NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Choosing a Skill Book
"Huh?"
Damian stared at the notification in front of him, his face showing a mix of surprise and confusion.
"Nightmare of the Demon Lambs? Wasn't it supposed to be 'Demon Lamb Slayer'?"
According to Elena's guide, defeating 50 Demon Lambs and then taking down the hidden Lv5 Black Demon Ram should have rewarded him with the white-tier title "Demon Lamb Slayer," which granted a 5% boost to health.
But instead, he received the green-tier title "Nightmare of the Demon Lambs," with completely different effects.
Could it be… because he had one-shotted the Black Demon Ram?
Damian shrugged and equipped the title. The words Nightmare of the Demon Lambs glowed in bright green above his head, adorned with decorative effects that gave it an eye-catching, prestigious look.
The effects of the title were far superior as well.
It granted him an extra 10% health and a 5% damage boost against sheep-type beasts—benefits that could be crucial when dealing with stronger monsters.
"Not every monster is as passive as the Demon Lambs. A higher health pool will help me survive longer against aggressive ones," Damian mused, though he couldn't help but chuckle at the irony. The boost to health didn't align with the stealthy, assassin-style gameplay he had envisioned when choosing his class.
After equipping the title, Damian turned his attention to the loot he had obtained from the Black Demon Ram.
[Cursed Necklace of the Black Demon Ram]
Description: A necklace imbued with the curse of the Black Demon Ram, filled with the resentment of the savage Demon Ram species. Wearing it will transform the wearer into a meek lamb, ripe for slaughter!
Level Requirement: Lv5
Quality: Exceptional (Blue)
Equipment Slot: Accessory
Durability: 100
Attributes: +200 Health
Effect 1 (Sheep Transformation): Reduces physical and magical attack by 50%, but doubles health, capped at an extra 1000 points.
"What the… this curse is brutal!" Damian muttered, taking a deep breath to calm himself.
Every player started with three equipment slots—weapon, armor, and accessory. As they leveled up, additional slots would be unlocked.
Up until now, his only equipment was the starter dagger provided with his class selection—completely basic, with no attributes or effects.
This necklace, despite its ominous description, was technically his first real piece of gear.
Damian studied its attributes carefully. The curse might seem extreme at first glance, but for him, it was surprisingly beneficial.
The doubled health it provided would transform him into a tanky, hard-to-kill presence. And as for the reduced attack power? Well, he didn't rely on traditional damage anyway. His talent guaranteed a one-hit kill on any hostile target, as long as the conditions were met.
"All I need is to survive long enough to reach my target," Damian thought.
For the first time, he felt a sense of acceptance toward his bizarre talent. It was nothing like what he had expected, but when he thought about it… it was kind of thrilling.
The only problem was that the necklace required him to be Lv5 to equip it. At his current Lv3, he needed two more levels before he could put it to use.
Tucking the cursed necklace into his inventory, Damian opened his character panel to check his stats.
[Name: Damian]
Level: 3 (50/250)
Class: Assassin
Talent: [Absolute Execution] (SSS-tier)
Title: [Nightmare of the Demon Lambs] (Green)
[Attributes:]
Health: 220 → 264 (+10% from title)Mana: 85 → 90Physical Attack: 130 → 140Magic Attack: 0 → 0Physical Defense: 50 → 55Magic Defense: 50 → 55
[Skills:]
Skill 1: Stealth (Lv1)
[Equipment:]
Weapon: Dagger (White-tier)
"The experience requirements for leveling up are getting steeper," Damian mused. "If I want to level efficiently, sticking to Demon Lambs won't cut it anymore. It's time to find a new prey—Grey Shadow Hounds."
The Grey Shadow Hounds were another type of monster in the starter area. Unlike the harmless Demon Lambs, these beasts were more aggressive and ranged from Lv3 to Lv5, offering significantly more experience but also posing a much greater threat.
Grey Shadow Hounds were highly sensitive creatures that would attack any player within a ten-meter radius. If left undisturbed, their detection range would continue to grow over time, making it nearly impossible to sneak up on them.
"With the health boost from my title, I'll have a better chance at surviving their attacks, but without reaching Lv5 and equipping the cursed necklace, my current health is still too low," Damian muttered, opening his inventory. "I need to buy a skill book for extra insurance."
Skill books were essential items in Divine Genesis. They allowed players to either learn new skills or upgrade existing ones.
With only his starter skill [Stealth], which was incompatible with his talent, Damian was effectively unarmed in combat. Getting a new skill would make his fights against Grey Shadow Hounds much safer.
"Thirty Demon Lambs today, four [Demon Horns] dropped. Adding that to what I sold yesterday, I have just over 1000 credits to spend," Damian calculated.
Skill book prices varied widely depending on their popularity and rarity. Basic ones could go for a few hundred credits, while rare ones could cost tens of thousands.
"Let's check the market in the Starter City," Damian decided, heading back.
The Grey Shadow Hounds' habitat, the Grey Ruins, lay on the other side of the city, so he needed to pass through it anyway.
Returning to the bustling streets, Damian noticed that the newbie looking for a "handsome mentor" was still shouting, to no avail. Ignoring the commotion, Damian kept a neutral expression and walked straight to a stall selling skill books.
"How much for the skill books?" Damian asked.
"You've got a good eye, brother. This is the most comprehensive skill book stall on the street," the young vendor replied, pushing his round glasses up his nose.
His gaze flicked to the glowing green title above Damian's head, and his smile widened.
A green-tier title on a mere Lv3 player? This had to be someone with deep pockets or exceptional skill—a potential big spender.
With a dramatic flourish, the vendor opened a folding fan bearing the words "Honest Business" in bold characters. His eyes flicked to the starter dagger at Damian's waist.
"Assassin skill books, right?"
"Also interested in general skills," Damian said evenly.
Skill books were divided into class-specific and general categories. Class-specific books could only be used by certain professions, while general books were usable by all.
General skill books, while more versatile, often contained less valuable skills and were typically cheaper.
Hearing Damian's interest in general books, the vendor's enthusiasm dimmed slightly. For a moment, disappointment flickered in his eyes.
"Maybe I misjudged him," the vendor thought.
Still, he kept his professional smile and quickly retrieved a stack of skill books. "Here you go. These are the ones that match your criteria."
"Let me take a look."
Damian crouched down and began flipping through the books one by one, his expression calm and focused.
The vendor, after watching him for a moment, shifted his attention back to the busy street.
"Good customers are hard to come by," he muttered under his breath. "Business isn't easy these days."