[You have leveled up to Level 9]
He pulled, and suddenly, the chains went slack. The phantom mob, which had been pulling as one, suddenly fragmented. A vortex of spectral energy swirled in the center of the room, pulling the remaining phantoms into its swirling mass. He could feel their fear and desperation coalescing into a single, potent entity. Their forms blurred and swirled together, coalescing into a single, larger, and far more menacing form. A towering, robed figure with multiple glowing eyes began to materialize within the maelstrom.
'That's not good,' he thought, even as he felt completely strong and powerful, his soul thrumming with stolen energy.
He did a quick check on his status.
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Level: 9 (15%)
Overall Tier: 1 [F](Lower Realm)
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Physical Power: 24 > 28[F]
Magical Power: 23 > 34[F]
Spirit: 16 > 30
Energy: 300/300
═══════════════════════
Unallocated points: 8
He felt a profound shift in his power. Seeing his Physical Power at 28, he added 2 points, pushing it to the 30 threshold as well. With the remaining 6, he added 1 more to Magical Power and the final 5 to Physical Power. He needed raw force now, not reserves.
Physical Power: 28 > 35[F]
Magical Power: 34 > 35[F]
Spirit: 30
Energy: 300/300
Unallocated points: 0
The change was instantaneous. His bandaged muscles swelled with tangible power, and his senses sharpened further. The energy within him felt like a contained storm.
He turned his focus back on the vortex. He could feel what was happening on a level deeper than sight, they weren't just grouping up; they were fusing their very essences, their collective despair forging a new, more dangerous being.
He couldn't just stand and watch.
The problem was, he didn't have any combat abilities. He didn't have a weapon he truly liked to use; the hammer was serviceable, but it felt more suitable for smashing physical bones. More importantly, he didn't have a weapon that could reliably harm a soul-based entity.
And now, he would have to fight it bare-handed.He watched as the figure finally formed.
It stood nine feet tall, a condensed being of spectral energy. Its robe shifted with the faces of the phantoms that created it. Dozens of chains, glowing with cold blue light, sprouted from its body like limbs.
Iskar knew a direct fight was a bad idea. He had no weapon that could hurt a soul-based creature effectively. His only advantages were his speed and his two abilities, Absorb and Decay. He needed to get close.
The Warden attacked first. It did not move. Instead, it unleashed a storm of chains from its body. The chains shot toward Iskar from every direction, trying to surround him. He pushed off the ground, his enhanced speed making him a blur. He twisted in the air, avoiding two chains. A third hook grazed his shoulder. A sharp, cold numbness spread from the point of contact. It was the same feeling he felt when the chains hooked his soul.
He could not keep dodging forever. He had to take the initiative.
The Warden saw its attacks were missing. It changed tactics. It raised its hands, and the air in the room grew cold. A sphere of swirling, dark energy formed between its palms.
The sphere pulled the light from the room, focusing on pure spiritual destruction. The creature was stationary while it charged this attack.
Ikar saw his opening. He ran straight at the Warden.
The Warden released the sphere. It flew silently and quickly. Iskar did not try to block it. At the last second, he dropped into a slide on the stone floor. The deadly sphere passed over him, so close he felt his bandages freeze. He slid directly between the Warden's legs.
He sprang up behind the creature. Before it could turn, he wrapped his arms around its torso from behind. The Warden's body was cold and insubstantial, but Iskar's grip, fueled by his physical power, held firm. The faces on its robe writhed against his chest.
He focused his will. He channeled his Magical Power into his hands and into the creature's form.
"Decay," he said.
A wave of purple, corrosive energy flowed from his hands into the Warden. The spectral robe began to fray at the edges. The creature roared, a sound made of many overlapping screams. Its form flickered. The decay was hurting it, but it was not a finishing blow.
The Warden began to struggle violently. The chains on its body whipped backward, aiming to impale Iskar at point-blank range.
Iskar shifted his focus. He stopped the decay and poured all his energy into his primary ability. He gripped the creature tighter.
Absorb!" he commanded.
This was not a slow drain. It was a violent siphon. A torrent of raw soul energy flooded from the Phantom Warden into Iskar.
The chains coming for his back dissolved into nothing before they could touch him. The Warden's form convulsed. Its roar became a choked gasp as its essence was torn away.
[+5 Magical Power]
[+5 Spirit]
[+3 Physical Power]
[You have killed a Level 12 Phantom Warden]
[You have leveled up to Level 10]
The messages appeared in his vision. He ignored them. He held on until the last wisp of the creature was gone. The room fell silent.
[You have gained an ability!]
Iskar stood alone, his bandages steaming faintly. He took a deep breath. He had won by using the monster's moment of power against it.
[Awaken a Class]
Physical Power: 35 > 38 > 39[F]
Magical Power: 35 > 40 > 41[F]
Spirit: 30 > 35 > 36
Energy: 300 > 360
Unallocated points: 2
Iskar finally allowed himself to relax. The adrenaline faded, leaving behind the dull ache of exertion. He saw the two final messages waiting for him. Before checking them, he allocated his two free points to Physical Power, bringing it to 41 and making it equal to his Magical Power again.
He checked his updated status.
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Level: 10 (0%)
Overall Tier: 1 [F](Lower Realm)
═════════════════════
Physical Power: 41[F]
Magical Power: 41[F]
Spirit: 36
Energy: 360/360
═════════════════════
Unallocated points: 0
He was appalled to see he was still in F-rank and Tier 1. He had more than doubled his power since he started, yet the overall designation had not changed. How much stronger did he need to become? He sighed, pushing the frustration aside for now.
The important thing was that he had reached Level 10. He had gained the ability to Awaken his Class.