Chapter 143

NICK CROWLEY

LEVEL

MANA

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

Occultist/Human

Reaching level thirty-nine took less time than he’d expected, but then again, he had just defeated what was widely considered the strongest monster in the grasslands.

Nick was sure that a powerful troll might be lurking somewhere in the vast expanse that was of higher level, but it was still a significant achievement, especially since he had accomplished it on his own with a single direct shot.

Alpha Thunderhoofs required a C-rank mission to eliminate, which was typically picked up by skilled teams of adventurers. Based on his current understanding, Nick would categorize them as ranging between level thirty and fifty, which was a fairly broad range, but it ultimately depended on the individual skill of each team member.

Adventurer ranks did not correspond one-to-one with levels. He was the poster child of hitting above his weight class, so he really should not be so surprised.

His physical stats exceeded the first threshold, which he doubted was typical for magical classes at his level, while his mental stats were near the second tier, except for WIS, which was already above it.

It suddenly dawned on Nick that he might be somewhat of a freak of nature. Someone who hadn’t had his class for even a year was already achieving more than most people ever did. It started to make sense why people were so unsettled by him.

It was common knowledge that those who dedicated themselves to fighting- whether by joining the army or local militias, becoming adventurers, or pursuing magical knowledge, would reach a higher level than those who settled for civilian life. However, it still usually took years of effort to get to where he currently was.

Yes, he was the son of a Captain who was close to Prestige and of a successful adventurer, so it was to be expected that he’d have an easier time leveling up. But given that he had been able to defeat his older brother in a duel, despite their limitations, it was clear that this wasn’t the only driving force.

He had briefly considered that before, but he promised himself to set aside some time to truly think about it. Knowing he would have to leave one day and actively deciding to do so were two entirely different matters.

However, he had something else to focus on at the moment. Nick breathed in and out for a few seconds, shaking off all distractions. He was about to perform a ritual he had already failed before—even if it had ended up being a boon— so he would need all his considerable brainpower.

Dragging the Alpha toward him while ensuring it levitated just enough to avoid any obstacles, Nick positioned himself at the upper portion of the ritual, where he had carved out a space for himself.

Normally, he would follow the Thelemic tradition and place himself at the center, but while that might enhance the power of the outcome, he wanted control. Given that this was his first ritual after the disaster with Sashara, he couldn’t afford to be lax.

When the thunderhoof reached him, he paused to admire the beast. It was truly massive, nearly the size of a small elephant, but made of corded muscle and iron. Its horns were unmistakably metallic, and even in death, he could feel an electrical current pulsing through them.

He grumbled as he finally set the beast in the center.

With one last sweep of his surroundings to ensure nothing would bother him, Nick noted that the remaining herd was still grazing peacefully, apparently awaiting their leader’s return. He momentarily wondered what would happen to them now that their protector was gone before pushing the thought aside. He had seen several other such groups, and they seemed just fine without an Alpha.

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Clapping his hands together, he started cycling his mana through his channels, making sure to infuse a hint of lightning into it through . Such double casting would have been beyond him once, but now it was as effortless as breathing.

The circle began to glow as he started feeding it mana, picking up speed once the dried nightcaps dissolved into light. Sparks of lightning appeared at the edges, and Nick used the feedback loop to ensure his thoughts didn’t stray from the element.

Memories of watching Arthur defeat Wyverns emerged, alongside his massacre of the Wraiths at the start of the raid. He wanted to reach that level, and he wouldn’t stop at anything until he achieved it.

The carcass began to glow as electricity sparked around it. Its horns served as a conduit, allowing the elemental mana Nick was accumulating to flow easily into them, filling the monster’s body until it became as much a part of him as his wand had been, if only for a moment.

This time, words or chants were unnecessary. Nick knew precisely what he wanted, and through an imposition of his will, the ritual reached its peak.

A burst of true lightning shot from the thunderhoof to him and then back into it as a circuit was formed. Faster and faster, the mana cycled through them until the monster began to dissolve under the strain, filling Nick to the brim with power.

For a moment, he lost himself. He was potential, unlimited, and devastating. Just as he could bring destruction to ecosystems, he could also bring light to civilization.

Then his mind reasserted itself, and he was back in the grassland. The glow began to dim until it faded away completely. Nick had the presence of mind to note that several of the critters he had noticed had fled from the display of power before his attention was drawn away by the System.

CONGRATULATIONS!

You have successfully performed the .

Reward: 9,000 Exp

You have gained the Trait:

+ 12.312 Exp

“That’s what I’m talking about,” Nick murmured. It was interesting to note that he had received fewer experience points for performing the ritual correctly this time, but then again, it had been a much harder task back then. It wouldn’t make sense if he could simply snag a few monsters and continuously repeat the same feat to gain levels.

The options were varied, and he suspected the true answer might be a combination of them all. After all, the system wasn’t so limited that it relied on a single criterion to assign Exp.

Clenching and unclenching his hands, Nick tried to adjust to the feeling of his mana having taken on a hint of ozone. He felt jittery and was tempted to unleash it in what he was sure would be an impressive display of power, but he refrained. Gaining a Lightning Affinity was one thing, but developing spells would immediately alert Arthur that he was more advanced than he had let on.

With a bounce in his step, Nick made sure to smooth out the ground covering the circle, then disturbed it to create the appearance of a battle. He was tempted to leave the eagle here as well, but that felt overly paranoid even for him.

Just as he was about to leave, a ripple of power reached him, making him stop in his tracks. It was faint, suggesting that whatever had caused it was far away, but he still felt it.

Suddenly, the grassland no longer appeared so tame. He hadn’t been prepared for it, so he couldn’t give a precise assessment, but whatever had caused that ripple was significantly stronger than he was.

Though it felt a bit like tempting fate to fuck with him, Nick still rose into the air, casting to scour his surroundings.

It proved unnecessary because he could see a plume of smoke to the northeast, thick and dark enough for him to be certain it wasn’t just a brushfire. It was also quite distant, probably thirty to forty miles away, and was much closer to Alluria than Floria.

Turning away left him with a bitter taste, especially so soon after his success, but there wasn’t much else he could do.

Arthur’s estate was as clean and organized as the last time he’d been around, not that Nick expected any different.

He had taken a bit longer than expected to get to his lesson, as he spent some time discussing what he had seen with his mother. However, she insisted that the grassland was dotted with farming and hunting villages, and that the plume of smoke now visible from Floria was already being addressed either by them or by Alluria’s forces.

It didn’t help calm his nerves that the mysterious Compass of Interesting Times pointed unerringly toward it. Nick had checked it out of curiosity, but now that he knew it had been trying to get him to go there from the beginning, he was beginning to question just how reassured he should feel.

Unfortunately, his mother was right that it wasn’t any of his business. He would have no authority if he went, not to mention how long it would take to get there. By the time he arrived, the matter would likely already be resolved.

Putting that out of his mind, Nick strolled through the fields, making sure to stay on the beaten path this time. He could sense Rose watching him from behind a window and had to suppress a chuckle at how much simpler everything was now that he could expand his senses without fear.

With his Trait secured, Nick was prepared to broaden his repertoire even further. Lightning magic would provide valuable crowd control and destructive options, although he still planned to develop more classical occultist skills soon.

He would certainly appreciate having properly enchanted equipment, something he had been sorely lacking thus far. Even a dagger bound with a Thirsting Shade—one of the weakest forms of spirit that could be called upon— would serve as a formidable weapon, as its cuts continued to bleed even after lesser potions were applied.

This specific topic was something he was actually quite knowledgeable about. His grandfather had strictly forbidden him from summoning anything, especially given how expensive such an act had become, but that didn’t mean the broken spirits already in his family’s possession weren’t fair game.

That said, it didn’t mean he would abandon his “public” magic. On the contrary, he was eager to expand that aspect, and once it became known that he had been learning lightning magic from Arthur, he would have a wonderful cover for some of his more esoteric abilities.

Before he had even reached the door, it swung open, and Arthur stepped out. He nodded upon seeing just how upbeat Nick was, and a faint smile flickered on his lips. “Alright, come on. Let’s get this over with,” he grunted.

Nick remained silent, knowing better than to reveal his intentions too early. Still, he noticed that the old man looked much better now. It seemed that whatever the philosopher’s stone had done hadn’t been permanent. That was good. Floria would still need him, even if Eugene managed to join him in Prestige.

They walked for a few minutes until the fields ceased being so neat and began to grow wilder. The ground was scorched and, at times, even turned to glass. It was evident that this site was frequently used for practice. “This is the edge of my property. Make sure to shoot anything you can come up with on the other side of the line.”

“Ah, is it the edge of town?” Nick asked.

“Nah, it’s that bastard Elm’s land. The man constantly tries to inch his fence into my property, and sometimes I have to remind him who he’s dealing with,” Arthur grinned, and Nick snorted.