Vergil stood still, eyes fixed on his status window. Six available stat points blinked back at him, demanding allocation. He already knew exactly where they belonged.
"Alright," he muttered, "I need more stamina for long fights—and enough mana to keep casting without running dry."
With deliberate focus, he invested three points into Constitution and three into Mana Capacity.
Constitution: 15 → 18
Mana Capacity: 12 → 15
He clenched his fists, a subtle warmth spreading through his muscles. "This should help me stay in the fight longer… and keep my mana flowing steady."
Scrolling through his skills, Vergil grinned. "Combination." The system prompted him: Select skills to combine.
"Let's see what I get when I merge some of these."
---
First Combination: Hardened Hide + Endurance + Lesser Physical Resistance
"I want something that helps me last longer in a fight."
Combining skills... Combination successful.
New Skill: Resilient Body (E)
Increases overall physical toughness, granting minor resistance to cuts, blunt force, and fatigue.
Reduces impact of sustained damage, allowing longer endurance in battle.
Still vulnerable to highly penetrating attacks (spears, magic), but better overall durability.
Vergil nodded approvingly. "Nice. A straight upgrade to endurance and toughness. Exactly what I need in close combat."
---
Second Combination: Quick Shot + Throwing
"Both tied to shooting and hurling... faster execution should mean faster kills."
Combining skills... Combination successful.
New Skill: Rapid Precision (F+)
Allows faster execution of archery and thrown weapons.
Slightly improves aim and reduces time to line up shots or throws.
Works with bows, crossbows, throwing knives, javelins, and improvised projectiles.
Doesn't increase raw power but boosts speed and accuracy.
Vergil smirked. "Exactly what I wanted—faster shots, sharper aim, and flexible across weapons. Perfect."
---
Third Combination: Feral Bite + Vile Bite + Venomous Fang
He cracked his knuckles. "These are all bite-based. Let's see if I can make something nastier."
Combining skills... Combination successful.
New Skill: Ravenous Bite (E-)
A ferocious bite dealing deep wounds with a chance to infect the target with minor toxins or disease.
Injects venom causing lingering pain.
More aggressive and harder for weaker foes to shake off.
Causes lingering pain through a mix of feral strength and filthy, contaminated teeth.
Vergil let out a low whistle. "Damn… that's brutal. Anyone I bite's gonna regret it. Could come in handy against tougher foes if the infection weakens them."
---
Final Combination: Mana Sensitivity + Mana Manipulation
He hesitated, fingers hovering over the two mana-related skills. "Both grow over time, like my mana organ… Wonder what happens if I merge them?"
Combining skills... Combination successful.
New Skill: Mana Affinity (F+)
Grants a refined natural feel for mana, making it easier to sense, control, and shape energy.
Improves mana efficiency, slightly reducing spell costs.
Enhances ability to detect mana flow and magical disturbances.
Makes learning and refining magic easier.
Vergil's eyes widened. "This is huge. I can sense and manipulate mana way better now. Magic's gonna come a lot easier."
---
He closed the status window and stretched, feeling the subtle changes ripple through his body—endurance bolstered, ranged attacks sharper, bite deadlier, and mana control deepened.
"This… is one step closer." He exhaled slowly, voice low but determined. "A tiptoe is still progress."
The sun was dipping low in the sky. Vergil rubbed his arms and started toward town. "Been out here all day. Time to get back before something decides I'm an easy meal."
The sun was already high.
The walk back to the village would take about an hour—less if Vergil kept up a steady pace. He moved through the forest with practiced ease, his footsteps silent on the damp earth. The scent of blood still clung to him, a lingering reminder of earlier fights. It didn't bother him.
This was just how things worked here—kill or be killed.
His mind drifted to the skills he'd merged. Resilient Body. Rapid Precision. Ravenous Bite. Mana Affinity. Not just names — tools honed into weapons for survival.
"Mana Affinity, huh…" He raised a hand slightly, feeling the familiar hum of energy beneath his skin. It responded naturally now, flowing like instinct rather than force. "This'll come in handy."
A sudden sneeze cut through his thoughts.
"Stupid rat disease," he muttered, sniffing.
Then came a distant sound: screams.
Vergil froze. His Wild Instincts flared—an immediate warning.
His eyes flicked toward the source beyond a ridge. Without hesitation, he moved, scaling the incline with fluid, low steps. From the top, he saw the dirt road winding toward the village.
A carriage. A pack of monsters. And something else.
Six Rotfang Hounds prowled around the carriage, their yellow eyes gleaming with savage hunger. One horse lay collapsed, throat torn open, while the other reared in panic. The driver slumped, unmoving, an arrow protruding from his shoulder.
A bandit stood before the carriage, casually gripping a curved blade, smirking as a young guard—a boy—struggled to hold the line. Inside, two women screamed.
Vergil exhaled through his nose. "Interesting situation."
He activated Analysis, scanning the beasts first.
---
Rotfang Hound
Level 7 | Tier 0 | Species: Beast
Stats:
Strength: 19
Constitution: 14
Dexterity: 18
Intuition: 6
Magic Power: 6
Mana Capacity: 4
Passive Skills:
Night Hunter (E): Enhanced senses and vision in darkness.
Tainted Blood (E-): Wounds cause minor vitality or mana flow debuffs.
Pack Instincts (F): Gains strength and coordination when fighting alongside packmates.
Keen Smell (E): Detects prey at great distances.
Active Skills:
Venomous Bite (F+): Poisons and weakens targets over time.
Pounce (F): Explosive forward leap to pin or destabilize prey.
Crippling Claws (E-): Targets tendons to reduce mobility.
Howl of Coordination (F+): Enhances pack's reaction speed and coordination.
---
Vergil shifted focus to the bandit.
---
Kieran "Red Fang" (Rogue Beastmaster)
Level 7 | Tier 0
Stats:
Strength: 12
Constitution: 13
Dexterity: 17
Intuition: 7
Magic Power: 10
Mana Capacity: 8
Passive Skills:
Beast Tamer (E-): Improves control and obedience of bonded beasts.
Shadow Footwork (F+): Silent and agile movement.
Keen Reflexes (F): Enhanced reaction speed for evasion and counters.
Active Skills:
Command Beast (E-): Overrides beast instincts temporarily.
Venom Edge (F+): Paralytic poison on weapons slows foes.
Quick Draw (F): Rapid precise attack from sheath or concealment.
---
Vergil clicked his tongue. "Annoying. Could be worse."
Finally, he examined the young guard.
---
Darrin Velmont
Level 5 | Tier 0 | Class: Knight
Stats:
Strength: 11
Constitution: 9
Dexterity: 11
Intuition: 7
Magic Power: 3
Mana Capacity: 2
Skills:
Basic Sword Mastery (F): Efficient but unrefined strikes.
Steadfast Stance (F): Harder to knock down or stagger.
Alertness (F): Moderately aware, less likely caught off guard.
Active Skills:
Guard Strike (F): Defensive counterattack.
Quick Parry (F-): Hasty, partial block reducing damage.
---
Vergil exhaled, unimpressed. "He's done for. Won't last a minute."
The bandit chuckled as Darrin barely deflected a lunging hound. "Should've run, kid. Now you're just dinner."
A woman's voice pierced through the chaos.
Vergil spotted her in the carriage and quickly analyzed.
---
Eleanor Valtier
Race: Human | Class: Aria Weaver (Unique) | Noble Heiress
Level 8 | Tier 0 | Lifespan: 120 years
Stats:
Strength: 7
Constitution: 10
Dexterity: 12
Intuition: 9
Magic Power: 18
Mana Capacity: 20
Skills:
Aria's Blessing (Passive-Unique): Charismatic voice influencing emotions.
Resonant Magic (Active E+): Weaves spells through melody; enhances range and potency.
Harmonic Distortion (Active E): Disorients enemies by disrupting mana frequencies.
Echoed Words (Passive F+): Magic lingers for delayed or reinforced effects.
Crystallized Core (Passive E): Dense, efficient mana compression for stronger casting.
Mana Manipulation (Active E): Precise control over mana flows.
Mana Sensitivity (Passive E): Detects mana fluctuations and energy signatures.
Aria's Vital Cadence (Passive E): Life force harmonizes with mana flow, granting extended lifespan and regenerative resonance.
---
Vergil raised an eyebrow. "First time I've seen a class like this. These skills… not just interesting—they're incredible. Perfect for drawn-out battles and large-scale warfare. But the real question… kill her and take those skills, or turn her into an ally?"
He decided to wait and see how she'd react first.
Vergil activated Evasive Spirit and Mana Affinity, boosting speed, strength, and constitution by four points each. He surged forward.
The bandit barely had time to react before Vergil's blade sliced through his throat, severing his head cleanly.
The Rotfang Hounds hesitated for a heartbeat—then instinct took over. Five against one. Low growls rumbled as muscles coiled.
Vergil smirked. "What are you waiting for? Come at me."
A piercing Howl of Coordination echoed. The pack moved with sharpened precision, no wasted motion.
The first hound lunged at his throat.
Vergil dashed sideways, shadow-like. The jaws snapped at empty air.
Ravenous Bite.
His hand shot out, gripping the beast's throat. Before it could struggle, his teeth sank in.
Crunch.
He tore out its throat. Blood sprayed. The hound collapsed, twitching.
Four left.
Two attacked together—one low, one from the side.
Vergil stepped into the assault.
Flash.
His dagger pierced the first hound's eye, skewering its skull. His free hand caught the second's jaw mid-bite and twisted—a brutal snap.
Two left.
The last pair faltered, ears flat. Their packmates were down in seconds.
One turned to flee.
Vergil's mana flared. "No."
He closed the distance in a blink—Feral Charge.
Steel sank into the base of its skull.
The final hound whimpered, crouched low, desperate.
Vergil stared.
Then moved.
The hound lunged. He caught its head, forced its jaws open, and with a savage motion—ripped its jaw off.
Blood gushed. The beast writhed, doomed.
Vergil released it, watching life drain from its eyes.
Silence.
His dagger dripped. Breath steady. He wiped the blade clean on a corpse.
Authority of Predation.
Black mouths spewed from his hand, devouring the corpses of wolves and the bandit, absorbing their skills.
[User has gained 14 new skills]
[User has gained 4 Strength, 4 Constitution, 6 Dexterity, 1 Intelligence, and 2 Wisdom points]
"Not bad."
The guard stared, frozen in fear and shock, blood seeping from the bite wound on his neck.
"It's alright," Vergil said with a cold smile. "You know you're going to die anyway. Rest in peace… in my stomach."
He activated Authority of Predation again. Black mouths devoured the guard.
[User has gained 5 skills]
[User has gained 2 Constitution and 1 Intelligence points]
[Level up! You have 3 stat points to allocate.]
"Put it all in mana capacity." Vergil decided, knowing mana was vital now—he had no spells yet, so Magic Power was useless, and other stats were already high.
He smiled faintly. "One step closer."
He glanced at his new 'comrade.'
I didn't think you were like that.
"Shut up."