Chương 24: Proficient

Who is this unfortunate soul? I can't imagine what it feels like to be eaten by this thing. The fluid from the decomposing corpse of the creature was all over the chamber. Nothing prepared Eric for the views that were in-front of him. No biology class or horror film came close to the thing's anatomy. The creature's insides looked wrong. Too many organs and too many places for something to hide. The glowing key pulsed between them, untouched by the stomach acid. Get this out of my sight.

Fortunately, the phantom hand spells could also count as a protective pair of gloves. The juices inside the stomach were extremely acidic. When Eric cut it open, they spilled on the floor and sizzled for a few seconds. No visible damage was done to the key as he put it in his inventory. The concert hall was only a shell of its former glory. Even now, the humongous corpse of an eight-legged, bloodthirsty, and definitely dead monster painted a picture of classical horror movies. Eric saw another system window.

It was similar to the notification when he depleted his essence, but the current one was smaller. /————————\ Skill Proficiency Spectral Throw mastery increased. You are able to cast a more powerful version of this skill Range and damage increased. Mastery: [1/4] \————————/ There's a mastery system?! Finally, I can grind for a while. I wonder if spamming the skills does something? Maybe their creative use contributes to these mastery points? Can I spend them somewhere? So many questions…

let's try out the new version at least. Without hesitation, Eric unleashed a flying copy of his weapon. He noticed that the trail left behind had more energy and glowed brighter compared to the previous version. The projectile continued spinning forward and clashed with the walls. Earlier, the skill would disappear before reaching further. The increased damage and range were a welcome addition. The young reaper smiled and transferred the knife back to his inventory. He didn't want to waste more essence.

Another notification window forced itself into view. It had a faint exclamation mark, as if hidden from his sight to reduce distractions. The moment Eric stopped casting spells, the window glowed bright and materialized in the air. /——————————————————————\ You have gained a level! Level 3 Reaper Acolyte -> Level 4 Reaper Acolyte Base stats increased with values suitable for your level and class. Rolling temporary buff, please wait… …. Temporary buff applied.

\———————————————————————/ Eric's personal stat screen showed a completely new concept to him. /————————————————————————\ Character Information Level 4 Name: Eric Graham Age: 24 Class: Reaper Disciple Statistics: Strength: 9 + 1 Vitality: 6 + 1 Stamina: 7 Insight: 10 + 1 Willpower: 7 + 2 Awareness: 5 Bonuses: Bloodthirsty - Increased critical hit chance. Resets on level up.

Inventory: The Eternal Flame, Acid Potion, Golemite Scroll, Scroll of Revelation, The Warden's Key, Warden's Plate, Ring Of The Fallen One Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Skills: Camouflage, Teleport, Spectral Throw[1/4] Achievements: Titan Tamer, Einstein, Secret Hunter Initiate \—————————————————————————/ Critical hit chance?! I'd be better without this. Please tell me monsters don't get those too. What about critical hit damage?

Is there a multiplier for that? Eric thought about all the builds and ways he could utilize this new stat, but his class and skills were not even close to such things, so he quickly dismissed these thoughts. Slime covered the Warden's Key, and its stench was pungent, to say the least. Cleaning it removed the sticky substance and some of the smell. Eric moved over to the plate in the floor. The chamber was silent, but Eric kept one hand on his dagger. The key from the warden looked like it fit the lock perfectly.

Inserting into the plate made a loud clicking sound, and turning it to the side required more force than usual. Gear clicks were clearly audible from the plate below. Near the entrance with the marble gate, a wall flipped itself over and revealed a thin metallic passage. It was straight and well-lit. I guess that's our next destination. Eric and his raven companion walked over to the corridor and entered. Ash was quiet as it walked behind. It stopped for a moment when passing over a painting.

"Ash!"

"What's up? You saw something?" Eric asked. Near the entrance to the corridor was a painting hidden behind some curtains. The battle earlier didn't manage to destroy this part of the wall under the balconies. Eric followed the raven as it led to the artwork. A black wooden frame circled the linen canvas. A narrow border between the painting and the frame created a visual separation and focused Eric's attention. Touching the artwork, he felt the small grooves that the oil paint had left.

More intriguing was the depiction of a man ascending a grand staircase. At its summit sat Grim upon his throne, ominously pointing down at the climber. The stairs showcased three different versions of the man, each positioned higher than the one before. At the bottom was a completely normal human. The person looked suspiciously like the young reaper. Eric could tell something was off as he stared at the image in disgust. His eyebrows furrowed and his breathing increased. This can't be. Why me? I don't understand.

Blood dripped from the second figure standing on the crimson carpet. His hands and feet were torn, but he continued upward. Just a few steps below Grim's throne stood the third and final depiction of Eric, far more gruesome than the others. He appeared as an undead construct of flesh and bone, half human and half skeleton. The muscles in his legs were exposed beneath torn pieces of skin, while his ankles had been stripped entirely to bare bone. His arms underwent a similar transformation.

Bruised and mangled near the shoulders, they gradually lost their flesh toward the hands, until only skeletal fingers remained. How? Is Grim commanding me, or am I becoming something? What's going on? Turning around, the half-alive, half-dead version of Eric opened his mouth.

"We are the same. Do not resist the call…" Startled, the young reaper jumped back. He summoned the knife and destroyed the painting. Fear took over him, and he struggled to calm down. Was this a prophecy, or was it a warning? Purgatory had many secrets, most of them hidden in plain sight. Somehow, there were signs that Grim was more than meets the eye. Perhaps Death didn't want to tell the truth, or he couldn't.

Eric wouldn't know at this moment, but he was anxiously waiting for the day he could freely ask and talk about whatever was on his mind. /——————————————————\ Secret Discovered! You have found an item! Blood Forged Chain Move it into your inventory? YES | NO \—————————————————/ The secret surprised him. There was a delay before the window emerged. As for the painting, it disappeared into a cloud of black smoke, without leaving a trace. Behind it was a small glass compartment that showcased a big, sturdy chain.

It had bloodstains all over it, some of them still fresh and dripping. Interestingly enough, it looked as if it were made of sand. Without hesitation, Eric accepted the offer. /—————————————\ You can thread new paths. \—————————————/ I'll never figure out this place. My only hope is that this will somehow help. Maybe this will help. Facepalming, Eric cursed a few times and threw the chain away. The description only made him angry. For the first time, accepting an item came with real drawbacks.

/—————————————————\ Blood Forged Chain Description: The sand carries blood. Banishing enough enemies, you forged an entire chain and now use it to enslave more poor souls. Your hunger knows no bounds, and that might be your biggest weakness. This item is soul bound. By moving it into your inventory, you permanently bind it to yourself. The weight of the chain depends on the sins of the souls that forged it. Grants bonus Vitality but reduces Stamina.

Passives: Blood Immortalized in Sand - You are able to move through unseen parts of the realm. When a hidden path exists nearby, platforms of blood-soaked sand appear to guide your way. Warning: Accepting this item into your inventory marks you as Tormentor. \—————————————————/ This goddamn stupid chain. Why did I accept this? Decrease in stats?! Yeah, give me a break. In a fit of rage, Eric threw the chain into the metal corridor. It slid on the ground and went deeper inside.

More torches lit up on both sides of the pathway. At the end of the iron hall, a massive skull protruded from the wall with its burning green eyes.

"You better tell me what's going on. Your so-called apprentice is getting real tired of this bullshit." Eric marched away to the Elegy Vault, bristling with rage. He picked up the chain before entering.

"How convenient. Stop hiding and come out!" Yelling around the vault felt strange. After several seconds, he noticed that there was no one in it. Grim was always here. For some reason, he didn't show up. It was impossible not to think about Death's return. What if something stopped him from coming back? Heaven and Hell were cunning enough to lure Eric with skills. They would surely be able to give Grim problems. I don't even know what to do with this thing anymore. Eric turned the heavy chain over in his hands.

It was too cumbersome for a weapon, so he looped it around his waist like a belt. Tormentor… yeah, it fits my style. If I were a lunatic enslaving souls and forging items from them. The Elegy Vault was perhaps the only place devoid of danger, for now. Ash followed Eric around the whole time. It hopped onto his shoulder and preened its feathers for a while.

"At least I have you," Eric said. He gently lifted the bird in his hands and caressed it a few times. Ash tilted its head from side to side and observed. It clicked softly and leaned into his hands. The makeshift bed that had served as an operating table earlier now stood in another corner of the room. It was no longer a barely constructed wooden bunk. Grim had upgraded it to a beautiful bedstead with carved wooden panels and ornate pillars rising at each corner. The mattress was bigger, and it even had pillows.

Eric moved over to the bed and pulled off his shoulder plate, hanging it on one of the wooden posts before stretching his arms. Ash hopped onto another bed pillar and perched at the top. It tucked in one leg to conserve heat, then turned its head and buried it in the black feathers. The regular vocalizations from the raven were gone. Eric couldn't hear anything, but he guessed that his companion wanted to sleep. It felt safe enough to be vulnerable with him.

"That's not a bad idea. Let's take a nap and hope Grim returns," Eric said. He lay down on the bed and watched his companion. As a kid, he always wondered how birds sleep, and it was fascinating to see one up close. His eyelids grew heavy as drowsiness set in, and he was seconds away from falling asleep. The door to the Elegy Vault opened violently, and a cloud of black smoke poured inside. A moment later, Eric recognized his mentor.

Grim stepped through, shut the door behind him, and drove the end of his scythe into the ground. He looked at Eric and motioned sharply for him to come closer.

"Evil never sleeps! Get over here! They found us."