Chapter 9: Chapter 9 - Flame Toad
...
It’s still going?!
...
[EXP: 450/500]
[EXP: 500/500]
[Level Up! 2 --> 3]
[You have gained 3 Attribute Points.]
Another level up, same as the last...
[EXP: 50/750]
[EXP: 100/750]
[EXP: 200/750]
[Tremor Class Beast Core has been fully absorbed.]
My body heaved slightly as the breakthrough completed. There was more of that latent strength now. I looked up towards the Hunters and Freya smiled as she looked back from her position looking into the forest, "I take it you got a couple levels after the breakthrough as well?"
I nodded back with a questioning look.
"You consumed a Tremor-Class core, 1000EXP, when you’d only need a Squall-Class core worth a tenth of that to breakthrough to the Bronze Rank. All that excess Mana just continued to be absorbed, directed into your progress towards the Silver Rank."
"But the levels...they gave fewer Attribute Points...?" I asked
"Aside from the Mortal Rank, each Rank’s got 10 levels, just like each Skill’s got to reach level 10 before it can evolve. The difference lies in what is needed to increase each type of level. Ranks only need Mana, but Skills need training, time, mastery."
The Limiting Factor of this world’s power system, lies in Skill Levels...
"What, you done already, lad?" Gerard’s voice thundered in from outside the clearing, his axe swinging away shrub as he made his way back to the camp, "That was quick!"
Freya nodded, "Aye. Only about thirty minutes."
Thirty?!
I could have sworn the whole process only took about a minute. I looked back at them to ask, but their expressions were stoic, or rather, trying to be. Their lips trembled like worms out of soil, and the moment they made eye contact with each other, the both of them burst out into laughter, "I got him good didn’t I, Gerard? AHAHA!"
"HAHA the look on his face! Priceless!"
I was still a little confused, but from my experience with the party so far, I believed this was another instant of the piss being taken.
I looked away from the two giggling adults and over to Arthur, who sat atop a tree looking out over the canopy, no doubt taking his "watching" seriously, and with uncanny timing, the archer stood up suddenly, readying his bow.
"Incoming."
Freya and Gerard only took an instant to return to fight-mode.
"How many?" she called out.
Arthur took a few moments as he looked ahead, then back behind us, and all around.
"Four. Different directions. Probably drawn by his awakening. I can’t sense their rank from here."
"Axel!" shouted Freya, "Your Attribute Points! Assign them! Quickly!"
Without skipping a beat, I remembered the command to open the System Panel.
Status.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[Details]
Name: Axel Vorous
Titles: Professional Crash-Tester (Legendary)
Species: Human
Stage: Bronze | Level 3 (200/750)
Health: 57/57
Stamina: 57/57
Mana: 50/50
Gift: Adaptive Regeneration (????)
[Attributes | AP: 16]
Strength: 5 (5.35)
Speed: 5
Mind: 5
Constitution: 5 (5.7)
[Skills]
(Bronze) : Pierce Resistance VI - Impact Resistance VII - Slash Resistance VI - Poison Resistance I
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Immediately, I noticed the addition of Attribute Points, and the presence of Levels beside the Stage indicator, as well as a Mana Statistic, where before it just said "None."
Right now, Strength and Speed is most important. The rest I can improve later.
Wasting no more time, I started adding in the points, and with each point I added, I felt that latent energy move around my body, being absorbed into my muscles, my bones, my blood vessels, everything. It was actively reshaping my body from the inside out.
My fists clenched and unclenched as I felt the drastic changes to my strength, and then took a quick glance at my attributes, to translate those changes.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
[Attributes | AP: 0]
Strength: 12 (12.84)
Speed: 12
Mind: 7
Constitution: 5 (5.7)
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
7 points each to Strength and Speed, and 2 points to Mana, just in case.
I finished up just in time as the sounds of trees creaking carried over the camp.
No that’s not right...they’re...crackling?
And then, a bellowing croak.
CRROOOAAAAK!
Arthur recognized it immediately. "Flame Toads!"
Freya cursed under her breath, "How didn’t we smell them coming?"
Smell?
"The campfire!" boomed Gerard, "Our sniffers were already adjusted to the smoke!"
I understood the moment I saw the beast.
It was still a fair distance from our camp, but the creature was like a hulking torch in the darkness of the Core’s woodlands.
A frog-like beast as big as a cow, its warty hide shrouded in searing red flames. Smoke seeped from its maw with every guttural croak, and each hop left scorched earth and flickering embers in its wake.
Not a moment after I caught sight of them, their croaks suddenly grew even louder.
"They caught sight of us!" boomed Gerard.
Their flames flared a little brighter, their leaps heavier, and further.
Freya’s sabers were already out. "Arthur!" she barked, her voice sharp, "Any time now!"
The archer’s eyes flashed white, strained, and he muttered through clenched teeth, "I’m on it."
All four of the beasts landed at the borders of the camp, forming a perfect cross.
Arthur grimaced, sweat beading on his temple. "Two Tremor-Class", he called out finally, "Front and back. The other two are Squall!"
Freya and Gerard only had to look at each other to know what the play was.
Freya dashed to the Tremor Class in front, and Gerard roared as bounded back, his axe swinging as he charged.
I heard Arthur shout from above, "Axel! One Squall each!"
The first fireball came before I could answer. A glob of flame tore through the air, and exploded right in my face. Heat swallowed my vision, my skin searing and blistering all at once.
[Your face has been burnt by a Fireball.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased greatly.]
[Host’s [Fire Resistance] has increased greatly.]
[You have acquired the skill [Fire Resistance I].]
The regeneration kicked in as always, knitting the burns even as smoke still curled off my skin. When I looked up, the toad was on me, its throat bulging like crazy as its body glowed like hot metal.