Magic_Smithing
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Ch: 96
🕑 Added 2021-04-17 04:26:18 +0000 UTCLennard Grey’s Point of View:
"I don't think I can go on for much longer," I wheeze to Max. "I'm not physically built like you are."
“I don’t think the goblins will accept that as an excuse,” Max stares into the darkness behind us.
“What!” My already pounding heart speeds up as I rush to Max’s side. “I thought you scared them away?” I ask, peering into the void behind us.
Max shakes his head. “They only pretended to flee after I killed most of the big ones. They’re keeping their distance, but I’m sure they’re still following us."
“Fucking, goblins!” I spit into the dark. “Can’t you just kill the rest of them?” I turn and plead to Max.
"It would be a waste of time and energy," he says as he shifts his pack to his side and places it on the ground, taking a seat on a nearby boulder.
“What are you doing?” I feverishly ask Max, nervously glancing down both ends of the tunnel.
“You said you needed a break, so take a break,” Max motions to a smaller boulder protruding from the wall across from him. Max adjusts his pack in front of him, so the magic lantern strapped to the top of it illuminates as much of the tunnel as possible.
“You just said,” I hiss in displeasure.
"I said they're keeping their distance for now," he smirks at me. "We should take this opportunity for you to recover some of your stamina. Gods know I don’t need it.”
“Go ahead and make fun of the weak merchant,” I roll my eyes. “Let’s see this attitude when it’s time for me to pay you.”
Max chuckles at my hollow threat. “Forgive me, it’s just that I’m carrying over ten years’ worth my salary at the moment,” Max pats his pack. He’s the one carrying all the gold we stole from the branch office along with our heavier supplies. My pack is considerably lighter, filled with enough water for the both of us for a few days, along with plenty of dried meat and biscuits.
It hurt to leave almost all of my worldly items behind, but we had to travel light. Of course, that doesn't mean mine and Max's pockets are empty by any means. The light from Max's backpack illuminates the rings on each of my fingers; some doubled up on my fatter digits. We planned to travel light, prioritizing the lightest and most expensive items, so we made sure to grab every piece of enchanted jewelry we could get our hands on.
All we had to do was stop by one of the warehouses before we left the city. No one second-guessed me when I said I wanted to bring some of our best items to Teeburn to sell to Scholl's military while I was in the city. The fifteen rings on my fingers are worth over 750 gold coins, and that isn't even counting the bracelets and amulets I'm wearing.
Max is wearing his specialized armor and other gear, and between the two of us, I'd say we're carrying over 3,000 gold coins worth of stuff. More than enough for the two of us to live in luxury while we resettle in Olebert's capitol.
With all this money and information at our disposal, the two of us will indeed be accepted into one of the major trading companies. From there, It's only a matter of time before my talents are recognized and I'm given a position I deserve. No longer will I slave under that weak family that chooses to play each of its deals safe. Only the bold grow strong in this world!
"How much farther does this tunnel go for, Boss?" Max's question drags me out of my daydreams.
“Let me check,” I pull out the map. “If everything written here is correct, then this tunnel goes for another 300 feet before we’re outside again.”
Max nods and hums in thought. “We’ll have to be careful once we’re outside again.”
“I thought you hated all the tunnels?” I ask with a smirk.
“I do,” Max rubs the back of his head. “But I hate the idea of being ambushed more.”
“Ambushed?!” I exclaim.
“Shhhh!” Max hisses at me. “Keep your voice down. No need to draw the goblins closer to us. And yes, we need to be on the lookout for ambushes once we leave the tunnel.”
“Do you think we were followed?” I nervously lean forward.
Thankfully, Max shakes his head no. "The sun was setting when we entered this tunnel, and it will be pitch black outside once we leave. Who knows how many goblins are in these hills or what else might be lurking about?"
“Why are these goblins so persistent?” I ask. “I’ve never heard of goblins hunting people down like this unless it was a horde.”
"It's probably the environment," Max explains to me. "There's little life in these mountains, and I'd bet everything here is a scavenger. Once the mountain range was stripped of everything of value, I doubt many come up here any longer, and it's anyone's guess as to how many monsters have spawned since then. For all we know, there could be a starving goblin horde in these hills."
“Really?” I nervously ask.
Max snorts, trying to hold back his laughter. "Calm down; I was exaggerating. I'm sure there isn't a horde up here. When that many goblins get together, they need way more food than this barren landscape could provide. Goblin raiding parties would've been spotted along the roads and have had a force sent to deal with them. I was just saying we need to be on the lookout for packs of goblins that are looking for food, like the group we ran into earlier."
I let out a sigh of relief; as long as it isn't a horde, I'm positive Max could slay any number of goblins we might encounter. And with all these defensive magic tools, I won't have to worry about getting caught up in the fighting. They were all manually charged, so as long as I don't get myself into a situation where they'll activate, they should be good for the rest of our trek through the mountain.
However, there is one thing I need to worry about. “What are we going to do about sleep?” I ask Max. “We made it a good distance into the mountain, but at the rate we’re going, it’ll take us another two days of straight travel before we’re out the other side.”
"You'll just have to endure," Max informs me with a smile. "We can't stay in any one place that long, or it will be dangerous. Remember, tomorrow, both Giovanni and Scholl will be sending people to track us down. We have a head start but depending on who's sent after us; we can still be tracked down. You'll have to make do with only short breaks now and again."
“I know,” I sigh and hang my head. “Give me five minutes to catch my break.”
“Five minutes then,” Max agrees.
I can do this! Struggling for two days is nothing compared to what’s waiting for me on the other side of the mountain. Fortune, prestige, it’s all there, waiting for me to take it!
My heart starts to pound in excitement while my palms start to sweat.
Wait, it’s not just my palms sweating! My entire body starts to turn clammy, and I start hyperventilating.
“Boss!” I scarcely hear Max call out my name as he rushes to my side. “What’s wrong?!”
“My chest,” I manage to pant. Ripping my vest open, I dig my fingers under the many amulets hanging from my neck and try to massage the pain radiating out from the center of my chest.
My joints and muscles start locking up as it feels like two icy hands are trying to force their way into my chest.
The deeper the invisible hands go, the more the pain increases until I'm screaming on the rocky floor. Max tries to muffle my screams with his hand, but my cries echo in the dark tunnel.
What is going on?!
**********
Aaliyah’s Point of View:
“You’re not getting away,” I growl as Soul Devourer’s ghostly appendages fight to hold onto the plaque.
As soon as I activated my skill, Grey's experience shards tried to flee my soul as if knowing what I was trying to do. Even now, Grey's experience is desperately trying to flee Soul Devourer's grip. But it's all pointless because I just about… got it!
There it goes!
After five minutes of trying to break down the contract plaque, my ghostly appendages start dissolving the experience mass.
Flakes of experience are torn from the plaque's edges, absorbed by Soul Devourer, and channeled through my soul's avatar into the ground below me. My soul continues to tremble as I feel it slowly growing beneath my feet.
I'm used to a quick shake, like whenever Soul Manipulation levels, but that's just a single quick boost of experience. It will take time for me to devour all of Grey's skill fragments, and my soul will continue to grow as I do.
I can't help but start grinning as I feel more and more experience ripped from the plaque and turned into my own, my ghostly hands refusing to release their prey.
“Why did I wait so long to do this?” I cry out, wrapping my real arms around my body. Each pulse of experience brings with it a wave of pure pleasure. I never thought I could feel this way outside of my body.
Closing my eyes, I savor the feeling. Gods, I haven't felt this good since I killed the soul devourer!
And as if being struck over the head with a hammer, I’m suddenly reminded of how I acted back then. I lost myself in these overwhelming feelings and almost lost my humanity. But I’m stronger than I was then!
Sitting on the ground, I fold my legs and take up a meditative pose. As I calm my mind, I can better feel Mental Resistance trying to help me combat Soul Devourer’s overwhelming influence. It’s a hard feeling to hate because it resembles the natural high people get from leveling.
To feel yourself growing stronger!
The feeling of endless growth!
It makes you just want to keep…
Devouring!
“No!” I shout out in defiance of those thoughts. “I use the skill; the skill doesn’t use me!”
I can't let myself fall into temptation. Such low-hanging fruit does taste delicious, but can it compare to something you've grown yourself?
Thinking back, I remember the feeling of accomplishment I had after completing the arrow for the General. The boost of experience I felt that day was just as gratifying as this experience is; no, it was better.
Soul Devourer can mimic that feeling of accomplishment, but it comes at the cost of turning me into a monster. The skill allows me to absorb experience, and based on what the goddess hinted at, using Soul Devourer is a slippery slope to tread on.
All this begs the question, is the skill worth it?
The skill is undoubtedly helpful in certain situations like this one, but I'm not sure if the risk to my psyche is worth it? I'm already stretching the skills use by using it on the experience of somebody still alive. It was much easier using Soul Devourer after I killed the monster, while I'm still fighting the plaque of experience to keep it from fleeing.
If I tried using Soul Devour before I gathered all of Grey’s experience fragment’s I’m sure they would’ve fled my soul before I could’ve done anything. It’s only thanks to my other skills that Soul Devour can be used like it is.
There is just too much I still don’t know about my tier 6 skill. It’s still a mystery if the mental effects decrease as the Soul Devourer levels or if Mental Resistance will ever be able to combat it fully.
I pause my train of thought and let out a small sigh. I can sit here for hours speculating what might happen with my skill, but the only way I’ll figure anything out is if I practice using it.
And for that, I'd need to kill something. Earlier in the year, that wouldn't be a problem, but things are still quiet around the village, and that’s a good thing. Only an idiot or a monster would wish danger on their family and friends just to further a skill. I have no intention of seeking out violence, but I won’t shy away from it either.
Maybe I could join Tabitha on a few of her patrols around the village or ask the hunters if they’d let me tag along on a hunt?
The only problem with those two options is that I might go a little crazy using my skill, and I wouldn't want either group learning about my tier 6 skill.
No, if I want to practice Soul Devourer, I'll need to do it by myself, and that would mean I'd have to go out and look for something to kill. So much for not seeking out violence; I'm such a hypocrite. I hang my head in shame for a little bit before looking up at the plaque still held in the air by my ghostly tendrils.
It's funny; spending all this time worrying over my skill has actually helped me block out its mental effects.
As my focus returns to Soul Devourer, eating away at the plaque, I once again feel the pleasure of using the skill. But whether because I've gotten used to the sensation or because I've already broken out of its effects once already, my mind isn't overwhelmed by the feelings.
And also, I look down at the still trembling surface of my soul.
Yep, I think Mental Resistance gained a level while I was brooding over Soul Devourer.
I should focus more and worry about my skill after I've finished absorbing Grey's contract. Soul Devourer has only eaten away at a third of the plaque, and there's still a lot more to go.
Maybe if I create more soul tentacles as the soul devourer had, I can speed up the process?
Concentrating, I try to form a third ghostly tentacle-claw-thingy without affecting the two already eating away at the plaque. Am I really going to have to refer to them as soul tentacles? Soul tentacles sound like something a demon lord in a questionable anime you wouldn't tell people you watch would use.
Soul Devourer already affects my mental health, and I don't need to use weird terms in my head on top of that. Maybe soul chains would work; no, that doesn't fit.
Soul claws?
Yeah, I like that! Soul Devourer uses soul claws to gather up experience. That sounds much cooler and a lot less creepy.
My third soul claw dissipates before I can direct it at the plaque, but I’m not put off by the failure; practice does make perfect after all. And if I'm stealing experience from an asshole like Grey, why not level a few skills at the same time.
**********
Lennard Grey’s Point of View:
“It feels like there’s a hole in my chest!” I scream.
Max is trying to hold me down and keep me from thrashing about, but the pain is overwhelming. It feels like someone is ripping my soul from my chest!
"Open your mouth, Boss!" Max forces another healing tonic down my throat. And just like the last one, the warm glow in the pit of my stomach fails to combat the sheer pain I'm feeling.
“It’s not working,” I hiss through my teeth. “Give me a stronger one!”
“That was our strongest tonic,” Max frowns down at me. “What can be causing this?” Max grabs my left hand and pulls it close to his face, "Which one protects against curses?"
“The one with the amethyst,” I hoarsely reply.
"It's still charged but isn't activating. This is either a powerful curse or something else entirely," Max ponders out loud while I'm rolling in agony. “Can you tell me what you’re feeling, Boss?”
He dares to ask how I'm feeling! I try to throw a punch, but my body feels like it's deprived of all its energy. Max easily stops my feeble punch and pushes my hands to the rocky floor.
“Focus, Boss!” Max raises his voice. “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what’s wrong!”
“I don’t know what’s wrong,” I whine with tears in my eyes. “It feels like someone’s hands are digging into my chest and slowly ripping out my soul!”
Max’s face turns utterly pale as he releases my left arm and brings his hand to his chest. “Does Giovanni have access to someone who knows such dark magic?” I can see it in Max’s eyes that he’s afraid that he’s next.
Is that what this is, soul magic, one of the taboo magics thought lost to the world? How could Giovanni, a man who’s never left this small corner of the kingdom, possibly have someone proficient in such dark magic?
I would’ve heard rumors of such a person, whispers in the dark. And why would Giovanni wait so long to have his revenge if he had someone capable of targeting me this far away?
No, this isn't Giovanni's work; this is someone else entirely!
But then who was it?
Could Giovanni have contacted Pacore and ask he have this done to me?
I doubt it, I might not be an expert in magic, but I know a mage can't target someone they've never seen before. Whoever is doing this to me has to be someone I've personally met, most likely made contact with!
Working backward through the pain, I try to remember the faces of everyone I've come in contact with over the last year.
It can't be anyone from Silver Herd, and I've only met a handful of Scholl officials, so I don't have to worry about them. Every face that comes to mind is either a known merchant or mercenary, none of which could be responsible for such magic.
And then it hits me.
Just as it feels like a third hand is reaching into my chest, the face of a village girl pops into my mind. Oh, gods, her willingness to sign a contract with me without reviewing it!
Gritting through the pain, I try to feel for my active contracts. And just as I feared, I can no longer feel the contract I formed with Aaliyah. In fact, the pain feels like it's radiating from where our connection used to be. It should be impossible! Aaliyah is from a backwater village and too young to have gotten her hands such a rare form of magic. It should be impossible, but I know it to be the truth.
Was this her plan all along? Did she somehow cast a spell or curse me when we met?
My tears continue to pour down my face as my throat turns dry. The three hands digging around my chest are so painful I can't even move, and each second that passes makes me feel weaker and weaker.
I can only imagine this is what dying feels like!
I can’t even warn Max that it was Aaliyah who did this to me.
Suddenly, I hear the sound of dirt shifting, and out of the corner of my eye, I see glowing eyes appear down the tunnel we came from.
The goblins are back!
Not being able to speak, I look at Max and plead with my eyes that he saves me.
Max looks me over before nervously glancing down the tunnel, probably counting the pair of eyes. He’s probably figuring out how many he’ll need to kill before dragging me to safety. Max appears to get an idea, and he pulls my pack closer to us. Is he going to throw some of our food as bait?
Max opens the pack, but instead of pulling anything out, he grabs one of my hands and starts pulling my rings off my fingers.
What is he doing!?
I'm too weak to protest as he removes every ring on my left hand before switching to my right. After removing each of my rings, he rips open my sleeves and forcefully pulls off the bracelets I was hiding under my clothes. Max then proceeds to take off each amulet from around my neck.
He throws every piece of magic jewelry into my pack before frisking my paralyzed body for anything else I might have hidden. Max quickly finds a bag of gems I was concealing in between my trousers and undergarments. He refuses to look me in the eye as he strips me of all that I'm worth, all while keeping a watchful eye on the goblins slowly creeping closer to us.
Once Max has everything loaded up, he ties the two packs together and swings them over his shoulder. Finally, after adjusting the pack's straps, Max looks down at me with a sorrowful expression. "I'm sorry, Boss, but this is where we part ways."
This son of a bitch! I want to get up and lunge at the man, but I'm still paralyzed in pain, and it doesn't feel like it will stop anytime soon. The most I can do is glare up at Max.
“I truly am sorry,” Max has the gall to repeat himself. “By the looks of it, you won’t be able to move anytime soon. I could drag you, but if the goblins don’t eventually pick us off, those sent after us surely will. It was a pleasure working for you, Sir,” Max bows his head and backs away from me.
He’s going to leave me behind to be eaten by goblins!
“How… Could… You… Our… Contract,” I manage to stutter through the pain.
Hearing me, Max’s expression of sorrow hardens into a look of resolve. "I'm sure you, of all people, appreciate how someone can interpret a contract. I have to do my best to protect you while never harming or betraying you. Strong yet simple terms I've followed for over two decades now. I can say without a doubt in my heart that this is the best I can do."
Bullshit, I scream with my eyes, my heart pounding so hard I think it will burst out of my chest.
"Whether I leave you here or drag you deeper into the mountain, I’m certain you’ll die,” Max bluntly tells me. “I’ve done my best to protect you, even when you decided to make Scholl and Giovanni your enemies. I don’t know what’s happening to you, but it’s sealed your fate as well as what I must do.”
Despair starts to overwhelm the pain I’m feeling, but even though I feel the need to cry, my body refuses to produce any more tears.
“Allow me to help you one more time,” Max offers, seeing me start to break down.
Is he offering to save me? Please, I'll do anything; I try to convey nonverbally, latching on to this last ray of hope.
“Terminate the contract between us,” Max instructs me.
Why, how is that going to help me?
"Terminate our contract so that I can put you out of your misery." Max's offer is the final nail in the coffin. I'm going to die here in this tunnel, abandoned by the only person I've ever trusted.
How can I die when I was so close to reaching my goals, and not even at the hands of Giovanni either, but at the hands of a village girl who pretended to fall into my trap.
“Boss, you need to make your decision now. I need to leave,” Max looks down the tunnel again at the eyes that seem to remain just outside the light cast by the magic tool.
Bastard is still calling me boss! Slowly, I manage to raise my head and look Max in the eyes. “Fuck… You,” I manage to spit out.
“So be it,” Max shakes his head like he’s disappointed in me.
Like I would let him off the hook for his contract. If I remember correctly, he agreed that he would forfeit his life should he break our agreement. As soon as he starts to walk away, the contract will eat away at him until he shares my fate.
“Farewell, Lennard,” Max turns around and starts walking.
Any second now!
Any second!
I want to see him drop to his knees in pain before I die. There's no way our contract will justify his reasoning. You can't fool your skills; that's why Contract type skills are so strong. No matter how you try to justify your actions, your skill will still know that you're trying to weasel your way out of it.
The light around me grows dimmer as Max walks further down the tunnel. I can hear the goblins breathing in the darkness.
Why is he not collapsing?
Does the asshole honestly believe he's done all that he can?!
I curse you, Max.
I curse you with every fiber of my being!
"Max!" I shout as he rounds a bend in the tunnel, and the last bit of light vanishes.
*********
Aaliyah’s Point of View:
"What the hell!?" Out of nowhere, Grey's contract suddenly became easier to absorb.
Where once my soul claws were struggling to rip apart the manifestation of experience, they’re now grabbing large chunks of experience and devouring it like it’s nothing. And at the same time, I feel a sudden influx of experience like I just advanced multiple skills at once.
Why did absorbing the experience become so much easier? My speed had already increased earlier when I managed to form my third soul claw, but nothing compared to this.
I want to pull up my status page and check my skills, but I still have to finish absorbing the plaque. There was still a quarter of the plaque left, but now that the settings were suddenly switched to easy, it should only take me a few minutes to finish up.
The trembling of my soul's surface increases as more large chunks of experience are quickly absorbed and made my own.
And then I finish absorbing Grey's contract.
Nothing remarkable happens when I absorb the last bit of experience, other than mentally feeling free again.
"Now, let's see what leveled," I finally pull up my status page. It’s harder to conjure inside my soul, but once I do, I can only yell, “Oh, shit!”
LV: 74 Experience:34,230/ 1,004,619
Health: 2,430/2,430
Stamina 1,650/1,650
Mana:797.38/1,020
Vitality: 243.00
Endurance: 100.06
Strength: 152.04
Dexterity: 150.05
Senses: 62.48
Mind: 65.35
Magic: 102.90
Clarity: 78.90
Status Points: 10
Skills:
Tier 1:
Meditation (LV79), Running (LV78), Blacksmithing (LV73), Hammer Skills (LV63), Axe Skills (LV60), Cleaning (LV53), Chanting (LV50), Mining (LV50), Drawing (LV46), Trading (LV45), Cooking (LV41), Sword Skills (LV40), Dagger Skills (LV34), Acting (LV33), Wood Carving (LV31), Sewing (LV31), Alchemy (LV14), Dancing (LV13), Pugilist Skills (LV8), Spear Skills (LV2)
Tier 2:
Sense Mana (LV79), Double Step (LV64), Charm (LV50), Measurement (LV47), Hammer Arts (LV44), Axe Arts (LV39), Writing (LV32), Intimidating Shout (LV31), Mathematics (LV31), Steady Hands (LV26), Increase Price (LV21), Lower Price (LV20), Sword Arts (LV17), Dagger Arts (LV13), Gourmet (LV7), Marching (LV5), Shout of Valor (LV3),
Tier 3:
Expel Mana (LV63), Mana Manipulation (LV62), Weighted Strike (LV41), Precise Strike (LV40), Double Strike (LV40),Flash Step (LV29), Contract (LV21)
Tier 4:
Mental Resistance (LV59), Mana Skin (LV56), Inject Mana (LV54), Extract Mana (LV36), Magic Blacksmithing (LV31), Air Walk (LV15), Magic Threads (LV15), Empowered Spell (LV14), Ironclad Agreement (LV8), Appealing Deal (LV3)
Tier 5:
Sense Soul (LV40), Soul Manipulation (LV16)
Tier 6:
Soul Devourer (LV4)
Increased Skill Levels
Alchemy (LV12-14) 1,950exp
Contract (LV15-21) 18,900exp
Mental Resistance (LV58-59) 29,250exp
Ironclad Agreement (LV1-8) 9,000exp
Appealing Deal (LV1-3) 1,500exp
Soul Manipulation (LV14-16) 22,500exp
Soul Devourer (LV3-4) 7,000exp
Skill Experience: 90,100exp
Crafting Experience: 8,641exp
Fighting Experience: 1,883exp
Total-experience Gained: 100,624exp
It's been a long time since I checked my status page twice in a single day, and I can say without a doubt that this is some of the most experience I've ever earned in a single day. Minus the day I crafted the general's arrow and the soul eater battle, of course.
Seven skills went up in level, and each is crazier than the last.
I'm happy to see Alchemy jump a few levels after all the work Sandra and I put in, but right now, it's the least exciting part of my status page.
It looks like Grey’s experience successfully merged with my own and not only bumped up Contract's level but also gave me levels in the two skills I noticed earlier. Judging by their names, Ironclad Agreement makes a contract harder to break, while Appealing Deal nudges a person to accept the contract. Both would've been nice to have when I struck my deal with Pacore, but I'm sure they'll be helpful in the future.
Overall, I stole 29,400 experience from Grey. Not a lot of experience considering our levels, but seeing how it directly impacted my skills rather than just giving me random experience, I’d say it was worth way more than the experience.
If all that wasn’t enough to be happy with, Mental Resistance went up two levels, Soul Manipulation went up by three, and Soul Devourer went up by two as well.
I’m happy when one of those skill levels, but all three! I can’t help but stand up and awkwardly dance around my clearing.
I hit level 74 earlier than I expected, cleared Grey’s contract out of my soul, and even earned some extra experience from crafting engraving ink and…
Why did I get fighting experience? I didn't practice with Tabitha today, let alone kill something.
Or did I?!
Did Grey kick the bucket after I absorbed his experience?
Suddenly a lightbulb goes off in my head; that’s why it suddenly became easier to absorb the plaque! Grey died while I was absorbing the experience, and it lost its connection to him. The experience still wanted to escape my soul, but that's why Soul Devourer suddenly had an easier time absorbing it.
"Grey is dead," I say out loud, almost as if to make it official.
But the question is, did me absorbing Grey's experience kill him, or did something else cause his demise? Depending on the answer, I'll have to be even more careful with my tier 6 skill.
Either way, I’ll have to let Giovanni know in the morning. I’ll tell him I’m not 100% positive Grey is dead, but I’ll tell Giovanni I got some extra experience and what I think that means. I’ll leave it up to Giovanni to decide what he wants to do with that information.
I know I shouldn’t be happy that I’ve technically killed another person, but I can’t bring myself to feel bad. Grey did awful things to people, and the world is better now that he’s gone.
Despite thinking that, I bring my hands together, bow my head, and offer a short prayer. “May you be better in your next life.”
I feel like I'm being watched for a split second, and I immediately look up at the moons hovering over my soul. None of them have turned to eyes, and the feeling of being watched is already gone.
Was that all in my head? I shake my head and chose not to dwell on it. Even if one of the gods were watching me, I couldn’t do anything about it. At least not as I am.
Maybe in the future, I can figure out how to shield my soul, but until then, I need to worry about my real-world problems first.
I have a sparring session with Tabitha in a few hours, and I have status points to distribute.
*********
Author’s Notes:
5,300 words
What did you think? Was that the ending you were expecting?
Tell me below, and as always, stay safe.
Comments
lenkite
Max breaking his [Contract] so easily pretty much indicates that Contract spells are more liability than anything else.
Alteron
I keep wondering do Max turnabout and try to make peace with Giovanni, or try to run forever. Plot twist Max’s contract was sucked over to Aaliyah, so Max have to protect her now.
alex
I am also a little worried. But what you also have to remember is that information was given by people without perfect understanding/information. Yes they know the consequences, but how it happens is my question. My bet is the person reviving the experience usually has parts of other peoples soul in there's and it conflicts or is not 'stitched' together properly. Aalyiah, may have gotten another persons experience/soul, but she also has a way of actually absorbing/processing the experience into her own soul.
Bracken Gear ⚙️
Thank you for another amazing chapter. I’m glad to hear that you’re in a better state of mind lately. I hope you know we all here are vested into your health and writing talent!
ActionKermit
Kinda worried about Aalyiah getting those bonus skills. Experience contracts were made illegal because they limit the future growth of the recipient of experience. Aalyiah may find that gaining these merchant skills interferes with her smithing prospects.
Weebeedee
I think her parents following her would make more narrative sense since her brother is arguably old enough to get married and have his own family so he shouldn't need his parents like his 15 year old sister. I understand the idea of problems with prior life knowledge but then wouldn't you also say its wrong for her to have breast fed as a baby since she's theoretically a 30 something year old dude? I agree with new character/friends/enemy additions. I also agree with her mother, however that sounds like a realistic parent haha. Don't forget she is the only one who knows that she isn't just a 15 year old child. I would also add that all we know about her mother says she came from an extremely overbearing family and was stubborn enough to run away. I don't think its too hard to believe that she'd also be overbearing since it's the parenting she knows and she is stubborn enough to continue it until something extreme happens. (We did already see an argument between the two) As far as Pacore is concerned, I agree, but clearly she has things she can learn from him/Tabitha. I am interested in seeing how their reactions/relationship develops, especially if Pacore finds out that she can void her contracts if she isn't kept happy.
theend
Nice chapter and good that she wants to go out alone and practice her Soul Devourer skill. If she wants to really become powerful and keep her freedom she cannot ignore such a useful and strong skill.
theend
Thanks for the story. I started to read it on Royal Road and found it good enough to join patreon and continue. Though, I don’t know how long I will stay a patreon member. The story is good but I do have some issues with it. I think the parts about smithing, leveling and fighting are good enough. In the beginning even the relationship with her family and friends was okay and I had no problem with her sometimes strange behavior. But Aaliyah’s behavior and interactions with family and friends is exactly what is bothering me more and more and is in my opinion the biggest weakness in the story. For example: There is this one scene, after the goblin fight I think, where she is sitting in her father’s lab and they cuddle. When I imagine a six foot woman, who is almost considered an adult in this world, but technically a forty year old man, cuddling with her father like a little girl, then it is creepy like hell. I also belong to these readers who were very annoyed with the overbearing, overprotective, smothering, controlling mother and thus very glad when that changed. Annoyingly, in the last few chapters I had the impression that you gave Sandra some of the same characteristics that her mother had before. For example, Sandra improves her mother's skills or has fire in her eyes, etc. And even if she has mood swings, that's no excuse for throwing fireballs at people. Aaliyah got punished because she used a harmless skill on people afterall. At the same time, you make Sandra strangely childish. In Chapter 95, she playfully sticks out her tongue. Sandra is over twenty years old, completed her training in another city, is a magician and will soon be a parent. My question is, do you / did you really know twenty years old that behaved like that in your real life you? I did not. Aaliyah’s conduct is sometimes strange as well. At one moment she behaves like a normal adult, is mature, understanding, insightful, she is using her brain and analyze people or situations, has courage and stands up for herself and her beliefs. But at the next moment she pouts like a five year old, makes mistakes or stupid decisions, or is terrified because her mother is angry at her. It is this discrepancy in her behavior was bothering me more and more. Well, lastly I can only say, I am looking forward to Pacore's return and her going to Scholl. It is a turning point in the story and a lot depends on it if I will keep reading. For the further course of the story, I would wish the following: - That her parents stay in the village and not follow her to Scholl. It would allow her to become independent from them. It is also quite inconsiderate to leave her other child and grandchild behind. - Introduction of new characters. Friends and foes, maybe a love interest. - More adventuring, exploring and fighting against monsters - Reduce the sometimes sickly, sweet, sappy chapter endings - Even if Pacore does not have outright evil intentions towards Aaliyah, she should definitely never forgive him for forcing her to leave. Even if it will make her stronger and is to her benefit, she should not make it easy for him and become too friendly with him. A golden cage is still a cage and he is her jailor. At one point Pacore or Scholl’s king will demand her loyalty and follow their orders. Tabitha is not even as Aaliyah's master but she too has started to give her orders or wants to know where she is going.
Håvard
Kill goblins while if only 1 gets around him that one can kill Grey. He can drag him anrqound slowing them down and One/Giovani kills them. Of wolves or other pqck hunters attack them in the forest same deal to easy to kill. It is not an I will commit suicide to save you contract.
Morog T Tiny
i don't get how this could be interpreted as anything but betrayal by Max, he can pretty easily kill goblins? I like that Grey meets his end. just some logic holes that need to be papered over.
Toni Pampliega
Yes, the end of Grey (if not resurrected at some point xd) was as expected. But I was hopping a little struggle at ending the contract as trying to streal from her experience (20 levels) and some explanations why not happened. Thx for the chap!
1Crash
Surprised me he figured out which it was. Had me worried there for a bit.
Or better yet - Monster skills. I don't expect her to practice the skill on people again. Not for now, and perhaps not ever. But if monsters have souls, then they have skills too, and those might be verrrrry interesting to find in a human.
Well, it did sorta try and corrupt her...
I wonder how his stats would work in that case. Because if he still has all of his mental stats and contracts, it would be pretty easy to level back up quickly.
He was eaten alive by goblins. How is that a clean end?
Aaron
Great ending. Thanks for the chapter.
Scott Fellman
Thanks for the chapter 🙏looking forward to it again soon
Blackmoon11
Skill stealing? I wonder if this was the other use of soul devourer that Ebeon was alluding to. This would be a great way to get skills that she would normally never unlock like danger sense( her sense stat is too low) or more merchant and thief skills
ZaA
Idk, he seemed more around the 40s in terms of level. All he'd have is shit like writing, bargaining, contract stuff, appraisal, stuff like that. On top of that, he likely wouldn't be able to breakthrough some of the 50 stuff, so I'd assume he's in the 40s.
Zarik0
That seem so wrong, the contrat was 20 level, and she just get 29,400 of grey 20 level? bullshit Grey is for sure more than lv50 and we can guess he can be 60+ easy or more (like 70 maybe, he top of a merchant clan, old/experienced and he is of the city not a village so him in the 60-75 range is pretty normal) Lv74 is 1 000 000 xp, so you say 20 lv in the 55-70 range is only 29400xp? make it believable plz........
ZeroRelevance
No, the xp was right. The amount of xp you get from each skill level is dependent on not only the tier, but what level you’re levelling it up to too. Since soul manipulation is tier 5, it gives xp at a rate of 500 * level As it gained 3 levels (not 4), levels 14, 15, and 16, its overall xp gain was 500*(14+15+16), which equals 22500. Meanwhile, tier 6 gives it at a rate of 1000 * level, so levels 3 and 4 gave 1000*(3+4)=7000 experience
Sky
Not sure if the xp for soul devourer was correct. She leveled it twice and got 7k, whereas her soul man. leveled 4 times and got 22500. Being a higher tier skill, wouldn't it get more xp per level than s.m.?
Thundermike00
This is a great chapter.
luda305
It was a good chapter. Informing Giovanni gets kicked go a later chapter (or out of sight) which is a little iffy.
Dave
Nice work I like the way the skill works with removing contracts she gained tier 4 skills he used creating the contract. Hope she goes hunting with Tabitha to see the results of her dancing skills after her celebration with Giovanni. Thanks great chapter
Adevna
Twice a week, at some point. He uses the deadline as a motivational tool instead of an actual time limit. But he does deliver twice a week, so I really can't complain.
wd40bomber7
What's the posting schedule for patrons? Every Friday?
Carl Mason
At long last, (AA-AA-AA-AA-AA-AA-AAHH)(let's pretend that was an angelic choir, please?) the demise of Lennard Grey! Thank you, thank you so much, this was wonderful and totally worth the wait.
MadGod
Loved how you went into details over Gray's death and made it so pitiful. I half expected Aaliyah to chicken out halfway through or be overcome by guilt. I'm really glad that didn't happen.
Jamie Trevino
Soul Purity could be a cool skill to learn to help combat the effects of soul devourer
Tim
Thank you for this chapter, I really liked that Aaliyah is getting some use of that tier 6 skill, and that it's not some "evil corrupting skill" if she uses it sparingly. I also liked the bit about shielding her soul that hints at something bigger.
Black Unicorn
You forget how high her meditation level is it might need more then just a few min's of work to get a level at her skill level.
Adevna
Pacore isn't a mage. He can't charge his own armor.
Svish
Damn- that was good. On an unrelated note, if you have her use the magnesium trick again, why not include setting it on fire as part of the chant? And what’s stopping the mc from learning the silent and fast chanting? She should be able to get the details for the skills and more chants from Tabitha and pacore who has promised her whatever she needs. Which should include knowledge on magic and maybe even k owl edge on enchanting and enchanting and smithing supplies when you think about it..
TheOne320
Blake Richardson
Thanks for the chapter
Milandaanza
It was worth the wait. You always deliver quality. I also like how it wasn’t some obscene level jump but a few skills she hadn’t learned and raised tiers in her soul skills primarily
Timo Immig
I wouldn‘t introduce growth weapons as they negate the reason for finding new alloys, new techniques etc. Sentient weapons yes and instead of growth they could be self repairing.
Timo Immig
He will tell Olebert what he knows, but that is one person, that gave up on his employer. Will he be a trusted source?Or will he be quiet and retire.
fuble878
I was somewhat expecting her meditation to level up with her mental resist as she was using it to calm herself against the affects of soul devourer.
rasmus1070
Nice chapter my guy
Forestfire
I think the xp came from terms of the contract. If Aaliyah had a chunk of Greys, he should have had a pile of hers. Kind of like a bond or a security deposit. It's hard to rifle through someone's pockets if they die too far away
Tera
Thank you for the chapter!! Amazing end for Grey!! And nice upgrade for her xD I bet Tabitha can tell she leveled up 😂😅
Straven
Loved another great chapter, don't doubt that tier 6 ability will cause some issues further in/onwards but it deff has its perks so long as she doesn't loose herself to it. Not surprised that act caused him extreme pain and also I can understand why apparently anyone with said skills is quickly targeted, they are quite deadly with the right situation.
Tera
How would she kill pacore? The experience exchanged in those simple contracts wouldn't be enough for that. And Pacore is far over lvl 100 which changes something (hinted as a solution for that contract thing)
Forestfire
Max was a minion. No one goes out of their way hunting down minions. His escape from the goblins and return to civilization would make an interesting interlude. Maybe a way to introduce some royals or the other trading houses without the baggage of Mr Grey
HardhatDoozer
If you think about it, although it was painful, if Grey hadn’t fled then he would have felt the sick day with a mostly incidental 30,000 xp pulled out then carried on with his day felling sick. Pacore probably doesn’t need to worry much. And even Max doesn’t know the truth. I think Max will get away then retire.
Alteron
It is nice that she can steal whole skills, it also acts like a security measure, if she is stealing skills, she is not working close to the core soul. Thanks for the chapter and the continuous expansion of your world and lore.
brandy
Number will not let him off the hook. He is a dead man.
thkiw
Hey, will aleiyah learn to make sentient weapons with soul magic? That sounds cool. Weapons that can grow and all.
Håkan Friberg
Real nice :)
Andrew
Thank you!
Erriballon
I love it really fun to Read 😁😁😁👍😁
Justin
That was really good! Creepy, different, but interesting.
Vyktor
A really good chapter, the way its wrote make me think for a moment that Grey wasn't that bad, but whet he refused to terminate the contract with Max ("If I die I want you to die with me") finally drow home that he's just a man that want everything to work his way, or see the world burn (if he can't get it, destroy everything)... 😣
White Neko Knight
Few, worst possible scenario cleared. Looks like she didn't eat his soul, I wonder what the goddesses thought of her skill usage.
BookDragonling
Agreed. I'm always happy to see an MC grow and mature and realize that sometimes you just gotta kill a dirtbag and don't have to have an existential crisis about it.
TaylorTot
I wonder how Pacor or Tabitha will react if they fund out she can probably kill Pacor.
Steven Palmer
IT WAS AMAZING!!! Loved the chapter, terrifying thought if having hands ripping at your soul.
Wewwew2
Me too.
ZaA
I'm actually really glad she's not all broken up about it. That'd have been super fuckin annoying. I think this chapter was awesome. Showed a lot of hints towards some future adventures with the skill.. If mental resistance helps, she might even make it a goal to earn as many mental bolstering abilities as possible to help counteract it
Brad
I figured something like that would happen. Figured Grey would die. Didn't think about Max or goblins in the mountains. Glad he is dead. Want Aaliyah to get that book on soul magic that Pacore was talking about.
Stephen Pearson
Not merely an invasive push, but a presence in her soul-space that was the first time she put together an invasive skill and expelled it, so you're probably right!
thkiw
Hehehe. Goodbye mr grey.
Aaron Martinez
Seems like the euphoria comes from the absorbed experience, so just making soul claws wouldn't help mental resistance.
John Smith
I wonder if Aaliyah can figure out how to steal skill xp from people outside of contracts. IIRC, she felt the invasive push of one of Camden's persuasion skills earlier in the story. Perhaps she can nab a wee bit of any invasive skill eventually? +10 to defence, +20 to mysteriousness, +30 to malicious skills that our cookie cutter might not otherwise acquire
Obran
Honestly I thought you were going to leave him alive, but stripped of all his levels and skills.
Bunny Waffles
OM NOM NOM
The other DB
Thanks for the chapter, it's about what I expected. Looking forward to the next chapter! I'm not sure what I want to have happen to Max. From what he mentioned about the contract about not betraying Grey he couldn't directly go against him and he didn't want to make enemies of Giovanni or Scholl but didn't seem to beat up over the destruction he caused. Maybe leave a peace offering with Giovanni or a non-disclosure type contract. Otherwise he's looking at a living a life looking over his shoulder.
donovan dameron
Fantastic
Mike G.
Well done! I think this was handled deftly.
Nick
Thanks for the chapter
BookDragonling
I'm glad she didn't accidentally suck up his soul. I was worried about that
ZCochraine!%
Thansk for the chapter! And that was good 👌 She could practice soul devour by just trying to make more soul claws, even if theres nothing to use them on. That should let her level it up more and practice mental resistance against it. Bonus, since she can get skills, she could try and get skill from solders dying inn the battlefield, maybe see if she can straight up add xp to skills and get them up.
Blood Shade Games
awesome ending he got what was coming to him
Andrew Goudie
Could new skills be marked in italics or underlined in the skill list? I found it hard to find the tiers of the new skills.
Jonathan Seah
That was a weird ending but ok. I still would have preferred Aaliyah somehow pwning Grey by clever contract terms but this is fine. Interesting that she can eat experience from a casting of Contract, rather than directly from someone. Still, her point that gaining skill exp is more important than level exp is good, skills determine what she can do after all and stats are just stats.
Tijay Arnie
Farewell Lennard Grey. You died as you lived, a little bitch
Owen Wilson
Loved it, thank you for the chapter all that needs to happen is max gets caught now and it will be perfect
Vorquel
It was all I wanted and more
Taliesin
It was perhaps a cleaner end than what I was expecting, but about as much as he deserved.
John Smith
Yassss, i was just craving.
Stephen Pearson
Thanks for the chapter!
Kosnik4
Corrections
