Chương 10: Anomaly Detected

[Cat Form (F) 1TP] – Shapeshift into a feline form, increasing your movement speed and granting access to unique abilities exclusive to this form. Spirit Cost: 50 Spirit. [Rejuvenation (F) 1TP] – Call upon the power of healing nature to restore 15 % of your target's maximum health over 30 seconds. Cooldown: 2 Minutes. Spirit Cost: 100 Spirit. [Static Strike (E) 3TP] – Call upon the raging force of Mother Nature and seize control of the static in the air, turning it into a weapon against your enemies.

Electricity gathers around your weapon, allowing you to deal lightning damage for 1 Minute. Spirit Cost: 90 Spirit. [Follow Me! (F) 2TP] – Command defeated beasts to follow you into battle. Chance to tame a beast of any type: 30 %, increasing with skill level. Attempting to tame stronger enemies than the user reduces the chance. No Spirit cost. Slots available: 1/1. [Spectral Wolves (D) 5TP] – Call upon bestial spirits from the other realm to fight at your side temporarily.

Number of wolves that can be summoned: 1; gain one additional wolf for every five skill levels. Summoned wolves will fight for 5 Minutes or until dispersed. Allocates 5% of Spirit per wolf, up to a maximum of 100 Spirit per summon. [Entangle (F) 2TP] – Summon roots from the earth to restrain enemies for up to 1 Minute or until broken. Costs 80 Spirit.

"Should I just take them all?" He could make use of any of them, and he had more than enough points as it was. This Static Strike is not that great, but it'll let me gain access to the lightning element; I could probably find a way to derive another skill from it. Though I could use some extra points to strengthen my traits or Nature's Wrath and make it stronger, I could always refine it further as well, make it more versatile... He tapped his forehead and smiled.

"I'll just take them all." A grin spread across his face as he spent every last one of his Talent Points. As his points hit zero, he felt the knowledge of his new skills settle into his mind, and he smiled. Knowledge was priceless, and receiving so much simply by spending imaginary points made him quietly giggle.

"First, let me edit Nature's Wrath!" He cast the skill and paused its activation, enlarging the magic circle as he began scanning through the formula. I cannot change the cost or the power; it's tied to the laws of the System, but I can change its form and density. A smile escaped him as he carefully adjusted the formula. He then took one of the two empty bottles he had left, placed it on the table, and stepped back. Let's try the first version.

He released the skill, and instead of a massive beam, a small laser-like stream erupted from his palm, piercing through the bottle cleanly and continuing straight through the back wall.

"Hmm, the damage is potent, but it loses the explosive force of the spell. It could still be useful, though. Let's try the second idea I had!" He sat down to meditate for five minutes as the cooldown expired, recovering some of his spirit in the meantime. When he cast the second variation, he went in the opposite direction, chasing that explosive property of spirit energy, the same one he had felt within himself. I should cast this outside. He reminded himself and stepped into the street.

He raised his hand to the sky and activated it. This time, instead of a beam, a wisp-like orb of green, flame-like energy shot upward before detonating into the bloom of emerald fire. The people in the village smiled at the sight, thinking someone had set off fireworks to celebrate their victory. Maximus turned away quickly, hoping no one had noticed, and shut the door as he dashed back inside. I've got three variants now. Good! Let's see the lightning one next.

He thought as he sat down into a meditative position, manually replenishing his spirit. Trait Leveled Up: [Nature's Seed (E) Lv. 2] He nodded and cast Static Strike. Around his right arm, sparks of electricity coiled like restless serpents before a light blue, almost silver, magic circle formed and paused on its own in the middle of his palm.

"Oooh, it's waiting for a weapon? Amazing!" He stared at the circle, then forced it to pause further, diving into the formula once more. As he did, his eyebrows shot up in delight.

"There's far more flexibility here. The condition that it must channel through a weapon can be rewritten, redirected into firing arcs of lightning instead, albeit weaker, since the skill itself is still low-tier. If only I could store these skill variations somewhere." He muttered.

"Hey, Astrae, I know you're around, constantly monitoring the Trials. Observe this and toss old Maximus a bone, will ya?!" He reactivated the skill, and arcs of lightning burst from his arm like snapping serpents, striking the second bottle and shattering it instantly before the lingering electricity detonated, reducing the remaining glass to dust and scorching a black mark into the table.

"Oho!" He clapped, visibly delighted. Alert: Anomaly detected. Skill without a designated slot detected. Scanning. Alert: User is operating outside of the scope of the Astrae System. Finding the best possible classification. Soul Trait Unlocked: [Skill Collector] Soul Traits: Skill Collector – You have acquired more skills than anyone at your level; you have even altered their properties, creating entirely new sub-skills. The limit on how many skills you can possess has been removed.

All created skills will now be properly categorized and stored for faster and more efficient use.

New Skills Detected: > Thorn Whip: Extreme Poison, Thorn Whip: Paralysis Poison, Thorn Whip: Paralysis > Seedling: Detoxify > Nature's Wrath: Emerald Laser, Nature's Wrath: Whisp'o Bomb > Static Strike: Static Surge Note: All sub-skills will scale with the main skill, including cost, cooldown, and damage. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

"Hahaha, I'll be damned. I'm not sure if you were actually listening or if I crossed some kind of threshold, but thank you! This will make my life much easier." He smiled; now he didn't have to edit his skills twice. Once he discovered a variation, it would be stored as a sub-skill forever.

"I guess it's time to try this shapeshift ability. I am a bit nervous. Oh my… I haven't felt like this ever since I first tried breaching into another realm. Ah, discoveries truly are exhilarating." He focused on the next skill and activated it. Cat Form! As he activated it, the spirit energy around him erupted into a blinding vortex, and he felt his body begin to change, though he couldn't see a thing.

Suddenly, as quickly and painlessly as it had arrived, the storm dispersed, revealing a dark-green, two-meter-long tiger-like feline with a sleek, sinuous tail, sharp black claws, and saber-like fangs protruding from its fearsome maw. Around its form, a cloak of emerald, translucent flame settled and draped over it, completing the transformation. Sprout suddenly burrowed through its thick fur; it had been in his pocket when he transformed, and now emerged within the dense, medium-length coat.

This feels odd, to say the least. But I also feel stronger, stronger than in my human form. There's also a sense of hunger deep within me… A strange, gnawing hunger. He then realized his perception had expanded; he could sense everything in the room without even looking at it. Oh, Sprout, you're here. I forgot about you. Forgive me, friend. Maximus whispered through their bond before opening his new skills window.

Cat Form Skills: Prowl (E) Level 1 – Channel the power of nature to vanish from your enemies' sight. A cloak of spirit energy will shroud your form, rendering you invisible. Attacking breaks the effect. Your next attack while invisible deals 17% more damage. Claw Strike (F) Level 1 – Instantly slash at your prey with razor-sharp claws. Chance to inflict intense bleeding: 12% per strike.

Cat Form Body Traits: Feral – Movement speed increased by 30% while in Cat Form. Physical damage increased by 21% compared to your human form.

Good start. The stealth skill is amazing. I'd have to learn Illusion Magic just to unlock something like it as a Mage. I guess there are some advantages to being closer to nature. He thought, satisfied. I guess what I failed to do in my last life, I'm mastering now… Hah, the gods sure have a twisted sense of humor. He ended the transformation, returning to his normal form; even his clothing reformed around him, with Sprout resting safely in his pocket. Sprout peeked out and rustled his two leaves in protest.

"Apologies, friend. I won't do that again." He said, bowing slightly toward him.

"Other skills can wait. I've already spent too much time here as it is. Let's go honor the dead." He sighed heavily and stepped outside, heading toward the growing pile of corpses at the edge of the village.

The survivors had already finished dragging the bodies together, and Edgar stood before them, head bowed low, as Maximus stepped onto the field outside the village.

"We thank you for your sacrifice. Your lives have saved your brethren. May you find glory in the afterlife!" Edgar said, before tossing a torch onto the pile of bodies and wood, setting it ablaze. As the flames consumed the dead and sent them on their final journey, the survivors stood in silence, some quietly weeping, others gripping their weapons as if swearing they would endure.

Maximus didn't move; he simply stood there in respect, as a faint sense of belonging slowly settled over him, a feeling he had never truly experienced before.

"Are you still planning on leaving? This is not how these things usually go, you know." Edgar said grimly as he walked toward him.

"I figured as much. People wouldn't be gathering in these villages if such monsters attacked often. But I still need to move on. I won't be able to grow fast enough here," Maximus replied with a quiet sigh.

"Fine, be stubborn. I swear, it feels like I'm talking to a stubborn old man. And I'd know!" Edgar shook his head.

"If you survive the first and second trials, look for members of Golden Stinger on the Third Plane. We'd be more than happy to have you." I see… This was his goal all along.

"I'll think about it, but I don't plan on working for anyone, not when I've barely arrived here," Maximus said simply.

"Alright, just know we're working toward the survival of the human race, nothing shady like those Skill Hunters," Edgar muttered.

"Edgar."

"Leader." Two men approached. One Maximus already knew, the bald, spear-wielding man, and the other was the sole survivor of the Pyromancer's serpent explosion next to Edgar himself: a long-haired blond wearing a plain white shirt from the Store, his previous one likely burned to ash.

"Yes, you two? What is it?" Edgar asked.

"We're heading out, and we overheard that our hero here is doing the same." The bald man said with a grin.

"A hero? Me?" Maximus asked, raising a brow.

"Aye. You bagged the big one; if you haven't, we'd have been in a proper mess, I tell you." The bald man replied energetically.

"Plan is to head out and level up as we go. No way we're making it to the City of Beginnings with around three weeks left, but we can't just sit here on our arses anymore. This has been a proper eye-opener." The Spearman added.

"I suppose fighting together would be beneficial. Alright." Maximus agreed. After facing the lizard and the kobolds, he knew that having someone, even as a distraction, was better than going alone. Wouldn't hurt to collect more information along the way, and if they prove useful, even better.

"I'm Oscar, and this quiet blondie here is Felix. I'm a Spearmaster, and he's a Frost Blader. Though to be honest, both of us are barely over level 12." He said awkwardly, while Felix gave a silent nod. Level 12… And they've been here for almost seventy days? How embarrassing. Are all younglings this unmotivated these days? Maximus thought.

"I'm a Druid… Though I use a blade for now." He admitted.

"A Druid?! Bloody hell, never seen one of them before, you lot are pretty rare. I think that the Guildmaster of Brazil's number one guild is a Druid as well." Oscar said. Maximus nodded as if he understood. So, Druids are rare? Is the Class not commonly offered, or are they too weak for most people to start with? He wondered, uncertain what to think. Not long ago, he had considered the class disappointing, but with his recent skills, he was beginning to grasp its potential…

And with what he planned, he quietly chuckled to himself.

"Nice to see you making friends!" Edgar laughed, slapping Felix on the back before turning away.

"Say your goodbyes tomorrow before you leave!" he called out as he moved toward the others.

"By the way, since you've been here so long… How often do new participants arrive?" Maximus asked.

"Every thirty-ish days. A random lot of poor sods gets snatched. Nobody's got a clue why it's them specifically, neither." Oscar replied with a shrug.

"I see. Thank you for the information. Let's rest for today." Maximus said.

"Sound, it's been a long night. Rest, and let's meet tomorrow morning at the gates. We won't leave before all three of us are there. That's a deal?" Oscar looked at him seriously.

"Agreed." Maximus nodded and turned toward his dwelling. This bald man certainly has a strange way of speaking… But first, I need to check the staff and the skill stone. Those must remain a secret for now. He thought as he left them behind. He passed Sarah and Tom arguing about something, but paid them no mind. Ah… To be young and full of life… He mused before quickening his pace toward his small corner of the village. ‎