Slaves must work, and they shouldn't do anything else. At least that's what he thought. And these women-spikers cannot be used to help a blacksmith, because they are too weak and they cannot be put in the arena because their shells are too weak.
They could not even help around the house because of their size. And they are not so beautiful, although there was definitely something about them.
But he didn’t need to understand his customers, the main thing was that they paid and paid a lot.
If Palg had returned, it would have been just great, but huntsman found out that Palg and his people were dead. They had the female healer and the dwarf with them, judging by the residual energy trace. A couple of guys would be interested to hear that.
“Here, try the refined Mernor wine,” said Daryll and poured some red wine into a glass. “Your grace, when do you want to activate the orb?”
“Immediately after Narr Nutt takes the slaves from these mercenaries for us,” the head of the slave traders replied. “We do not need it for now. We will put our own man above them, or we can hire someone from the high-level wanderers to keep the spikers in fear and submission. They will supply us with new slaves. Spiker warriors will go to the mines and arenas, they will pay well for them. It would be great to get more Karkants.
“They haven’t delivered them to us for a long time,” the servant sighed.
"Nutt says there are no more of them in the cave," said Goroner. "Damn, who has ever asked him to kill them all? That was the wrong way to do business. He should have spared a certain number of them so that they could reproduce. And Karkant-women are prettier than spikers.
“Do you want to have maid-beetles?”
“Kafar save me, knock on the wood,” the slave trader struck his fists together. “But they used to pay for them much better.”
“I do not understand these rich boys.”
“Neither do I, but it is not our task. Our task is to get more slaves. Although the Karkant’s maid servants... an interesting idea.”
***
Narr Nutt
“My lord, the two-legged are plotting something,” another bug appeared beside the unusual throne of Narr Nutt.
Karag Garak, Charmer, level 75
“I know,” the king nodded. “I’ve been talking with this two-faced ripper for a long time and learned a lot from him. People cannot be trusted, they always care only about themselves.
Peasants, noblemen, warriors, wanderers, it makes no difference, they are all the same and their greedy souls crave our blood and wealth. That is why I like to humiliate these vile two-legged.
It is a shame we were not given any wanderers, otherwise, we could torture them longer, and then feed them to somebody.”
“Perhaps these should be kept for some time,” suggested Karag.
“What for?”
“You can use them in a battle with mercenaries,” the adviser twisted his jaws. “It would be a curious tactical move. By taking the rippers with us, we instill fear in the hearts of our enemies, showing that there we’ve also got two-legged on our side.”
“I will think about it,” the king nodded. “In the meantime, keep this... orb. I don’t need it, because I have enough energy, but you will need it. You will take revenge in the coming battle with the Death Herald.”
Chapter 62
The book on the magic of Forms. Grolm’s blade. The water energy management.
Sel Er
I was amazed at the abundance of information in this book of magic. I didn’t know who this Orion was, but he was very clever. Of course, I haven’t mastered reading yet, but it didn’t stop me from looking at the pictures.
I tried to memorize the letters as well, with the smooth and elegant handwriting of the author. It is a pity that the rest of the forms haven't worked out for me yet, but Mohr said that it was still too early for me to start on them, as they require a more in-depth study of this section of magic.
“It's no use trying to read it,” Mohr said to me.
“Why?”
“You see, it is not because you do not know how to read. Honestly, I cannot read what is written there either," the necromancer curved his jaws. "Since it is not written in the language of Reynea but in some other language.
However, when you reach some level of energy management, the book itself opens its secrets, revealing them right in your head. Raise your energy manipulation level at least to ten and you will understand what I am talking about”
"Good," I nodded and continued mastering the magic of forms. Mohr also promised to teach me to read and write when I improve my language skills to ten. I was halfway there.
Meanwhile, Skal amazed me with his success. He had mastered the energy of death that day on a slightly different level.
It was astonishing, but my friend was able to use the spell. Not just energy management, but a full-fledged spell of medium difficulty, called “Raise the Dead”. And now the Palg’s corpse was walking beside him.
So far, Skal's power allowed to control only one dead man, but this was already a great achievement, which could not but make us happy. Now I began to work even harder so that I could be useful in the upcoming battle.
I still had seven hundred and fifty experience points, so I would try to distribute them more reasonably and reach level twenty-five.
Wald and Tirliora also began to make progress and managed to create a small water sphere together. Mohr examined their work carefully and wrote down something in his book. The rest made progress as well. Only Riri was not able to control her unusual energy, but she did not lose heart and continued to try.
“Sel Er, Grolm wants to see you,” said the mercenary who entered the laboratory.
“Go, and I’ll study Tirliora’s and Rald’s results in more detail,” said Mohr.
“Good,” I nodded and left with the garadarok warrior.
The dwarf was pacing around the stone, on which the result of his work lay, wrapped in cloth. Not many bugs and people came. Apart from me and the dwarf, there was Derergon, Lintirionel, and Hyde. Grolm was very excited and said that he didn't get exactly what he had planned.
“Don’t waste time, show your masterpiece now,” Hyde slammed the dwarf encouragingly on the shoulder.
“Just a second, don’t stone me later,” the dwarf growled and unrolled the cloth.
On the stone, there was a sharp dark metal blade, polished to a mirror shine. His rapacious blade was already eager to taste the blood of enemies. The long handle was made specifically for the hands of beetle-warriors, which, although they looked human, were still different.
Grolm Blade
Description: the mountain master decided to make the perfect blade for beetle warriors from unusual metal, which he had found in this cave. He put all his skills into this sword and received an extraordinary creation. But who can discover the true power of this blade?
Skills: Violent Dissection
Effects: Bloodthirst.
Requirements: 300 Strength, 100 Endurance, Sword skills 50, level 160. Race “Monster”.
Class: Very rare
Note: Master Grolm tried to make another blade, but due to the fact that his memory had not yet recovered, the skill of the blacksmith itself decided the fate of the workpiece.
“Wow! What a blade,” Hyde scratched his head.
“Yes, a great thing,” Derergon nodded.
“Only it’s useless to us,” Lintirionel sighed. “After all, none of us can use it.”
“That is why I was so upset,” the dwarf kicked a stone. “I wanted to make a blade for Derergon, since his blade, which Ringlide had broken, was an amateur’s work and was not worthy of a master of his level. But my hands are now like hooks and they won’t obey me.”
“Don’t worry, just try again, you’re a master, so you can do what you want.”
“Okay, I’ll try another idea.”
“Grolm, can I take the blade when I reach this level?” I asked, watching this amazing sword.
&
nbsp; “Of course,” the dwarf looked at me in surprise. “I did not think that someone would like it.”
Returning to the necromancer, I began to think over a lot of things. We must develop, evolve, learn new abilities and master the magic of Forms. How much time do we have before the spikers start attacking? Can we survive this battle? Will centipedes help us? What should I develop first after I restore my sense of smell? How to proceed and which way to go? And where should I actually go? So many questions and I don’t know the answers.
Your brain could not sustain the workload created by your mind!
Be careful, this can lead to your death!
I rose from the floor and got the answer to one of the questions. Now I know what to throw my points at.
“What’s the matter?” asked Tirliora nervously and I saw all Mohr’s students gather around to me.
“This happens, but it will soon stop,” I sighed. “You better tell me about your progress.”
“It’s better now, although I don’t quite understand the energy of Water, it is very unusual,” answered the female warrior. “It feels like I’m doing something wrong.”
“You can show me, maybe I can help, I haven’t looked at your spells so closely.”
“Just a moment,” the girl concentrated, and small droplets of moisture appeared before her. They gradually began to merging and soon formed a small water sphere.
“Try to throw this structure or do something with it,” I said, carefully examining the result.
“I’m afraid it won’t work,” the Garadarok girl sighed and tried to follow my advice, but the ball, bursting, just splashed all over us in ice-cold water droplets.
“I have an idea, just wait a minute,” I concentrated and created several spheres at once, filled them with the energy of death and threw them into a mannequin. After repeating the procedure several times, I finally spent the energy of death and got a pleasant message.
The ability “Simple manipulation of energy” up! Current Level: 9!
“Create more water than the first time,” I asked Tirliora, and, waiting for droplets to appear in the air, I absorbed all the energy.
Energy absorbed: water
Number of available charges: 2
Great, just what I wanted. Imagining a sphere before me, I filled it with the energy of water and threw it, but half the way the sphere scattered, this time splashing Skal and Riri.
“Sel Er, now you learned to control water!” My friend was surprised.
“As you can see, I didn’t,” I sighed in distress.
Something was wrong, I do not need to use water as I use the energy of death, because this is a completely different element, but I did not take this into account. What to do, then?
Water flows very smoothly from one available space to another, while death behaves differently. Perhaps if I try what I had tried with the cold, then everything should work out.
Creating a sphere and filling it with water, I sent an energy cord from the sphere to mannequin and divided it into seven parts. The sphere shattered and sprayed Skal and other gravediggers, who were on the other side.
I apologized and asked Tirliora, who was looking at me fascinated, to create the same amount of water energy. Receiving two charges again, I began to look for other ways.
I tried to launch a sphere with an energy cord, which I used for lightning. However, only a thin stream of water hit my friend’s eye, and he was now hiding behind the stones. The following attempts ended the same, and he could not create a shield.
It’s only at the seventh attempt, when I twisted the energy cord into a spiral, that I managed to achieve what I wanted. The water hit the mannequin, though not with a sphere, but with a wide stream.
“That’s it! I understood something!” I was delighted, but we could not continue, because Tirliora was tired, and apparently she had a small amount of energy left.
"I increased the manipulation of water to the second level," she said happily and fell to the ground exhausted.
“I am glad that you’re having so much fun,” said Mohr, who entered the laboratory. “I talked with Derergon and Mulf. I’ve got some news. Our invisible warrior found out that the spikers will attack in ten days, which means we have time to prepare. We need to use this as effectively as possible.”
Chapter 63
Correcting mistakes. The borderline of levels. The class.
Another day of training brought its results. I upgraded the spatial pocket to seventeen and received three more additional cells, in addition to five bonus ones for the fifteenth ability level.
The practice of talking to the rippers who stayed with us also paid off in full, and the level of knowledge of the language rose to eight. My ability to accumulate energy also increased, and now it has reached seven, thanks to the training with Tirliora and partial absorption of water energy.
I also tried to absorb the energy of Riri to know a little bit about it, but I could not do it. Apparently, I need to pump the ability of accumulation to a higher level in order to absorb some types of energy.
But the most important thing is that the time is up, so the very first thing I put in was a hundred points to correct some misunderstandings of evolution.
Your sense of smell is evolving! Now you have a developing organ of smell!
Stats: Evolution +1, Structure +1, Health +20.
Effect: Improved sense of smell.
Your level up! Current Level: 23.
Great, I repaired the damage. Taking a deep breath, I began to smell again, and how pleasant it was, even despite the fact that I only felt the smell of damp.
It is strange that I did not get experience points for successful evolution, probably due to the fact that I restored the damaged organ. Now I need to become smarter. I’ll put five hundred points in the brain.
Your brain is evolving. Now you have a developed ordinary brain!
Stats: Mind 18 (+5), Evolution 6 (+3), Structure 3 (+1), Complexity 3 (+1)
150 points of experience gained!
Your level up! Current Level: 24.
Your level up! Current Level: 25.
You have reached level 25! Choose a class!
Wow, such an interesting feeling. As if I was asleep and only now I begin to finally come to my senses. The increase in stats is incredible. But now I still need to choose a class.
I’ll find out more about this from Mohr. So, another three hundred experience points are left. Then I’ll improve my eyes. I put a hundred points in each.
Your eyes are evolving! Now you have Developing eyes!
Stats: Mind +1, Energy +10, Health +15.
Effect: Improved vision.
20 points of experience gained!
20 points of experience gained!
Incredible! The world around has changed so much, and it turns out to be more colorful than I imagined, even in the cave. I wonder if I continue to develop the eyes, will be able can see through the walls?
On the other hand, it is better to develop the paws and the nervous system. Although I now have a lot more energy, so I can use it more actively. I need to become stronger, I can use the objects of the rippers to reach this goal.
I took out the ring of health and immediately fastened it on a thin claw. Hmm ... twenty points of health and one point to life. Great, now the barrier ring’s turn, which gives ten points of protection and the “Small Barrier” effect.
Surprisingly, the stats of the rings do not affect the level in any way. They seem to influence only what is directly related to the body and affects the increase in level. However, the small barrier is unusual, I wonder if it acts like my energy shield or not? Shame I can’t test it.
Now I need to choose a weapon. I have a club, two spiker claws, a dagger and a short blade of a mercenary. The club is not always good, I have already got used to the claws, but the dagger and the blade look much deadlier. And I was able to take one of them.
This time I saw that the dagger required a “Killer” class and
30th level, but for the blade, I needed only the 25th level and only fifteen points of strength. There is nothing to think about. I took the sword.
I liked its sharp blade, and although it was not as powerful as Grolm’s blade, I think thanks to it I will now become much more dangerous for the spikers and a little higher.
So, now I need to finally absorb the gene of healing, which Trirlil had given me. A message popped up before my eyes, where the absorbed but unused genes were highlighted. I chose the healing gene and saw the inscription.
Healing Gene successfully added to the genome structure!
Your level up! Current Level: 26.
Your level up! Current Level: 27.
How nice it is to become stronger and stronger. The effect of healing, as I understand it, it can heal me at times. Shame that this is just an effect, if it were an ability, then I could heal others.
However, maybe over time, I can turn the effect into ability, as I did with accumulation. What else can strengthen me? Oh yeah, the blood of the demon that I took from Skal. I opened a small bottle and drank it.
Successfully absorbed Demonic gene!
New development opportunities are available!
50 points of experience gained!
Demonic gene
Description: The blood of a creature from the Infernal Abyss can be very dangerous and can be used as a poison. Also, demons are able to collect energy from the surrounding space better than many other creatures. Hellish creatures live in harsh conditions, and genes allow you to resist them.
Stats: Life +10; Health +100; Complexity +5; Evolution +5.
Effect: “Poisonous blood”, “Fire resistance”, “Accelerated energy absorption”.
Requirements: Level 50; Mind 40, Life 50, Evolution 30; Structures 35.
Shame I can't use it now, otherwise, I would have become an invincible monster and would have killed half of the spikers myself. But I haven’t got strong enough to use such power, and poisonous blood confuses a little. I had not thought about such things before. I wonder why I did not get poisoned when I drank it?
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