Apocalypse Healer 3: A LitRPG Adventure, page 8
“Are you confident?” Saintess Nadja asked, calling upon her Authority once again. The halo overhead shone brighter than before, golden light swirling around as she prepared her Skill Runes and the Class Skills of her Patron for the fight ahead.
“Confident? These things seem to be at the Peak of the Silver Rank. I can cut through them as long as you give me some support. Frederick’s Holy Flame worked like usual as well. As long as he can burn through a few layers of defense, we can make it work.” Silas nodded, his eyes determined. However, the emotion never reached his features. “It won’t be easy though.”
Frederick groaned, more blood dripping from his eyes, his attention lingering on the broken building entrance.
“Our target,” he barely muttered before his legs buckled.
The old man was still wide awake, but his eyes were glassy, the naturally cold nature of his features no more.
“Frederick?!” the Saintess exclaimed, horror gripping at her heart as she rushed to the old man.
[Fortify Mind] and [Soothing Soul] sprang to life instantaneously, her head flicking to the building entrance as a heavy weight materialized… inside her. It tried to crush the Saintess to smithereens from within, shaking her Holy Ocean and Skill Runes thoroughly. However, she prevailed against the attack on her soul.
Only as she resisted the sudden assault did she see what had forced Frederick to the ground, nearly crushing her as well.
It was a small humanoid creature the size of a goblin that emerged from the building. A creature mantled in darkness, making it impossible to see what lay beyond. But darkness spread outward as well, wilting the weeds and doing something to the nearest corpses. Sickening crunches resounded, transforming them into mere husks of their former, miserable appearance as the Undead.
“Don’t look into its eyes,” the Saintess warned Holy Knight Silas, unsure why she did that, as the creature’s long head snapped in her direction. Sharp, twisted horns jutted from all over its head, glowing faintly as something beneath the darkness mantling the creature erupted.
[Void Sapling’s pressure has descended upon you
[Fear has been triggered]
[Horror has been induced]
[Fate of a Thousand Deaths reaches out to crush your soul.]
[Void and Chaos seek your demise.]
The Saintess swallowed hard as the myriad of notifications materialized before her, but they did not affect her.
[Unique property, Pure and Unblemished, has activated. All attempts at corrupting the user have been removed.]
Heavenly Mother. I am in dire need of your help. She prayed, her mind a mess as she tried to come up with better prayers to call upon her Patron.
A soft curse threatened to escape her lips, but she cast [Divine Guidance] instead, rewording her plea for help before helping the Vessel of the Holy Flame to her feet.
“We have been chosen to remove the rot in the name of the Heavenly Faction, and we will not falter!” Holy Knight Silas muttered beside the Saintess, emitting more power than ever.
The Void Sapling, whatever it was, might look and feel weak—but it was anything but.
The Saintess was certain: it was worse than anything they had faced before.
10
AETHER BREATH
The days passed slowly. Digesting everything he had learned was hard and time-consuming. So was making use of the newly acquired knowledge. It drained his time and pushed him from one challenge to the next, just like the creation of Sparks and the practice of Skill Runes.
But maybe David had been in dire need of those difficult, time-consuming tasks after everything he had gone through.
He did not return to the wild to seek fights with powerful monsters. This time, David chose a different path—temporarily, at least.
However, that didn’t mean he enjoyed his time in the prehistoric Rift and the Dwarven Sanctuary. The first days had been bad, to say the least. His mind was a mess after learning all about Sparks, the truth behind the Venomancer’s identity, and the simple fact that Zachariah had been a god before he regressed, making it all the more difficult to focus on the creation of new Sparks.
Therefore, David adjusted his strategy after wasting two days doing nothing.
He split his day between tasks. He feasted on Electra’s meat three times every day. He prepared the first meal right after waking, before the sun rose and illuminated the Sanctuary. He stayed in the Dwarven Sanctuary tending to patients and practicing his Skills in the morning, while also working out to stay in shape.
Next, still early in the morning, David prepared a second meal, filling his stomach to the brim before he encountered the prehistoric monsters and dwarves at the Rift Core, claiming more than a third of their energy and Origin Essence to strengthen his Energy Pathways and Body.
David did not shy away from making use of [Dao Comprehension] either, hoping to deepen his understanding of the laws of the cosmos. While that worked to a certain extent, the results were not up to David’s expectations—until he realized that [Dao Comprehension] was far from an ordinary Skill.
David had never thought of [Dao Comprehension] as a simple Skill, as it granted him much more than an ordinary Rune could provide. It was a Legacy Skill, after all. However, after days of struggling to comprehend the tidbits missing from creating his second Spark—which was what he did in the evening after his third meal—David shifted gears once more.
He siphoned a portion of the Origin Essence absorbed in the second stage of his daily training and put it aside to use in the evening, supplying the Essence to activate and maintain [Dao Comprehension] momentarily. The Legacy Skill could not be maintained throughout the night as it drained too much energy when used at full power, but it aided David’s progress considerably, allowing the creation of his second Spark after ten days of tireless work.
But as exciting as the creation of his second Spark was, the System’s response was just as confusing:
[Monk – III]
[Meditation] – [Tier-0 IX]
[Meditation] – [Tier-2 III]
[Reinforce] – [Tier-1 XVII]
Body – Elite– VI (1.43%)
Energy Pathways – Elite – I (34.01%)
[Meditation]’s Spark materialized beside the Class Skill Rune within his mind space, but it was dim and barely visible. The Spark’s light flickered weakly, which was the result of his lackluster comprehension.
Thus, having no other choice, David was forced to keep using the Skill Rune for the following weeks, hoping the Spark would catch up and surpass the Rune soon.
Focusing on [Meditation] and the other tasks at hand consumed a lot more time than expected, and a month passed in the blink of an eye. The Skill Rune for [Meditation] ranked up four times, which would have been satisfying if David did not have a Spark to compare its growth to. [Meditation]’s Spark surpassed the Rune, urging David to use [Sacrifice] on the Class Skill Rune with the intent to attain deeper understanding of the Path of Meditation.
Ripping another Skill Rune out of his soul was deeply unpleasant, but the Spark of [Meditation] filled the gap near-instantaneously. While not perfect, David gained more from the consumption of the Skill Rune than he lost.
He continued changing and adjusting certain modifiers he couldn’t even see before. The power of [Sacrifice] granted him exactly what he wanted: a deeper understanding of the Path of Meditation.
As it turned out, David was good at making mistakes. He nearly crushed [Meditation]’s Spark half a dozen times out of impatience. However, as impatient as he was, David learned from his mistakes, pushing [Meditation] into a new—and different—direction.
The Spark pulsed and expanded. It mutated and transformed into something entirely new.
David was out of Origin Essence. He was hungry but also too exhausted to move. His Energy Pathways looked like dried-out riverbanks, and his stomach trembled, nausea threatening to overwhelm him.
Thick droplets of cold sweat poured down his back and temples, mixing with the dried blood covering his body like a second skin.
Am I dead? David shook his head. Not yet.
A wry smile formed on his lips, consuming whatever energy his body had left to spare. Yet as David’s consciousness slipped away, he felt something cling onto him. Something entered his body, invigorating him ever so slightly.
The sensation wasn’t overwhelming, but it was potent enough to keep him awake.
Ambient Aether seeped into him naturally, even as he lay there unmoving. No Skill had been activated, no willpower was used to command ambient Aether, yet it flooded inside him.
That feels good. Really good, a faint smile playing on his lips. Moving was still exhausting, but his condition no longer worsened.
He annexed the Aether entering his body before the Energy Pathways could do so and channeled it straight into [Healing Sphere], as it was the best he could afford to cast right now.
A dimly glowing sphere conjured above him, accelerating the healing process.
I sure hope you were worth the effort. If not, I am going to throw… Well, I don’t know. I’ll still use you, but I am going to tear the mutation, evolution—or whatever these changes are—apart! David swore in his mind, his eyes closed to inspect the changes in his mind space.
The Spark which had filled the gap left behind by [Meditation]’s Skill Rune was still there, but it was no longer a Spark of Meditation. It was more than that; it had gained an intent. At least, that was what David presumed had induced the changes. He could be wrong, but he sincerely doubted it.
The Spark was brighter than ever, and it felt more solid, as if it had been permanently engraved into David’s soul. That was an interesting find, considering the Spark had been unstable and on the verge of dispersing since it filled the gap [Meditation]’s Skill Rune had left behind when he ripped it out to nourish [Sacrifice].
[Aether Breath – Intermediate]
David inspected the Spark, failing to suppress a vibrant smile.
“Phenomenal,” he muttered into the mind space.
There didn’t seem to be any sub-ranks to [Aether Breath], but that was hardly an issue. His Legacy Skill did not have any additional ranks to determine its exact rank either, and it was exceptional.
[Aether Breath]
He mused in his heart, his will reaching out to the Spark.
David recalled the modifications he had added to the Spark and was excited to test it out. Especially since its main function had already proven efficient enough to work with.
If anything, the modification worked better than David could have hoped for. Every breath sent a pulse toward [Aether Breath], activating the Spark. However, instead of activating the Spark at full power—straining it, and the soul, constantly—[Aether Breath] responded weakly, emitting a faint suctioning force, drawing ambient Aether into him.
The force is still a bit too weak. I think I can modify it a little bit now that I can be certain the Energy Pathways can handle it. When it’s a bit stronger, I won’t even have to use the Spark actively to replenish my used-up energy.
The corner of his mouth tugged upward. Modifying his abilities sure was interesting. Of course, it was unlike the thrill of combat, but transforming [Meditation] into [Aether Breath] had created not only a much stronger active ability that could be used to practice his Skills, Sparks, and Laws, but it was also useful in combat—allowing him to replenish Aether passively.
More modifications were needed, but [Aether Breath]—after a few more experiments—turned out to be several times more efficient than [Meditation] had been at the second Tier. David could focus on his other abilities while drawing Origin Essence and ambient Aether from the surroundings, just like he did before.
Even better, using the Spark for its designated purpose with every breath he took nourished it. The effect was barely worth mentioning, but quick calculations told him that he should have no issue receiving two, maybe three Intent Images from the Spark, granting easy access to a more profound understanding of [Aether Breath]’s dormant potential.
“That is so much better than I could have hoped for,” he muttered, opening his eyes to more notifications.
[Your Secondary Class’ Rank increased by one]
[Silver IV] → [Silver V]
[New Class Skill has been unlocked for reaching Silver V with your Secondary Class (Herald of Origin).]
[Class Skill (Phantom Rush) has been fused to your Source.]
[+2 Attribute Points, +1 Body]
That was within expectations. If anything, the rank-up was long overdue. But it was not like he could complain about advancing without doing anything special. It was a blessing.
“Strengthen my Mind,” he muttered, and the System acknowledged his intent.
[Two Attribute Points have been used to enhance the User’s Mind.]
Low(-)(Advanced) → Low(+)(Advanced)
The exhaustion plaguing him had already receded, and the headache drumming in his head followed shortly after. Enhancing his Mind with two Attribute Points should have made a big difference, but really, it just lessened the headache.
Should I distribute Lifeweaver’s Attribute Points more evenly as well? Probably not—it should be more than enough to give Herald’s Attribute Points to Body and Mind.
He moved his hand through his unkempt hair and fixed it a little. Or he tried to, but it annoyed him too much. Waves of Rend surged out of him, cutting it short. Not that cutting his hair would be of any help, given that it might take months until Zachariah decided to take him along on the hunt for Void Fragments.
Fortunately, David was not in a rush. Creating and modifying Sparks, while training his body, [Reinforce] Body and Energy Pathways, and working with his other Skills, was still exciting—especially with the various unfortunate, mostly maimed patients he could experiment on.
Although David doubted they liked his experiments, they didn’t have much of a choice. After all, he was still the only healer in the Dwarven Sanctuary with the ability to restore limbs and other lost body parts.
“Are you ready?” Zachariah asked. “Or do you want to spar again?”
David was lying on his back, drenched in blood. Again. Several deep gashes covered his body, but neither he nor Zachariah paid much attention to them. They were already healing, either way.
He sat upright, ignoring his lurching stomach as some of the worse wounds tore open again, and smiled wryly at the Regressor. “No, and no. You’ve grown quite a bit—definitely more than I did in the last few months. Then again, I don’t think I fought any monsters during that time.”
David tilted his head and added, “Well, if we ignore the prehistoric monsters and the annoying Mountain Defenders. They deserved a good beating… and they turned out to be very good guinea pigs for my experiments.”
Zachariah snickered and sheathed his sword. “It makes sense for you to be weaker than me. Your Classes are very good, but I think it’s a good decision to focus on your foundation. Your Soul will probably reach the Transcendent threshold by the time you hit the Gold Rank. That is very good—and necessary to fight Fragments.”
The Regressor fixed his hair into a ponytail, shooting David a pointed look. “Then again, reaching the Transcendent rank with one status property can only be considered the starting point of the adult battlefield. Before that, you’re still a mere mortal, as the divines call it.”
David cocked an eyebrow. Even now, with all the strength he had acquired, the Pantheon and others like them still considered him a ‘mere’ mortal? That was disappointing, to say the least.
Whatever. I killed a Sacred Beast. And I ate it. He snickered. And, well… I will also bind it to me.
“Maybe you could fight a Sapling head-on, but that is hardly necessary. You have me by your side to help,” Zachariah continued, glancing at David from the side. “Regardless, I’m ready to depart. So is our taxi—Mirabella or whatever her name was.”
“Her name is Maja, and she is not a taxi. Didn’t you say Portaligists are rare? The least you could do is remember her name. Especially when she helps us.” David shook his head. “And I’m still waiting for the Artificer. She said she’d finish the fine-tuning today.”
“Since when are you like this?” Zachariah asked, looking straight into David’s eyes.
“Like what?”
“So nice to other people? That doesn’t suit you at all.” The Regressor snorted but decided to change the topic. “On another note, are you sure about the Beast Core?”
I am nice? What a jerk. Pay more attention to your own deficits and stop bothering me! David growled internally but decided against throwing that at Zachariah.
“Do you think I shouldn’t take the Beast Core?”
Zachariah thought about it for a moment with an unreadable expression, then shrugged.
“If you manage to absorb it and make it yours, it will benefit you greatly. I, for one, would take the risk. But I do not want to push you into doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re up for the challenge, you should take it. If not, you can always wait until you’re ready for it.”
The Regressor’s ‘do whatever you think is right’ attitude was starting to get to David. While it was probably the best Zachariah could say, it was frustrating to no end.
It’s not like I am going to absorb the Beast Core. Not directly, at least. If everything goes according to plan, it will be much better than that.
David had thought about the Beast Core and its uses for a long time, but he hadn’t come to a final decision until he noticed the last update of his status screen. It had been surprising—though, in hindsight, it made sense.
Name – David Stears
Primary Class – Lifeweaver
Rank – Silver VIII
Secondary Class - [Herald of Origin]
Rank – Silver VII
Body – Middle (Superior)
Mind – High(-)(Advanced)
Soul – Middle(+)(Apex) – 66 Droplets
