By the ti the final Abyss Demon collapsed onto itself in a crumpled heap, Toms new [Lifeblood] card had, unsurprisingly, reached [Level 5].
In the heat of battle he had ignored the phantom itchiness he had felt in the periphery of his vision, a phenonon that he had co to associate with unread notifications.
[Congratulations, Uncommon Ranked Card [Lifeblood] has reached Level 5 (5025/50,000)!]
[Uncommon Ranked Card [Lifeblood] has unlocked Ability: [Blood Scion, Level 1]. You have received one Skill Upgrade Point.
[Card Na: Lifeblood
Rank: Uncommon
Level: 5 [5,025/50,000]
Skill Upgrade Point(s): 4
Description:
Ability:
1. Augntation, Level 1: The wielder can manipulate the blood within his body, allowing for the augntation of the composition and flow of blood to allow for enhanced oxygen delivery, freely modulating heart rate and greatly reducing blood loss from open wounds.
Augntation allows the wielder to move at preternatural speeds beyond the limitations of their body and stem blood loss from open wounds via vasoconstriction.
SP Cost is Variable.
2. Blood Scion, Level 1: The wielder can manipulate the blood of recently slain enemies within twenty four hours of their demise to forge blood weapons. The size and composition of the blood weapons is capped by the wielders Blood Scion Ability Rank and his ntal Stat.
Successfully landing strikes that make direct contact with an opponents blood siphons a small portion of their stamina and vitality to replenish the users own. May treat minor wounds and greatly ease exhaustion.]
Tom sucked in a cold breath of air.
You were right, he grumbled, though his voice was tinged with gratitude.
Of course I was right, Aleph retorted casually as she swept past him, headed towards the podium nestled in the center of the Theatre of Stones third auditorium. Sure, your little heart modulation trick is effective for now, but thats only because of your monstrous stat improvent. Becoming a little faster is hardly deserving of an Uncommon, She explained, blinking a crystal into existence with a snap of her fingers for emphasis.
Do all Uncommon Cards have two abilities? Tom asked, used to Alephs gently sarcastic nature by now.
All? Dunno, Aleph replied with a shrug, letting a little slang slip into her words. Most though, probably.
I see, Tom answered, though his gaze was already drifting to one of the Abyss Demons carcasses.
So? She raised an eyebrow at his drifting attention. What is it? The silver and athyst haired girl asked, unable to keep the curiosity out of tone.
Iuh, Tom slowly walked towards the Abyss Demon carcass closest to him. I think itd be better if I just show you.
His Uncommon Deck Card firmly locked in the grip of his Revenant Claw, Tom willed his right hand forward, until it was hovering directly above the Abyss Demons crumpled chest, albeit separated by two or three feet.
Blood Scion, he whispered under his breath, imdiately feeling the pull on his SP. He flinched when the Abyss Demons abdon began to writhe and twist, settling into a simring bubbling before he instinctively tugged.
What is that? Aleph hissed under her breath, clearly startled by the developnt.
What? Toms reply echoed his confusion, the last few seconds a jumbled blur in his minds eye. He vividly rembered the desire to tug welling up in his mind and he had, only for the sensation to completely vanish monts after into a wispy nothingness.
And then Tom completely stilled.
Oh. Thaaaat, He muttered dumbfoundedly, as his gaze refocused before him. The reason why he hadnt outright noticed the changes was because even now, he could barely feel the weight of the deep violet staff he was gripping.
A staff that was actually too long and unwieldy to qualify as one, in all honesty a realization that prompted Tom to trace the weapon construct to its tip. He gaped as he finally encountered the wickedly curving blade extending from the top end of the staff, its eerie configuration arching inwards at a crooked angle; so much so that one half of the blade hovered above Toms back.
A Blood Scythe.
Tom knew that he had likely been the one to visualize it and he could see why he had subconsciously made that connection.
External blood manipulation, Alephs voice rang out from ahead of him, snapping him out of his reverie. It seems like a pretty useful ability. Though Ive got to say, Ive never seen a weapon as intimidating, if grossly impractical, as that.
Tom wanted to retort, but an instinct welled up within him as if he wanted to challenge that notion.
Right, Tom muttered and for a mont ignored the queasiness he felt despite his high ntal Stat. He knew that he wasnt actually all that affected by using the blood of an otherworldly creature that knew and understood nothing but killing, but a part of him still felt slightly wrong about it. Earths morality was clashing against Artezias he supposed.
Though those worries were for later.
Tom had seen Aleph control crystals with a graceful elegance that made it seem effortless. While his own card couldnt conjure blood out of nothing and neither was it capable of multiplying the volu of blood he maintained within his dominion, there was one thing he could definitely do.
With a flicker of motion, the scythe in Toms hands blurred into a more viscous, coagulated form and then, in a matter of re seconds, shifted into two distinct forms.
A whistle in appreciation sounded out from Alephs direction as Tom took in the pair of blood swords, their dinsions mirrored in each hand.
Wouldnt want to be cut with that, Aleph replied with gusto.
Tom couldnt help but flash a grin in response.
I concur.
Well, now that all that is dealt with, you can allocate your points after we get out of this dingy cavern. Oh and what about this? Aleph asked as she stood in the middle of a raised podium, an effulgent golden chest radiating waves of warm, refreshing light, beckoning for their attention.
You can have it, Tom replied with a shrug as he let his blood blades lt away onto the floor. This was already beyond my expectations, he added gratefully.
The presence of the golden chest naly the additional reward for clearing the Dungeon was normally placed within the final room. To the Phantasmal Creatures, it trapped them within the confines of the Boss Room, ensuring that they couldnt create havoc in the lower floors.
To dungeoneers, the chest represented the culmination of their efforts a reward directly from the Divine System for ritorious service to the realm of Artezia.
Which was why the Abyssal Lurkers domain was such an odd and challenging sector, with the boss being allowed to roam free within the Dungeon and even retreat to other rooms if the situation called for it.
A loud groaning sound echoed out as Aleph opened the heavy-set chest and in the next mont, light flooded Toms vision.
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