Ruthless (The Completionist Chronicles Book 5)

by Dakota Krout

  “That would cover you for spears, staves, and halberds.” Everard cracked a small smile for the first time since Joe had met him. “Whaddaya think? Staff Mastery would be better for that specific weapon, but I stand by my words. I also think it would appease some of your people to take a few hits in front of them. Ya know. Let them release steam without attacking you by themselves.”

  “You think that this would be that useful?” Joe knew that he was letting himself be convinced. It wasn't for the discounts. Totally not. He went along with the Weaponmaster when the man gave a somber nod. Joe was led to the square, where a large group of people were already waiting. A few cheered, and some even passed coins around.

  “Are you ready to see him bleed?” Everard bellowed into the crowd, who all seemed to be ready to reply instantly.

  “Yes!” came the reply, sending some soot flying.

  “Yeesh.” Joe muttered as he looked at all the people that wanted to see him in pain. He straight-up had no idea who most of them were. “I’m starting to think that this-”

  “Raise your staff, position yourself like this… left foot back a little further, there you go.” Everard was speaking in a calm voice that only Joe could hear over the jeering crowd. “I’m gonna hit you now, so try to block over your head.”

  Everard moved, and Joe swung to block an attack from above, only for the weighted wooden sword Everard was using to crack against his ribs. Joe took no damage, since his Exquisite Shell was active, but he turned cold eyes on Everard, who shrugged. “Lesson one, don't trust your opponent to let you know what they are about to do. Turn off your shield, or this will mean nothing.”

  Joe really didn't want to do that, as the ring of people around him looked like they were about to rush over and beat him themselves. Still, he had come this far, and there was literally nothing that he couldn't recover from. Exquisite Shell came off, dissolving into motes of light. “Good. Left hand higher on the staff. You aren't using it to channel anything right now; you are using this for attack and defense. Keep your hands apart so I can't break them both with a single hit.”

  Then the sword started swinging. With a crunch, it slammed into Joe’s left pinky finger. If he hadn’t crossed into the new tier of constitution, the bone would have been paste. As it was, Joe got a notification that it had broken. He yelped, and the crowd roared approvingly. Everard swept his sword low, and Joe found himself looking up at the sky. “Watch that footwork.”

  Blow after blow rained down, not intended to do too much damage, but in a fight every one of the strikes would have made him vulnerable to a finishing blow. Here, it was simply humiliating. Joe focused on the sword coming at him, and saw something… different. There was the faintest of lines in the air behind the sword, and as the wood flashed out and hit him again, he saw that the sword sunk into him before rebounding.

  “Illusion?” Joe muttered.

  “Oh, saw that, did you?” Everard evenly replied. “Good. Just another trick. Good luck on this one.”

  The faint line was in front of the sword this time, and Joe realized that Everard was changing his tactics just slightly enough that it was almost impossible to adjust for. Still, Joe managed thanks to his higher-than-Everard-expected dexterity.

  *Crack*.

  Joe blocked the attack, surprising both of them. He didn't block the next hit, this time to his wrist. Still, he felt somewhat satisfied at what he saw.

  You are training under the tutelage of an Expert! Skill gain modifiers: Expert teacher, Ritualist skill increase bonus, Pathfinder’s Hall skill increase bonus.

  Skill gained: Polearm Mastery (Novice VI). This skill gives a small boost to use of all polearms in melee combat, both attack and defense. Impacts Halberds, Spears, Staves, and any other weapons that fall under the broad ‘polearms’ category. +1n% accuracy, damage dealt, and damage blocked when using polearms, where n = skill level.

  Joe got back to his feet, adjusting his stance and the way he held his weapon slightly. Everard nodded slightly and addressed the crowd, “Just like that, I can take a Mage that carries a stick… into a warrior who specializes in staff combat! Come train any weapon you want to learn at Weaponmaster Everard’s Stalle, hopefully opening soon!”

  There was a smattering of applause, but it cut off quickly. The crowd didn’t disperse, much to Everard’s confusion. “Oi, keep goin’! He’s barely bruised!”

  Everard shook his head and opened his mouth, but the others shouted agreement for the first voice. He shrugged and turned back to Joe. “I won't kill you, or let them do it, but I need public opinion on my side, and this seems like the way to make it happen.”

  “Dude.” Joe weakly replied as the sword came at him much faster than before.

  *Crack*, *crack*, *crack*.

  You have taken 43 blunt damage! Stunned!

  Joe stumbled as the world seemed to turn dark. Wrist, knee, temple. Joe dropped, head swimming. Wanting to protect himself, he thought of using Acid Spray, but decided that using something like that in a spar like this would be seen as far too ruthless. Everard had been correct. People seemed to have some serious animosity for him; no need to pile onto that.

  He slapped a hand to his chest and healed up, then sprang to his feet. Everard chuckled, “Looks like he can take more damage than we expected!”

  The group cheered at that, and Joe swallowed deeply. He narrowed his eyes, and set his sights on getting stronger. If he had to fight, he would learn as much as he could. Joe took strike after strike, but almost every time he managed to block one, his skill level increased. Each time his health started to drop too far, he healed. Soon Everard was frowning. “If you don't go down, I’ll need to make you go down.”

  “Don’t wanna waste my first free training session.” Joe had blood pouring out of a busted lip. “I’m a miser, remember?”

  The next hits were much harder and faster, and Joe was forced to focus on healing himself until Everard backed off. “Seriously, Joe. Just stop.”

  “Can’t do it at this point,” Joe replied after he heard people calling for Everard to bash his face in.

  “Sorry about this, then.”

  Soul Forge is complete!

  The message blocked Joe’s vision, and he went tumbling one way as a tooth went another. The crowd gasped as Joe heard a sound from Everard that he had wanted to hear since the public lesson had started:

  “Ow!”

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Soul Forge complete! Skill gained: Retaliation of Shadows.

  Retaliation of Shadows (Apprentice I) (Legendary): You have forgone the active usage of the Shadows around you for the ability to use the Shadows at a more… instinctual level. When you are attacked, your mind automatically reacts. Whether it be from a physical blow, or a magical attack, the shadows will lash out on your behalf. Effect: upon taking damage, an instant retaliation will strike your attacker for 1n% of the standard potential damage of the attack, up to 10n damage, where n = skill level. As the retaliation moves at the speed of Darkness, only the most agile of foes will be able to dodge. Toggleable. Cost: Reserves 15% of total mana pool while active.

  Joe sat up, healing himself in the same motion. He saw Everard standing and looking at him with a question in his eyes and blood rolling down his face. “Did you slap me?”

  “What? No.” Joe took an unsteady ready stance as Everard flew at him. His sword went point-first into Joe’s hand, and he could feel the bones breaking. At the same time, for a bare instant, he saw a perfect copy of himself appear in front of Everard and slap him soundly across the face.

  “Ow! You did it again!” Everard snarled. Joe was too busy fixing his ruined hand to care what this man had to say for himself. Another strike came in, but Joe managed to get his defense up in time, and cleanly blocked it.

  “Guards are here! Scatter!” The crowd thinned rapidly, but Everard remained standing in place, glaring at Joe as a few confused guards walked past. They didn't even bother to stop and check on anything, as they had
literally only been passing through.

  “So, where should we meet up for the next lessons? Five free ones, yeah?” Joe had a faint smile on his face, and Everard slowly nodded.

  “Somewhere private, so that we don't have a mess like this.” Everard’s training sword went into his belt, and he reached out a hand. They shook, and Joe used Lay on Hands at the same time. “Gah! Why is your hand so slimy…! Oh, I feel better.”

  “You should; I’m a Cleric. I heal people.” Joe made his staff vanish into his ring.

  “Cleric? I was told that you were a Mage.” Everard offered plans to train soon before departing, and Joe checked his skill notices.

  Polearm Mastery (Beginner III).

  No bonus, but he was using his staff at the end like a person who had trained for months, rather than only a few minutes. That man was talented, and Joe was going to make sure the guild knew to snap him up as soon as possible. Now, Joe wanted to look deeper into his new skill. Since there was no one else to talk to, he summoned Mate and spoke to the coffee elemental.

  “Think through this with me. Retaliation of Shadows… let’s see… at Apprentice three, looks like you return up to twenty-one percent of damage taken, up to a maximum of two hundred and ten total damage.” Joe thought the percentages over and nodded thoughtfully, “Interesting. I can do more damage directly to armor with Acid Spray, but there is one thing missing from this that makes it extra powerful.”

  Mate bubbled inquisitively, and received a pat for being a good listener. Joe gleefully rubbed his hands together, “Just think, Mate! It’s missing a limit on simultaneous targets! Hopefully I never have hundreds of people hitting me at the same time, but if I do… I’ll… oh… slightly inconvenience them. Before dying. Right… I’d need to tank all that damage. I can see the drawbacks. I guess that’s why it dropped to Legendary instead of taking the higher Mythical rank. Thanks for helping me work this out. Let’s see…”

  Mate nodded sagely, swirling in place.

  “I have to give up fifteen percent of my total mana, but then it doesn't take any mana to function. That’s… three hundred forty-six mana for unlimited retaliations. Good trade. Should I work on boosting my defenses now, or figure out a better fighting style that incorporates this?” It only took Joe a moment to decide. “Best way to survive is not to get hit. New spells are the way to go, maybe more polearm training later. Good. Now…”

  “Oh, I know!” Joe snapped his fingers and made his way to the Temple, deciding to pop over to Ardania. It was time to start his journey with enchanting.

  As the sun started setting, Joe reappeared in the temple and collapsed to the ground with a groan. The Enchanter had not been kind, and had demanded that Joe demonstrate all his current ability in enchanting. Then, he had taken the majority of their time together to show Joe why his methods were dangerous, inefficient, or both. Joe had even broken down and shown the man his enchantment for creating Mana Batteries in an attempt to gain some respect.

  Instead, the Enchanter had become so furious about the wasted potential of the Cores that he had kicked Joe out of the building. Joe was told by Terra to come back after a day to give the old man a chance to calm down. Currently, Joe laid in a pile, trying to figure out why he was so despondent. “All of that… and not a single skill rank in Enchanting.”

  There had been a gain, and Joe was almost embarrassed by how accurate the feedback must have been to get his skill all the way from non-existence, to…

  Skill gained: Enchanting Lore (Beginner II). Allows you to fine tune Enchantments that you find or create. Can increase potency of enchantments and/or decrease cost of creating enchantments.

  “Why do I hate that I only got a Lore skill so much?” Joe sat upright and rubbed his eyes.

  “Finally, something I can work with.” The voice boomed through the room, and Joe felt a huge amount of fury welling up within him. Just before he shot to his feet to attack the intruder, he caught himself and realized that the emotion was certainly not natural.

  “Who-”

  “I am Tommulus, deity of fire and wrath.” The voice was coming from that altar, where a blood-red flame was burning without flickering. It had gotten quieter as well, and roiling emotions were no longer impacting Joe. “I have an offer for you.”

  “Interesting.” Joe smoothed his robe and stood tall. “Why now? You have been here since I built this temple, and have never spoken before. What changed?”

  “You, of course. When have you been here before, full of fury and shame?” The deity didn't seem coy, instead listing apparent facts. In fact, the voice was honorable; something he would expect from a noble paladin. “You lay on the floor of my temple, enraged over your lack of knowledge, and full of anger over being beaten like a rug publicly. If you didn't come here today, and had instead acknowledged your feelings and moved past them like an adult, who knows when we may have spoken?”

  “First, ouch.” Joe’s cheeks were flushed, and he was filled with embarrassment over his flaws being so clearly shown. “Second, good to know that there were requirements to speak with the deities.”

  “Of course there are. Even you were originally contacted only because you gained access to a hidden class. Occultatum took the first person that met his minimum standard.” Tommulus stated clearly.

  “Are you the god of wrath because you make people angry, or…?”

  “The truth often enrages those who cannot handle it.” Tommulus’s words made Joe deflate like a popped balloon. “Will you hear my task, or no?”

  “Please, feel free.” Joe sighed and waved for the flame to continue speaking, only realizing afterwards that he was expecting a fire to read his motions. Magic was weird.

  “Good. I need you to help my cleric, Crimson Flame of Wrath.”

  “Crimson…? Is that Crim’s full name?” Joe held back his laughter, but only barely. He was going to need to re-estimate Crim’s age when they met again.

  “Yes.” Tommulus solemnly intoned. “There is an opportunity for Crim to gain a specialization that would also benefit you greatly, but I think that you already have plans for your own advancement. There is another group that is seeking the same holy relic, the Golden Tome of Divine Favor. You have bested them once before, and I hope that you will be able to do so once again.”

  “I see… and in return?” Joe knew that there needed to be a reward for a quest like this, so he didn't feel too bad being blatant about it.

  Quest offered: The Golden Tome of Divine Favor. Retrieve the Tome for Crim, the cleric of Tommulus. Reward: Tommulus has offered you a chance to gain favor from him! Accept? Yes / No.

  “Nope, try again.” Joe shook his head, hearing a slight chuckle in reply.

  “Had to try. I will do one of three things.” Tommulus stopped speaking, and a quest appeared in front of Joe.

  Quest offered: The Golden Tome of Divine Favor. Retrieve the Tome for Crim, the cleric of Tommulus. Reward: 500 gold for each participating party member. 5,000 experience. Joe only, choose one: Cleric spell on the path of Wrath. +5 in all characteristics. Divine Infusion x1. Accept? Yes / No.

  “What is a Divine Infusion?” Joe questioned Tommulus. Everything else was pretty straightforward, but that had no other information.

  “It is a short term buff that imbues you with the power of the deity you follow. For ten minutes, all of your stats reach the peak of the tier that your highest stat resides within, and there may be other effects. Some good, some… not as good, depending on the deity.” Tommulus stated the last bit only after a moment of hesitation. “There is a week before anyone will be able to enter this holy site, and I guarantee that others will be after it as well.”

  Joe swallowed the mouthful of saliva that had built up. That sounded amazing. If he got his intelligence to one hundred and fifty-one, then used Divine Infusion, suddenly all his stats would be at two hundred for ten whole minutes. He was sure that he would really feel like a demi-god for that time period. “What if I fail to return with the Tome
?”

  There was silence for a long moment. “That will depend on you, I suppose.”

  “Then I accept the quest.”

  Reputation increase: +100 reputation with Tommulus.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  The week passed in a blur of training, studying, and practicing. Making rituals had been put to the side in favor of gaining the skills needed to improve rituals to a higher degree than fancy circles would allow for. Since Joe had devoted all his time in Eternium until now into ritual circles, it was understandable - if frustrating - that the other skills would take as long or longer to reach the same heights.

  He had also been able to bring his Architectural Lore to Beginner I, Alchemical Lore to Beginner V, and Enchanting Lore to Beginner III. All the increases were gained by using his Knowledge skill, which had been raised to Beginner II from all the usage being near the Pathfinder’s Hall. All in all, Joe was pleased with his growth during the week.

  Name: Joe ‘Tatum’s Chosen Legend’ Class: Mage (Actual: Rituarchitect)

  Profession I: Tenured Scholar (Actual: Arcanologist)

  Profession II: Ritualistic Alchemist

  Character Level: 16 Exp: 152,143 Exp to next level: 857

  Rituarchitect Level: 5 Exp: 14,176 Exp to next level: 824

  Hit Points: 622/622

  Mana: 1,137/1,755 (491 Reserved)

  Mana regen: 36.68/sec

  Stamina: 585/616.5

  Stamina regen: 5.88/sec

  Characteristic: Raw score (Modifier)

  Strength: 61 (2.11)