then unleashed myself like a thunderbolt, sweeping my massive tail with a thunderous speed.
The black-skinned whark, which had been attempting to latch onto my tail, was sent spiraling away.
A wet crack echoed through the water as bones shattered within its body, and dark plumes of blood gushed from its gills, quickly dissolving into the crimson haze.
It twitched, then floated lifelessly.
My strength was simply too much for these newborn wharks.
A single sweep of my tail had rendered one nearly dead.
This was not the challenge I craved.
Before the remaining wharks could react, before the fear could fully register in their simple minds, my maw had already clamped down against the red-skinned whark that greedily tried to tear my gills.
With a swift, savage motion, blood exploded into the water, clouding my vision.
CRASH!
Its skull imploded, crushed like a ripe watermelon dropped from a great height.
I savored the grotesque sound, then licked my lips, a guttural, triumphant howl ripping from my throat, echoing through the blood-stained water.
The rest of the wharks were dead in a matter of seconds.
The outcome of this fight only deepened my dissatisfaction.
Their strength was pathetic, a single bite from me was enough to end them.
Licking my lips, I feasted on their remains for the next few minutes.
The metallic, briny taste of their blood was intoxicating, seriously addictive.
It fueled a primal hunger that simmered constantly within me.
The life of a demonic beast was, truly, something I relished.
Nothing was too complicated about it.
All I needed to do was kill, then sleep, and kill again.
There was a raw, undeniable purity to it.
It was a simple, lavish life that I found far more peaceful than the suffocating existence of a humanoid.
As a humanoid, there were so many arbitrary rules to follow, wearing clothes, not killing in the city, and a hundred other trivialities I didn't even want to contemplate.
Of course, these rules were understandable in theory.
But they didn't really apply to the rich or powerful.
Since they could bend or break them with impunity, so why bother with the rules at all?
That was one of the dilemmas that plagued me during the early days of my first cycles, 'Can't I just kill and eat them?' Was the very question that plague my mind for a hundred cycle.
I shook my head, as my internal musings were abruptly halted, then took a glance at the shimmering hologram before me.
Perhaps dwelling on such thoughts would only create an inner demon inside me, much like that frustrating period in the cultivation world.
And speaking of inner demons, I couldn't help but laugh at one of the inner demons that I've devoured, from the numerous lives that I had, desperate words before it ended up in my maw.
"Did it say, 'Please spare me, dear God'?"
'Hahahahaha, an inner demon asking a god to spare it was the funniest joke that I had heard in that cycle.'
But now was not the time for that particular story.
Calming myself, I focused on the hologram with renewed interest.
A methodical smile touched my lips as I watched my skills grow stronger, though not significantly stronger, as they had only gained a single tier.
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[You have slain.]
• S: 0 | T: 1 | Whark [1★] x5
[You have gained.]
[420 - EXP.]
[You have gained a level.] x1
---
[You have devoured.]
• S: 0 | T: 1 | Whark [1★] x5
[You have gained.]
[+ 3 - Health.]
[+ 2 - Stamina.]
[+ 0.13 - Physique.]
---
[Skills Devoured.]
• Bronze Stomach + 3
• Enhanced Teeth + 3
• Scaled Hide +2
---
[Your existing skills have been strengthened.]
[They have gained a level]
• Bronze Stomach +3
• Enhanced Teeth +3
• Scaled Hide +2
---
[You're skills.]
• Bronze Stomach [Level - 5]
• Enhanced Teeth [Level - 5]
[Have evolved.]
---
[You have gained.]
• Bronze Stomach [Tier 1]
• Enhanced Teeth [Tier 1]
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Bronze Stomach [Passive - Tier 1 | Level 1]
The Whark's stomach is now a perfected alchemist's crucible, seamlessly absorbing and transmuting all physical and energy matter into pure vitality. It grants absolute, inherent immunity to any internal affliction, toxin, corrosive, or energy, turning potential harm into sustenance.
Enhanced Teeth [Passive - Tier 1 | Level 1]
The Whark's teeth are irrefutable cutting instruments, composed of a singularly dense, self-regenerating essence that cuts through any material, force field, or magical ward with chilling ease. Its bite is an unstoppable force of nature, dismantling all opposition with surgical precision.
Scaled Hide [Passive - Level 4]
The Whark's skin is now covered in thick, interlocking plates of natural armor, providing exceptional defense against all forms of physical and energy-based attacks. These scales flex with supernatural resilience, shrugging off impacts that would level buildings and deflecting even powerful magical assaults. Cutting its hide is an almost impossible feat.
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The improvements to my skills were quite good, but still not truly up to my standards.
But, they would do for now, since I was only at the beginning of my journey.
While the descriptions of these skills spoke of grandeur, a part of me knew better than to blindly trust them.
The descriptions that the Dimensional Record patched together were not a hundred percent accurate.
I felt my body strengthening, my teeth, stomach, and scales indeed making a qualitative leap into the next tier.
However, the raw power was still far from the grandiosity of what the descriptions boasted.
No, it was a no-go to blindly trust this cosmic scammer.
Now, let's talk about the tier of skills.
What was it, and how did this term even come to be when the Dimensional Record was a nascent force in the multiverse?
In the distant past, there were no tier-stage evolutions.
The sole path to becoming a higher being was through the arduous absorption of worldly energies.
While a soul was indeed a machine that stored records, simply accumulating more records didn't automatically make you stronger, unlike today.
If the current multiverse were a novel I'd read, it would be one with a 'system' that granted everyone equal rights to ascension.
The past, however, meant if you had serious 'skill issues,' that was that, you'd stay where you were until you rotted.
This meant that in the current epoch, of this multiverse was undoubtedly at its golden age, thanks to the Dimensional Record.
It facilitated rapid and assisted ascension, a stark contrast to the past that determined your rise solely based on your inherent set of skills.
So, the question, 'What is a tier?' The answer was simple, The tier of skills determines how strong they will be when you evolve them.
Quite simple, right?
And how do skills gain a tier?
The answer was through mastery, which is called 'levels.'
The faster you reach the maximum level of a skill, the faster you can tier it, and the faster you can evolve it to become more powerful.
But here was the problem, training skills was just too much work for a being of my… disposition.
It would take hours, even days, just to increase a single level.
The term 'training' sounds simple, right?
Just swing your sword [if you have basic swordsmanship] again and again until it gains a few levels and you tier the damn skill into the next tier, right?
But, well, that's wrong.
To truly level up, you need to understand the sword itself.
You need to know how to swing it, where to swing it, and the precise force for each strike.
And it's such a fucking hassle to do all of that.
While this new method was undeniably easier than the ways of the past, it was still tedious for someone as inherently lazy as me.
So what would I do?
The answer was simple, find a skill that could fuse my other skills.
Be done with these 'false ascension' skills.
And well that's that, no need to grind daily.
But what was the Dimensional Record that could influence the multiverse with its very existence?
The Dimensional Record was an independent entity, a cosmic force that not even the Supreme Heavenly Dao nor the Mother of All could fully control.
While they could pressure it to perform certain tasks, it was still within the Dimensional Record's own power whether to accept or refuse.
They couldn't completely suppress it, or it would simply go haywire.
But the real question was, how did the Dimensional Record come this far, that it now influenced the multiverse so greatly?
The answer was chillingly simple, the Dimensional Record leeched onto a single universe to survive.
Then, slowly, it grew stronger and stronger until it reached a higher state.
From there, it began to influence multiple universes, then the entire multiverse, in a span of a few billion years.
And all of it was possible because it could siphon the 'records' that we killed.
It's like it gives us a percentage of the record we should get, and the rest is its own food, a 'service fee,' something like that was the right term.
I let out a deep sigh, inhaling a mouthful of the cool water.
Then, I unleashed a bellow, a guttural roar that vibrated with raw power and reverberated throughout the murky horizons.
The currents trembled in response, and the distant, rhythmic sway of kelp fronds grew louder.
Shadows began to materialize around me, their forms indistinct yet menacing, their maws bared with insatiable hunger.
Countless eyes, luminous and varied in color, fixated on me with a predatory glint.
My scales, as white as fresh parchment, shimmered and glowed from the reflection of mana crystals shining down from above, illuminating my form like a beacon.
Their forms vanished like ghosts in the water, only to reappear inches away from me in a matter of seconds.
Then, a fresh wave of pain struck my nerves as their teeth scraped against my hide.
But before any of the wharks could latch their maws onto me like leeches, I twisted my body with lightning speed, sending all of them spiraling away in a chaotic mess.
Then, with a powerful slam of my tail, my form vanished in a blur.
I reappeared instantly, directly onto a green-skinned whark, my mouth already wide open, descending upon its gills.
CRASH!
A red cloud of blood exploded as my maw ripped its gills clean off with a swift, brutal bite.
In the same motion, I swept my tail in a wide arc, slamming it against a red-skinned whark's back, sending it crashing violently into the ground below.
CRASH!
Then, pain flared anew in my nerves as multiple wharks tore through my hide before I could fully react.
But it was pointless.
As I charged forward, ramming them into the ground.
CRASH!
The sickening sound of bones snapping echoed through the water, but they were not mine.
They belonged to the red-skinned whark that was unlucky enough to have latched onto my back.
Twisting my body in another swift motion, I slammed my tail onto a green-skinned whark's head.
Blood exploded from its gills, as it was dead from a single, crushing attack.
Their resolve dropped.
The remaining wharks, once fierce, now hesitated, a primal fear creeping into their predatory glint.
As I tore and ripped through all of them in a matter of seconds.
Some began to flee, desperate to escape, but they were swiftly caught and devoured alive.
Minutes passed as I munched on their carcasses, the silence of the deep returning, broken only by my chewing.
Then, a familiar hologram flickered into existence before me, and a satisfied smile spread across my face at the fresh revelation.
---
[You have slain.]
• S: 0 | T: 1 | Whark [1★] x12
[You have gained.]
[950 - EXP.]
[You have gained a level.] x2
[You have reached your maximum level]
[Would you like to ascend?]
[Yes] / [No]
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[You have devoured.]
• S: 0 | T: 1 | Whark [1★] x12
[You have gained.]
[+ 3 - Health.]
[+ 2 - Stamina.]
[+ 0.31 - Physique.]
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[Skills Devoured.]
• Bronze Stomach
• Enhanced Teeth
• Scaled Hide
• Blood-Forged Resilience
• Keen Predator Eyes
• Elastic Tendons
• Stone-Bound Muscles
• Hardened Bones
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[Your existing skills have been strengthened.]
[They have gained a level]
• Bronze Stomach +1
• Enhanced Teeth +1
• Scaled Hide +1
---
[You're skills.]
• Scaled Hide [Level - 5]
[Have evolved.]
---
[You have gained.]
• Scaled Hide [Tier 1]
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[ALISTER VON FAI]
Titles: The Accursed One | The False One
Race: Whark [1★]
Stage: 0
Tier: 1
Level: 5/5
EXP: 530/500
Class: (Locked)
Subclass: (Locked)
Inventory: (Locked)
Equipment: (Locked)
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Stats
Health: 23/23 (+1 per level)
Stamina: 23/23 (+1 per level)
Mana: (Locked)
Physique: 0.52 (+0.1 per level)
Mystique: (Locked)
Charm: 1
Luck: -100
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Bloodlines:
Harbinger Of Myth – Sealed | [9/10]
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Bloodline skills:
Myth Voracity
The core ability of the Harbinger of Myth, allowing them to devour the myth—skills and stats—of others. However, a powerful curse has severely weakened it. Now, rather than guaranteed absorption, it only grants a chance to consume these traits. Despite this, it still feeds on the myth of those the Harbinger consumes.
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Affinity:
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Skills:
Bronze Stomach [Passive | Tier 1 | Level 2]
The Whark's stomach is now a supreme alchemist's crucible, seamlessly absorbing and instantaneously transmuting all physical and energy matter into pure, potent vitality. It grants total, inherent, and active immunity to any internal affliction, toxin, corrosive, or energy, not only nullifying harm but converting it into a surge of restorative power.
Enhanced Teeth [Passive |Tier 1 | Level 2]
The Whark's teeth are perfected, irrefutable cutting instruments. Composed of a singularly dense, self-regenerating essence, they now instantly dissect any material, force field, or magical ward with chilling ease. Its bite is an absolute, unstoppable force of nature, effortlessly dismantling all opposition with unparalleled precision and speed.
Scaled Hide [Passive | Tier 1 | Level 1]
The Whark's skin is now a living, interwoven fortress of impenetrable scales, seamlessly absorbing and neutralizing all forms of damage—physical, elemental, and arcane. This perfect hide instinctively adapts to and deflects any assault, rendering the Whark virtually invulnerable to external harm.
Blood-Forged Resilience [Passive | Level 1]
The creature's very blood enhances its fortitude. Each injury taken, though painful, hardens its will and body, granting a minor, temporary increase to its overall toughness and resistance to further damage.
Elastic Tendons [Passive | Level 1]
Its tendons are unusually pliable and strong, storing kinetic energy like coiled springs. This allows for surprisingly powerful leaps, rapid changes in direction, and bursts of speed that belie its size or apparent bulk.
Hardened Bones [Passive | Level 1]
The creature's skeletal structure is exceptionally dense and robust. Its bones are less prone to breaking or fracturing, providing a solid internal framework that can withstand significant impacts and support immense weight or force.
Keen Predator Eyes [Passive | Level 1]
The creature possesses eyes perfectly adapted for hunting. Its vision allows it to perceive prey with exceptional clarity, even in low light, and track subtle movements over long distances, making it difficult for targets to escape its sight.
Stone-Bound Muscles [Passive | Level 1]
The creature's musculature is incredibly dense and unyielding, akin to rock. This grants it remarkable raw strength for its size, enabling it to deliver powerful blows, resist physical restraints, and endure strenuous exertion.
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Unique skills:
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