Vergil stood, his gaze now locked onto the translucent panel showing his Stats. The six hard-earned stat points blinking a blue colour.
A reminder of the blood he had spilt to gain them. He already knew where they were needed most.
His fingers touched the panel, as the stats points hummed. It was a reminder of the work he put in and that he was moving forward.
"Constitution and mana," he muttered under his breath, grounding himself as his fingers drifted towards the values.
The confirmation hit like a fire, then heat rippled through his veins as they spread throughout his body.
Constitution: 15 → 18
Mana Capacity: 12 → 15
Inhaling sharply, he flexed his muscles, they invisible weights that limited him had been stripped, now thrumming with a surge of new strength.
Constitution was one of the most important statutes. It allowed him to take more hits, but it also represented his stamina in a fight. Although his other stats were important. It was best for fights like these.
And mana was just for insurance. Unlike others, he could boost it without relying on training.
'But it does seem wasteful to use it on mana. I should refrain from putting too many points into it.'
"This will certainly do.' he whispered, a thin grin tugging at his lips. "I think now I could beat 4 of those rats." Vergil joked.
[Ok, now we are getting ahead of ourselves]
The stat window folded into nothingness, only leaving behind a lattice of his skills, his eyes narrowed.
"Combination."
Hardened Hide + Endurance + Lesser Physical Resistance
"Come on…" he murmured. His voice now slipping into a low chant, a steady drumbeat of insistence for a good skill.
The screen pulsed.
[Combination has succeeded.]
Resilient Body (E)
Reinforces the user's physical body while granting resistance to both physical and blunt attacks and lessens fatigue over prolonged fighting.
Heat swelled in his chest, then bloomed out of his skin, tightening as though new layers formed beneath. Touching his shoulders to see the faint change.
"Nice," he said with a grin. "That's the kind of upgrade I need for close combat."
Quick Shot + Throwing
Vergil's smirked. 'The compatibility between these two skills was amazing. Speed tied to accuracy and deadlier arrows.'
[Combination has succeeded.]
Rapid Precision (F+): Speeds up ranged attacks and throwing weapons, sharpening both aim and accuracy for the user.
The change was instant. His vision was sharpening slightly. His focus tightened as though someone had wiped off grime from his lens. He clenched his fist imagining the new possibilities he could use with the bow.
"Perfect."
He cracked his knuckles again, satisfied, but his gaze slid lower. Three skills pulsed darker than the rest, primal in nature.
Feral Bite + Vile Bite + Venomous Fang
"All teeth," Vergil muttered, lips curling. The sucess right is garunteed."
[Combination has succeeded.]
Ravenous Bite (E-): A savage bite that tears flesh, carrying venom and disease while inflicting lingering pain, difficult for weaker foes to resist.
Vergil let out a low whistle. "That's brutal. Anyone I bite won't be walking away." He rolled his jaw once, tongue brushing a canine. "Lets hope it doesn't turn my teeth yellow."
Only two skills remained to merge. His eyes hovered, but for the first time, hesitation crept into his hand.
Mana Sensitivity + Mana Manipulation
Vergil frowned. These weren't throwaway skills. They were foundation stones that he had only just received, slow to build but powerful if given enough time. If he merged them and it failed…
His fingers hovered. "Both grow alongside my mana organ. But if I fuse them… ah you know what, fuck it! I'll just have to kill and eat a mage if it fails, to get another one."
His pulse quickened. All he could do was believe. He exhaled, hesitating before his final decision, pressing the confirm button.
"Please don't fail me."
The system pulsed brightly.
[Combination has succeeded.]
"Yes!"
Mana Affinity (F+): Sharpens mana awareness and efficiency in spellcasting, improving perception of unnatural flows and disturbances.
Vergil sighed in relief. His ragged breathing became steady, but he felt the changes instantly, like stepping into another world beyond his own. He could sense the air around him thrumming ever faintly, his sense of mana clearer than ever. It was like standing in silence only to realise there had always been an orchestra playing beneath it.
"This…" his voice hitched with restrained excitement, "…is huge." His grin returned, wolfish and unrestrained. "I guess I really was blessed."
The afterglow of success lingered until something pierced it, ruining his moment.
A scream
Vergil froze, the warmth of his newly gained mana drained from his chest, replaced by the cold spar of his Wild isnticnt flaring wildly, a spark of warning like claws raking across his brain. It wasnt out of fear or danger but rather, curiousity.
'Its as if its telling me that ignoring this, would make me regret it.' Vergil sighed.
His head snapped toward the source beyond the ridge, faint but undeniable.
Vergil moved without pause, his body carrying him forward.
Each step was low and fluid, his body slipping into a predatory rhythm as he scaled the incline. Pebbles scattered beneath his boots, but his movements made little noise. His breath slowed, every muscle working at its maximum
At the crest, he narrowed his eyes as he crouched to take a look.
The road below twisted like a scar across the land. Below, a shattered carriage blocked the road.
Six hounds prowled around it, their eyes glowed like embers. One horse layed, twitching, its throat a ragged ruin. The other one reared wildly, the driver slumped, an arrow jutted from its shoulder, head lolled uselessly.
And before the carriage stood a man, a lean blade curved in his hand. Arrogance etched in every step he took. Opposing him, was a boy no older than fifteen.
Vergil's gaze shifted to the carriage. Movement. A woman's silhouette–still, rigid, her eyes sharp even through shadow. Not panic. Calculation.
The air stank of iron and wet fur as panic clung to the scene like smoke.
Vergil's lips twitched upward.
"What an interesting situation."