Life Reset: A LitRPG Novel (New Era Online Book 1)

by Shemer Kuznits

That was interesting news! If I understood correctly, I had the option of gathering energy and raising my boss level without the responsibilities of a clan leader. I had no idea what the other methods for gathering Energy were, but it was still good to know that I had other options if worse came to worse. But I wasn’t planning to abandon my people any time soon.

  “Anyway,” Vic continued, “That wasn’t what I was wondering. You used to be a high-level player, and, according to you, invented some pretty powerful spells, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “So, why do you only use that boring arrow thing? Can’t you, like, conjure lightning or summon monsters to slaughter your enemies?”

  “It’s not that simple.” I shook my head. “I already thought about that. There are a bunch of other spells I could have gained, right now, even, but they wouldn’t be very useful.”

  “How come?”

  “I could cast a Light spell for example, but as a goblin, I don’t really need it, I can see well enough in the darkness without it. Even if I learned that spell I would hardly ever use it, which means the level wouldn’t progress, making it increasingly useless as I level up. Instead, I need to concentrate on developing the spells that are most beneficial to me right now.”

  “Still,” Vic insisted, “There must be other spells you could use now.”

  I shook my head. “Mana discipline is a pretty straight forward type of magic. You control raw power and can shape it into different effects, but the effects are pretty limited. It basically allows for different types of physical interaction with the world around you. I do know one or two powerful combat spells. Unfortunately, I have to gain the Expert rank of the Mana Manipulation skill before I learn them, and that’s going to take a while.”

  “That's a shame,” Vic sighed in disappointment, “I’m getting tired of saving the day on a regular basis, while you, meat-suit, are left fumbling with the controls of your puppet.”

  I chuckled, “Don’t worry, we’ll get there eventually.”

  “Whatever you say, boss.”

  We continued making our way down the tunnel. A while later, we reached the lava stream. The shadow bridge was still there and I crossed it without any issue.

  Shortly after, we stood once again in front of the imposing black-stone gates of Nihilator’s prison. I took a deep breath, steeling myself for the coming encounter. Vic morphed to his Vicloack shape, around my shoulders, then we walked through the small opening.

  Nihilator was once again in his massive hound-form. He was sitting on the floor, the three glowing chains still connected to his collar.

  “WELL, WELL. MY NEW MINION. YOU HAVE RETURNED.”

  Once again, the power of his voice washed over me, pressing down my body, forcing my knees to the ground to a poorly performed half bow.

  Nihilator chuckled, “SUCH A FRAIL LITTLE MINION. BUT YOU HAVE INDEED EARNED THE RIGHT TO ADDRESS ME.”

  He started shrinking until he was the size of a horse.

  “Your betrayal of my brother Corgoram has pleased me greatly. I have accepted your puny clan as my worshippers. You have done well, Dark Totem. Your resourcefulness in sacrificing your own companion was especially amusing. You shall now have my full blessing.”

  Quest Completed: New Religion

  Nihilator, Lord of Darkness. Blessed your clan as new followers.

  Rewards: +1000 XP, Nihilator became your new patron deity, unlock new religion options

  Your actions have pleased Nihilator. +10 Faith Points

  Faith points define your Religion Rank, and can be used to purchase specific blessings via the Religion menu

  Level up! You have reached Character Level 13. You have 1 ability point to allocate.

  I was now level 13. Things were progressing nicely. I opened my character screen, and, as usual, invested the new point into Mental, bringing it up to 15.

  I couldn’t wait to explore the new Religion options, but Nihilator wasn’t finished with me yet.

  “Once again, you have proven yourself, a resourceful minion. You may leave my presence.”

  I hesitated, Nihilator was a tier 8, level 500 Boss. In game terms, it meant he lived for centuries, no doubt amassing vast knowledge and developing impressive high skills. It was virtually unheard of for players to converse with such a creature. And he was mollified at the moment, presenting me with a rare opportunity I’d be stupid to throw away.

  I bowed down to him respectfully. “Great Nihilator, would you consent to answer a few questions for your most humble servant?” I didn’t mind a bit of sweet talking, as long as I got results.

  He chuckled, amusedly. “You are a brazen little critter. I am used to my minions cowering in my presence. This is a refreshing change. Ask your questions.”

  I took a moment to collect my thoughts. I wanted to know how he managed to evade Guy’s purge. According to Tal, there weren’t supposed to have been any bosses left with the Devour ability. But I couldn’t ask him that outright. I took a different approach. “Would you tell me about your battle with the Outriders?”

  He scowled, “Those wretched accursed Heaven’s minions! You dare mention them in my presence?!” He snarled frightfully and started growing in form and impending rage.

  “I only wish to know how I could stop them if they ever return!” I hastily added, trying to play the part of the humble servant. “Forgive my arrogance, oh great Nihilator!”

  He seemed to consider my words. After a moment, he apparently decided my argument was valid, as he shrunk back again.

  “The Outrider host came down from the heavens and swept through my minions, shredding my giants, my demons, and my shadow creatures. You and your pitiful followers would stand no chance if faced by even the least of them.”

  I bowed down, and dangled the lure a little bit, “Their awesome power still proved insufficient to vanquish the great Nihilator.”

  He growled again, haunted by the memory of a long past battle. “Their accursed divine light banished all shadows and dispersed my darkness. But I fought back! One after the other, I devoured and destroyed those wretched creatures! As strong as they were, darkness is eternal! As long as darkness exists I can never be truly vanquished. The battle raged for days. I would vanquish a few of their brethren, and they would inflict enough damage to banish me back to the shadows. But I always returned! Though I was greatly weakened, I would have eventually destroyed them all!” He trailed off for a moment.

  I looked at him politely, waiting for him to continue his story.

  He growled as if chewing his own words, “They finally realized they could not destroy me completely. So, the remainder of the host flew into the air and joined their power together. They unleashed an immeasurable blast of pure holy light. The blast engulfed my entire body. The sheer sustained force of it pushed me down, deep into the earth, forming the tunnel you came through.”

  So that’s why the tunnel is a perfectly circular, I thought in sudden realization.

  “I lay here, deep underground, wounded.” Nihilator continued his tale. “The blast took everything they had. Many of the Outriders fell dead from exertion. But I too suffered. The wound they inflicted harmed me like no other before. I bled pure essence from that wound, losing much of my power before my darkness could amass enough to seal the wound. The Outriders used my weakness, and bound me with these chains,” He shook his head, rattling the chains for emphasis. “Then they built the gates, sealing me in this chamber for the ages.

  His contemplative demeanor suddenly changed as he snarled angrily “Once I had power equal to a god! I walked the earth and none stood in my way! And now, NOW I AM TRAPPED!”

  His head moved towards me, his huge nose almost touching my body. “But now I have you, my new goblin minion. With the energy you will provide, I shall regain my divine essence. Then I will break my chains and finally be freed from this wretched prison! AND I WILL HAVE MY VENGEANCE!”

  The force of his voice slammed me against the floor, knocking 50 points off m
y health.

  I ignored my physical state, as ideas and possibilities started forming in my mind. I understood it all now. Nihilator used to be a tier 9 Boss, with power rivaling that of a god. But he was demoted to tier 8. Apparently, he still had access to some of his divine abilities, making him capable of becoming our new clan’s deity. He only needed 100,000 energy to reach tier 9 again, and to free himself. Then he will ravage the world like an unrestrained force of nature. I had no problems being the person responsible for unleashing this force into the world. But first, I wanted to make sure I could point it in the right direction.

  “I understand, my master.” I bowed down solemnly. It felt like I was channeling Lord Vader, addressing the emperor. “I shall do all in my power to provide you with the energy you require, so you will once again be free to take retribution from your enemies.”

  I paused, considering how to take the next step. “Like you, I was also betrayed by my brethren. I too crave vengeance. I want their blood on my hands! Their heads on my table!” I didn’t, really. It was just something to incite Nihilator, his type usually responded well to the idea of a bloody massacre.

  It appeared to work. “You shall have your vengeance my minion! Bring me the energy I require, and together, we shall rend the flesh off our enemies! WE WILL HAVE OUR VENGEANCE!”

  Reputation with Nihilator, Lord of Darkness improved. New rank: Neutral

  You received a new quest: Unleash The Darkness

  Supply Nihilator with 100,000 Energy Points, so he can break his bonds. As a demi-deity, Nihilator receives the same amount as your generated EP, without affecting your own gain.

  Quest type: Epic

  Reward: 10,000 XP, 1000 FP, reputation, Summon Nihilator for 1 hour, Gem of Darkness

  Excellent! I thought to myself in satisfaction. I imagined myself, a small goblin at the entrance of the Manapulator’s guild castle, knocking on their doors. The door would open, a bewildered Vatras looking down at me. I would smile, point at the beast towering above us, and tell the traitor ‘say hello to my little friend.’ I grinned broadly at the mental image. Vengeance was indeed a dish best served cold.

  Another a nice bonus was learning that I wouldn’t have to part with the precious energy my settlement generated. Nihilator also seemed to approve my bloodthirsty attitude, as was evident by my reputation boost with him.

  He regarded me closely for an uncomfortable moment.

  “You continue to surprise me, my minion. Perhaps you shall prove yourself to be of some small significance. As a token of my generosity, I offer you a boon. Choose!”

  As he finished speaking a new system message popped up in front of me:

  Nihilator has offered to teach you one of his Master ranked skills, choose one:

  1. Death Grip: cause immense pain, without any damage.

  2. Control Earth: use darkness in conjunction with earth.

  3. Runecraft: the art of enchanting items using runes.

  Once chosen, the decision cannot be undone

  I lowered my head in gratitude, hiding my grin. My sweet-talkin worked better than I’d hoped. This was a rare treat indeed, Nihilator was probably one of the few creatures in the entire game who could teach those skills.

  Death Grip sounded like a torture skill, I shuddered just thinking about using such a dreadful ability. Control Earth sounded interesting, though the short description didn’t tell me much about it. I assumed it allowed the user to somehow manipulate earth in dark areas. Runecraft was the one that truly captured my interest. I knew very little about the skill, as runecrafters were very rare. It was a unique method of enchanting, that was considered to be very advanced and incredibly difficult to master. Its strength lay in its flexibility, unlike Bek’s Inscribe skill which was limited by the spells he knew. As I understood, the potential was virtually limitless. This was like striking gold. Runecraft! I declared mentally.

  A tendril of shadow emerged out of Nihilators brow, like wispy black smoke. It floated slowly through the air toward me. I braced myself, fully expecting some dramatic visual effects to occur. Instead, when the tendril touched my forehead, I simply received a new prompt;

  New Skill acquired: Runecraft (M) [active, monster race]

  You understand the subtle principles of imbuing items with powerful runes. Runes can be combined in different ways to achieve different magical effects. From making an ever-burning torch, to bringing inanimate objects to life. In order to increase his repertoire and his skill, the runecrafter must always seek out new runes

  Known runes: ko, ha, ma

  Level 1: Novice.

  Effects: enchantment strength: 10.5%, base rune count increase: 0.5%

  I was fascinated. It was not enough to simply improve the skill level, you also had to discover more runes, probably through adventuring. What an interesting skill!

  It was close to 3 a.m. in the game now, and though tired, I was itching to start exploring this new skill. I sighed, it would have to wait until I get back to the village. I was already imagining the new possibilities and had several ideas for how to look for more runes.

  Nihilator watched me in amusement as I read the various system messages. “I have one last task for you, my minion.”

  I looked up at him, forcing my attention back to the moment. Was I about to receive another quest? That was quick, usually the higher your reputation was with a certain faction, the better chance you had to receive new quests. My new neutral reputation was already starting to bear fruit. “My lord?”

  “I would have my domain increased. I can sense the zone around my new shrine. I. want. MORE! I task you with establishing three more shrines. Either erect them or reactivate old abandoned ones. The activated shrines will increase my zone of influence, which would be to your own benefit as well, my greedy minion. Ensure that the Shrines are located on hallowed ground. And remember the sacrificial rite for its activation! Your companion will no longer be an acceptable offering.

  You received a new quest: Dark Missionary

  Build or activate three places of worship, dedicated to The Cult of Nihilator. A sacrifice will be required to finalize the consecration of each Shrine. You will be rewarded for offering more substantial sacrifices.

  Nihilator’s influence will affect a certain zone centered on the chosen location. Note: The location must be on hallowed ground.

  Quest type: Advanced

  Reward: ? XP, ? FP, ? reputation, zone blessing.

  Well, this was unexpected. Looks like I was well on the path of becoming a dark god’s disciple. It didn’t bother me. I didn’t see much difference between killing mobs in battle and killing them on an altar, or a Shrine. The former would award only XP, the latter would grant both XP and increase my standing with my new god.

  Anyway, I had my answers. My pact with Nihilator would ensure my clan's’ survival, and provide a few juicy quests to complete. Not bad at all, considering that only three days ago I almost gave in to despair at the fear of being devoured.

  I bowed once more to the deadly boss and turned to leave.

  As we walked back through the tunnel, I inspected its perfectly smooth round walls. The power that was used to drill the tunnel, kilometers into the earth, was on an unheard-of scale. The amount of mana it would take would be in the millions. It was amazing that even a tier 9 Boss could survive a direct hit from such power. It only strengthened my confidence in the choice I made to follow Nihilator as our new deity. If you’re going to rededicate your life to an evil god, you might as well choose the most badass one around. And when he’s finally free… Watch out Vatras, I’ll be coming for you, I thought with grim satisfaction.

  I opened my character screen to hover in front of me, making it semi-transparent, so I could still walk while reviewing it. My skills and abilities have gone through a lot of changes lately.

  Title: Dark Totem

  Level: 13, (10%)

  Race: Monster Race [Goblin]

  Type: Boss I [Totem]

  Religion:
The Cult of Nihilator

  Followers: 5

  Attributes: [0 points available]

  - Physical 2

  - Mental 15

  - Social 0

  Pools:

  - Hit Points: 177

  - Mana: 375

  - Armor: 7

  Skills:

  - Lucky Bastard 14 (01%) (Prime)

  - Analyze 101 (2%)

  - Tracking 5 (29%)

  - War Party Leader 3 (10%)

  - Mana Infusion 13 (65%) (Prime)

  - Quest Giver 5 (50%)

  - Runecraft 1 (0%)

  Skills (Spells):

  - Mana Manipulation 13 (20%)

  - Drilling Arrow 12 (50%) (Prime)

  - Mana Shield 15 (99%)

  - Blood Wrath 11 (90%)

  - Heal Followers 2 (60%)

  - Mana Drain 3 (62%) (Prime)

  Traits:

  - Goblinoid (+1 Physical, -1 Social)

  - Quick learner +20%

  - Boss boon I (5 HP & 10 MP per level)

  - Soul Companion: Vic

  - Shadow-Touched

  I was progressing nicely in all skills, not to mention Analyze. My hit points and mana were equal to that of a level 35 mage. My armor was low, but as a magic user I wasn’t expected to be targeted too often, that’s what tanks were for. However, recent experience showed it still happens too often for my comfort. I added a mental note to improve my armor.

  My Mana Infusion ability was always active these days, which increased my speed by 23%, but even taking it into account, it was still an hour long walk back to the surface.

  I decided to multitask some more and finally opened my new Religion Interface.

  Religion [Shrine]

  Faith Rank: 0 [to next rank: 100 FP]

  Faith Points: 10 / 10

  Purchase Faith Points

  Zone Blessings (current: )

  Individual’s Blessings

  Divine Spells