Eternal Rest

Bones stood amidst the aftermath of the fifth arachnid lair he had cleared, completely drenched in spider blood. Surrounding him were dozens of spider corpses, some containing valuable mana stones. He had lost track of time since his class advancement, but it seemed he was now deep within the spiders' territory, encountering lairs one after another.

With each successive lair, the spiders grew faster, tougher, and overall more formidable. What started with spiders around level 25 had now escalated to encounters with spiders between level 26 and 27. Among them, an Elite Jumping Arachnid stood out, bearing the Elite tag. Although it appeared similar to the first jumping spiders Bones had encountered, its strength far surpassed them. Bones suspected that a party of these Elite Jumping Arachnids could easily take down the Common Green Viper, a miniboss.

Navigating through the fog-covered ground, Bones relied on his heightened senses to detect the movements of the ambushing spiders. Without this advantage, he feared he might have been forced to cut his time in the dungeon short. The spiders' relentless attacks kept him on edge, but also provided ample opportunities for combat.

Despite the constant threat, Bones couldn't deny the rapid rate at which he was gaining experience. He was nearing a new level in his race and was already making significant progress in his new Adept class. With determination, he pressed on, searching for more spider lairs amidst the dense jungle.

The lack of sunlight filtering through the thick canopy made it difficult to discern the time of day. Before Bones realized it, the sun had set, enveloping the jungle in darkness once again.

As the night deepened, the cacophony of eerie sounds intensified—the rustling of leaves, the cracking of twigs, and the piercing screeches of monsters filled the air. Frenzied creatures moved freely within their zones, adding to the tension of the long night ahead. Bones found himself taking more frequent breaks between fights, the strain evident on his worn-out coat and gear. Despite his efforts to defend himself, the spiders' attacks had left his clothing riddled with holes and gashes, with no time for self-repair.

The most unfortunate casualty of the night was his golem cat, which had borne the brunt of the onslaught and now lay broken beyond repair. With a sigh, Bones acknowledged the need for a longer break once he cleared the area.

Bones fought relentlessly throughout the night until he finally cleared the lair within the zone. As he did so, the fog rapidly dissipated from the ground, leaving the area looking like any other part of the jungle—free of fog, webs, and spiders. Sensing the opportune moment, Bones decided it was time to take a well-deserved rest.

Reflecting on his accomplishments, he noted that his race had reached level 20 sometime during the night, while his class had just reached level 27 at the conclusion of the fight. He observed the bonus experience calculated after the battle and understood its purpose—exploiting engagements by engaging and disengaging without completing the fight—a sensible mechanic.

To fortify his rest area, Bones erected a defensive barrier using a dozen long, thick bones he had previously shaped. Despite his efforts, he discovered there was no skill associated with this action. With a shrug, he settled down in his usual cross-legged position and brought up the notifications. After sifting through numerous combat experience logs, Bones finally reached the racial notifications.

ding

Level up!

Congratulation, you are now level 20

+1 STR, +2 VIT, +2 INT

You have learned a new skill: Extreme Misanthrope

Bones was taken aback by the new skill he acquired upon reaching level 20. "Extreme Misanthrope? What's that?" he muttered, perplexed by the unfamiliar term.

Extreme Misanthrope [passive] - As an undead, you hold a natural contempt and aggression toward the living. In the course of your actions until now, you have proven extreme violent tendencies, a general hatred, distrust and contempt of the human species. You have selected humans as your natural enemy and any action taken against them will result in increased experience gained. You have an increased effect of mind, control and soul abilities on humans but beware that the feeling is mutual. Humans will feel uncomfort and unease in close proximity around you within a period of time and may even take hostile actions against you.

The effect of Misanthrope is increased per level in skill

As he read the skill description, Bones felt a mix of confusion and discomfort. The skill seemed to amplify his natural disdain for the living, particularly humans, and granted him increased effectiveness against them in combat. However, it also warned of potential consequences, including humans feeling uneasy around him and possibly resorting to hostile actions.

Bones struggled to reconcile this newfound skill with his identity. Despite being undead, he still considered himself fundamentally human. Was this skill a result of his actions or simply a trait inherent to his undead nature? He reasoned that violence and conflict were common among humans, but this skill seemed to elevate it to a different level. Unsure of how to feel about it, Bones ultimately chalked it up to just another quirk of being undead.

With the new skill acquired, he couldn't shake off a sense of unease about how it might influence him in the future. Despite his uncertainties, he acknowledged the benefits of his recent level ups, including the boost to his stats and the free point he received for his class advancement he wisely invested into WIS, enhancing his mana regeneration. Turning his attention to the last notification, Bones adopted a serious demeanor. It was clear that whatever the prompt entailed, it held significance for his journey ahead.

New class available

The unexpected prompt presented a list of classes for Bones to choose from, with a notable addition: the Soul Weaver class. While Bones hadn't planned to pursue a second class so soon, he couldn't ignore the potential benefits it offered. After comparing the descriptions of the two soul classes, he found himself torn between their similar yet distinct focuses.

Feeling overwhelmed by the weight of his decision, Bones realized he needed clarity. With a resigned sigh, he acknowledged the need to clear his mind of distractions and focus solely on what truly mattered. And in that moment, what he truly needed was a drink to soothe his thoughts.

Bones retrieved a set of mana potion vials and began to indulge, seeking solace in the comforting burn that followed. Despite his introspection, he couldn't help but ponder his own nature. "Why am I like this?" he mused, before resolving to proceed with his decision-making process. "Anyway, let's get this over and done with."

Do you wish to accept-

Yes/No

You have chosen a class: Soul Weaver

Congratulation on choosing your 2nd class

Achievement unlocked: Dual Classes

"Aaaand it's done!" Bones exclaimed with a mix of relief and apprehension. "It. Is. Done! I have taken up a second class..."

The weight of his decision hung in the air, accompanied by a silent prayer that he hadn't made a grave mistake. "God, I hope I didn't screw myself over!" he muttered under his breath, his uncertainty echoing in the darkness of the jungle.

Soul Weaver - a variant class focused on the control and manipulation of souls. While Weavers have means to attack, they prefer to use the manipulation of the weak minded to gain insight into their soul, bend it to their will and even turn them into the casters' minions. Further mastery of soul unlocks more demanding soul abilities.

Warning: Danger of backlash if the user's soul isn't strong enough. Be warned, for dabbling in the matters of the soul could be one's undoing.

Recommended attribute distribution WIS or VIT

"Great, it has everything down to an ominous warning!" Bones remarked wryly, his mind already spinning with potential implications. "If my guess is correct, there'll be an opportunity to create something more than just a simple golem… Also, I have a suspicion I'm going to need to strengthen my soul in the near future with defenses against soul attacks. I don't know what Silva was playing at, but he seemed to have an insight into soul abilities even higher than my own!" Bones snorted with a mixture of annoyance and fascination. As before, after selecting a class, a familiar sensation washed over Bones, a soothing surge of mana coursing through his body. And just like with the Bonemancer class, his first skills were designated automatically. Correction, his first two skills!

You have learned a new skill: Soul Gaze

"...Wasn’t that what I did to freeze the Viper? That's just lazy writing right there!" Bones muttered with a hint of sarcasm. "I guess it was a form of manipulation, but at the same time, it was a direct attack to the monster's soul?!" He shook his head in bemusement. As for the other skill?

Soul Mastery - The mastery provides a better understanding of soul abilities and increases the proficiency in using them. Over time and when leveling an associated class, the user's soul will be strengthened against the invading mind and soul attacks.

"It seems pretty straightforward," Bones mused, nodding to himself. "The increase in understanding and proficiency is similar to Golem Mastery."

After emptying the majority of his mana potions, Bones stood up and inspected himself. His gear wasn't in top condition, but it had mostly self-repaired. "They should last at least until the end of the dungeon… I hope."

For the remainder of the day and the following one, Bones dedicated himself to grinding levels in his new class. With only Soul Gaze at his disposal initially, it took time to reach level 5 and unlock a new skill - Soul Link. While the skill offered a range of potential applications, its primary function appeared to be manipulation and control over his target. Bones refrained from questioning the morality of this new skill; such considerations had long been discarded, even before the advent of the system.

Soul Link - An ability to make a connection with the target’s soul. If made possible, the link with minions will buff minions attributes and the user could, through a soul link, sense and see what its target could see. With greater mastery, even controlling minions from a certain distance was possible. Link with weak minded targets allows the user to sense and control their intent and even manipulate their thoughts.

Warning: Success of Soul Link depends on the strength of the caster's soul and the levels in soul mastery.

High chance of failure against targets with sensitive and powerful souls. Low chance of a backlash against powerful souls.

After entering a new area, Bones decided to create a new golem to test Soul Link on. However, the attempt failed as the nucleus he created wasn't deemed suitable for linking. Dismissing the idea for now, he focused on leveling his new class.

Sneaking towards the entrance of the spider lair, Bones observed a pair of spiders standing guard. Taking caution not to draw attention, he concentrated on establishing a soul-to-soul link with the nearest spider.

With a moment of intense focus, Bones forged the link, aiming to gain insight into the spider's intentions. He expected to delve beyond mere thoughts, understanding its deepest intent, and perhaps even exerting control over the creature if the link proved strong enough.

However, he discovered that the spider lacked conventional thoughts; instead, it harbored a singular intent—to devour and satiate its insatiable hunger. Reflecting on this revelation, Bones speculated whether the link's effectiveness might be diminished when attempting to connect with dungeon monsters.

Next, he attempted to exert control of the monster, hoping to manipulate its actions for a potentially advantageous confrontation. Unfortunately, his efforts merely succeeded in immobilizing the spider momentarily before the link faltered, causing the creature to emit a shrill screech. The commotion alerted not only the spider's companion on guard duty but also nearby spiders, prompting them to converge on Bones' location. “Did they spot me? Crap, they did!”

Bones poised his lance, prepared to confront the approaching spiders. As the first one lunged at him, he employed Soul Gaze, causing the spider to veer off course and collide with a nearby tree. With a disdainful snort, Bones swiftly dispatched it with a precise thrust of his lance, piercing its head. He repeated the process with the remaining spiders, finding his new skill to be remarkably effective against the mindless creatures.

The lair resembled those he had encountered before: a massive dome constructed of thick, intertwining roots and vines, shrouded in layers of sticky webs. The entrance, wide enough for him to crawl through, beckoned ominously. If he were still alive, he would have politely declined the invitation to enter this nightmarish setting. Hunting monsters or even humans was one thing, but the atmosphere within this eerie domain sent shivers down his spine. And that persistent fog only added to the sinister ambiance, obscuring dangers lurking within its depths.