Chapter 128: Euphoria
’System, set Lightning Mage and Arc Mage for my classes.’
[Classes Changed!]
[Lightning Mage (MAX) | Arc Mage Level 7]
[All lightning-based abilities now available]
Every lightning-based ability he’d learned suddenly felt more potent, more refined.
"Thunder Mantle," Jack whispered, and lightning erupted across his body in sheets of crackling blue energy.
The familiar sensation of speed and power filled him, making every movement feel effortless.
He began casting Static Orbs, twenty spheres of compressed electrical death that spread out in a wide formation around the basilisk pack far above their heads.
The creatures were too focused on his scent to notice he was casting magic, positioning themselves for maximum carnage.
"Now," Jack said, gripping Corvin’s feathers.
The great raven dove like a falling star, wings folded for maximum speed. As they approached the pack, Corvin’s beak opened wide and released his Carrion Swarm, dozens of spectral ravens that materialized from shadow and death, their eyes burning with violet fire.
The basilisks looked up just in time to see death descending from above.
Corvin’s Shadow Strike activated at the last moment, his form becoming partially incorporeal as he slammed through the center of the pack.
The impact sent basilisks tumbling like bowling pins, their coordinated formation shattered by the surprise attack.
[-1,200 HP per target]
But Jack wasn’t finished.
As Corvin completed his strike run, Jack launched himself from the raven’s back, Lightning Spear crackling with deadly energy.
He landed in the center of the confused pack and immediately triggered Thunder Clap.
CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!
Not once, but three times in rapid succession.
The sonic booms merged into a single devastating assault that ruptured eardrums and shattered the stone beneath his feet.
Lightning boomed from Jack as it hit the basilisks.
’What, why is my lightning Mage skills blue now? That hasn’t happened before.’
[When using two lighting mage classes at the same time, the higher grade of lightning will be expended.]
[-4,422 total damage per target]
The basilisks that survived the initial assault found themselves surrounded by spectral ravens, each one pecking and clawing with fury. The Carrion Swarm focused their attacks, over fifty ravens converging on individual targets with coordinated precision.
[Carrion Swarm damage: -50 HP per raven strike.]
"Arc Blast," he snarled, and bolts of blue lightning erupted from his hands. He held the spell for two seconds.
[-3,932HP damage per target]
The Static Orbs he’d positioned earlier began detonating in sequence, each explosion perfectly timed to catch fleeing basilisks or finish off wounded targets.
[-1,474 HP]
[-1,474 HP]
[-1,474 HP]
[-1,474 HP]
[-1,474 HP]
[-1,474 HP]
The entire engagement lasted less than ten seconds.
When the lightning faded and the dust settled, fifteen basilisk corpses lay scattered across the shattered stone.
Some had been reduced to ash by the electrical assault, while others bore the marks of spectral talons.
[Mana Expended: 230]
[Mana Remaining: 170]
Jack stood among the carnage, breathing heavily but feeling more alive than he ever had. The Crimson Recovery ring on his finger began to pulse with warm light as its enchantment activated.
[Crimson Recovery: 15 enemies slain]
[Restoring 15% HP per second for 4 seconds]
[Restoring 30% Mana per second for 4 seconds]
Since Jack hadn’t taken any damage, the health restoration was irrelevant, but the mana recovery was invaluable.
Within seconds, his magical reserves were completely restored, leaving him ready for the next engagement.
[Mana: 400/400]
But it was the Sanguine Accelerator’s response that truly captured his attention, and perhaps his concern.
The bracelet flared with crimson light so intense it cast red shadows on the surrounding stone.
Jack felt a surge of power flow through his enhanced constitution as the enchantment reached its maximum potential.
But there was something else, something that felt off.
[Sanguine Accelerator: 10/10 stacks]
[Effect Active: 10% magic damage converted to lifesteal]
[Effect Active: +10% movement speed]
The sensation was intoxicating in a way that set off distant alarm bells in Jack’s mind.
Power flowed through his veins like lava, making every nerve ending singe.
His eyes faintly turned red before calming down.
But beneath the mechanical benefits, something deeper was stirring.
The euphoria wasn’t just from victory or adrenaline, but increased power.
It was from the act of killing itself, from the act of violence, from the satisfaction of watching enemies fall before his abilities.
Jack’s smile widened as the sensation washed over him in waves.
This was the feeling of absolute dominance. The ring and bracelet weren’t just providing benefits.
They were awakening something primal, something that craved the violence and supremacy he was displaying.
For a moment, Jack allowed himself to drown in the sensation.
The rush, the satisfaction of a flawlessly executed plan, and the intoxicating awareness that he was becoming something far more dangerous than a simple mage.
He caught himself mid-thought, recognizing the pattern.
Is this why Sera is so battle hungry?
The equipment was designed to reward aggression, but the psychological effects seemed designed to encourage addiction to that reward cycle.
’I need to be careful,’ he thought, though the warning felt distant and unimportant compared to the lingering euphoria.
’This feeling... it’s too good. Too appealing. I just want to bathe in this feeling and never let go.’
But even as he recognized the potential danger, Jack found it difficult to care.
The power was real, the enemies were numerous, and his survival depended on embracing every advantage available to him. If that meant accepting the psychological side effects of his equipment, so be it.
After all, there were still thousands of enemies swarming towards him.
[DING!]
[+37,500 EXP]
[+7,500 Death Tokens]
[Congratulations, you have leveled up!]
[Arc Mage: Level 8 (7,200/125,000)]
[DING!]
[Warning: Multiple high-level presences detected]
[You are being observed by multiple high level entities]
[Recommendation: Exercise caution]
Jack glanced at the notification, then dismissed it with casual indifference.
Corvin was munching on a heart of one of the basilisks.
Jack put the dead corpses into his system storage. To see if he could use the parts or sell them in the future.
"Come on, Corvin," he said, his voice carrying the confident tone of a predator who had just discovered his true nature. "Let’s go find something bigger to hunt."
The great raven’s answering caw sounded suspiciously like laughter as they took to the air.
---
Off in the distance, Ren stood on top of a cliff with Melania.
"My lord, do you plan on helping the boy?" She asked softly.
"Not particularly, he needs to learn to fight. There are much more dangerous things in this tower than a swarm."
"My lord, I noticed three others watching the young Soul Warden."
"Yes, I sense them too. Pho must be out for revenge, he sent a hunting party for him. But I don’t think he’ll get his revenge if I’m correct."
"What makes you so sure?" Melania asked curiously.
"You see that ridge over to the west." Ren said with a slight chuckle.
"Yes, what’s so special about it?"
"Look closely. You’ll see him, he also brought a pet with him."
Melania looked closely, squinting her eyes to see who was there.
A man sitting on a ledge dressed to the nines. His hair blew softly on the wind.
He had a tangerine in one hand, and he had his other hand rested on a three headed hellhound.
Its fur was dark blue and was easily 4 meters long.
"Who is that?" Melania asked.
Her interest was quite piqued.
"An old acquaintance. If he does anything, this whole swarm will run in fear."
"Uhm... he doesn’t look that threatening to me, my lord."
"Oh, you’ll see the red eyed demon soon enough."
In the distance the elegant man peeled his tangerine as a bone chilling howl erupted across the battlefield.
Shaking stones loose, and creatures shivered as the howl echoed across the canyons for miles.