From Adam, the only interesting thing I’d looted was an amulet.

  Shadow Amulet of the Intrepid. Grants the wearer the level-5 ability Shadow Blades.

  Shadow Blades. Ability. Rare. Level 5. Condense blades of shadows within 1 yard per level of ability and control them with your mind. Blades affect both physical and incorporeal beings, but deal double damage to undead or ghostly entities. Improved piercing damage against non-magical armor.

  Interesting. Mimic had captured Shadow Blades as a spell. This ability granted more control over the shadow blades. That was how Adam had managed to attack so many of us simultaneously from so many angles. It must have tied in beautifully with his shadow mastery build.

  Wearing two amulets around my neck wasn’t too much of a hassle, so I tucked the small, flat black disk on its black steel chain under my armor. Any excuse to not think about the scene of murder and betrayal we’d just left was welcome, so I spent a few minutes testing out the ability. Shadows came alive around me even more tangibly than when I used Shadow Walk, and manipulating them proved very similar to using mana strings.

  So I formed some strings of mana and then activated Shadow Blades while focusing on my Force Weaver ability. Its description mainly related to spells, but did mention abilities, so it was worth trying to meld the Shadow Blades with my mana strings and see if I could make them stronger.

  I wove the strings of mana and shadow together, hunting for synergies between the abilities. At first, they just twisted around each other. The process was weird, like weaving soft spaghetti with my thoughts, but the recent practice in the Master of Tidal Threads crystal came in handy.

  While I worked the 2 abilities together, I activated Spellseer’s Gaze and focused on my tier-1 Runesmithing ability, seeking the underlying runes that made shadow manipulation possible. I’d learned several intermediate runes from those tomes of runesmithing that could manipulate shadows, so they felt extremely familiar.

  Shadow mana wasn’t actually a thing. Shadows were blending of light and darkness, so mostly drew from light mana and could be empowered with a hints of other things. The last runesmith tome had included several pages discussing the power of shadow, although the actual runes to manipulate shadows was part of a later tome.

  The shadows came alive under my mana sight and mana senses, and the feel of the light mana grew clearer as I studied it. So I adjusted my mana strings, which by default used convergence mana, transforming them into light mana.

  They became visible to the naked eye as softly-glowing strings of light that wove in and among the living shadows, and I lost myself in the process of trying to link the two abilities into a more synergized one.

  I felt like I was on the cusp of a breakthrough when Ruby’s voice pulled me out of my meditative reverie. “That’s beautiful.”

  Shadows and light dissolved in puffs of brilliance as my concentration broke. Ruby had shifted to a chair next to mine and sat cross-legged on her chair to face me. She grimaced. “Sorry for interrupting. What are you doing?”

  “It’s fine. I’m working with a couple abilities that manipulate mana and shadows, trying to find ways to get them to work together and strengthen them both.”

  “Sounds plausible,” she said, cocking her head slightly to one side. “Light and shadow are 2 sides of the same coin, aren’t they?”

  At her words, an idea snapped into place in my mind an I grinned. “Indeed they are.”

  Focusing my abilities again, I called forth more shadow and light-based ropes of mana. Two sides of the same coin. I’d woven the 2 together, but now I flattened the 2 constructs into plate-sized circles, then pressed them like a sandwich.

  Unlike when I wove them together, this time the light and shadow seemed to melt into each other and I clearly felt the mana change, transforming into a new type of mana I’d never felt before. That mana formed a singular construct whose surface rippled like oil in faint light, reflecting a constantly shifting rainbow of barely-seen iridescent colors.

  “Lovely,” Ruby breathed, leaning closer.

  With a growing sense of excitement, I shaped the new combined construct into a blade. It retained that dark, oily sheen of iridescent colors and felt more substantial than before. My control over it improved dramatically over what I’d managed with either shadow or mana strings in the past. The blade felt like an extension of my thoughts, and I knew without a doubt that it had grown immensely more powerful.

  I pulled out a large fish fillet and tossed it up toward the rain canopy. With a thought, my shadow blade flicked out and sliced it half a dozen times, reducing it to a rain of small cubes.

  Nigel leaped over my chair, snatching many of the cubes in his jaws. As soon as he landed, he pounced again and quickly consumed every last scrap.

  “Fun game. Do it again.”

  So I did.

  Ruby laughed. “It looks like an improvement to me.”

  As if on cue, Eva announced, “Congratulations, Lucas! For combining several abilities with the unique synergy-boosting power of your class, you receive a platinum Raven loot box.”

  “Raven?” I asked.

  Ruby said, “Might be referencing Teen Titans.”

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  “You watch Teen Titans?”

  She shrugged. “What? My younger brother watched every episode.”

  “Sure, it was your brother,” Steve said, suddenly standing nearby.

  “How is watching Teen Titan something to tease me about?” Ruby demanded.

  He shrugged. “If it works, I run with it.”

  Ruby pointedly ignored him and looked at the glowing platinum loot box that flashed as I willed it open. It dropped a single scroll.

  Upgrade Scroll. Shadow Blades becomes Twilight Blades.

  Twilight Blades. Tier-0 ability. Rare. Level 9. Melding shadows and light into that mystical moment of twilight, you walk the cusp of the real and the ethereal. Fashion semi-tangible blades of twilight and control them with your mind up to 1 yard times ability level. Number of blades depends on Mental Resistance. Blades affect both the physical and ethereal, can phase through all non-magical armor and still deal at least some spiritual damage through most magical armor. Deals triple damage to ethereal beings or undead.

  Note: This is a permanent ability, which removes all enchantments from your Shadow Amulet of the Intrepid.

  Note: Due to your Intergalactic Guardian title, Twilight Blades begins at level 10.

  “What?” Ruby demanded after I’d sat grinning in silence for a while.

  I chuckled. “Thanks for helping me figure this out.” I shared the description with her.

  “That’s amazing. I’ve never just randomly created a new ability. I didn’t even know it was possible.”

  “Time to get cracking,” Cyrus interjected cheerily, his invisible voice right behind her.

  Ruby jumped and scowled. “Cyrus, I’d think that prank would get old.”

  “Not for me,” he chortled, his voice circling around us. “Lucas has discovered a truth few learn during the game. Spells and abilities can be unlocked and improved by direct hard work and ingenuity, not just by waiting around for the system to give them to you.”

  Everyone had been watching me open the loot box, and Cyrus talked loud enough for everyone to easily hear. Ed sat bolt upright, his eyes wide with excitement.

  “So you’re saying I might be able to fix some of my broken class by myself?”

  “Who knows? You have never tried. Might be more productive than sitting around moping all day.”

  Ed’s shoulder slumped, then straightened again. “I should have. Now that I know it’s possible, I’ll make it work!”

  “I’ll help where I can,” I promised.

  Cyrus’s voice dropped to a whisper, close to my ear, for me alone. “Keep up the good work, Lucas. That is the kind of leadership and caring that wins new fans. Don’t forget to check your numbers.”

  So I did, and blinked in surprise.

  Views:     292,619,335

  Followers:   51,979,001

  Favorites   18,094,576

  VIP Points   142,634,817

  I’d checked the numbers just hours ago. Since then, they’d grown even faster than ever. Did so many people across the multiverse love to see someone crack and start killing their own, or was all that interest a hint that more was at play?

  I had no point of reference to tell, but filed the questions for later consideration. Maybe I needed to watch my view counters more often to see if spikes might suggest hidden agendas that people in the multiverse knew, but we didn’t.

  No doubt death battles with bosses would still get the biggest spikes, but I wouldn’t have thought the showdown with Burns would trigger such a response. I needed to watch for other unexpectedly interesting moments. My thoughts were interrupted again by Eva.

  Congratulations, Lucas! For hitting over 50 million Followers, you receive a sapphire Crowd Pleaser Fan box.

  Note: This fan box is sponsored by Elderspark Expeditions and includes a free copy of their flagship product, the Elite Adventurer's Utility Scroll Starter Pack. This product catapulted them to multiverse success and is filled with the 25 very best must-have utility spells to keep the savvy adventurer safe in every circumstance.

  Steve laughed, reclining in his chair and saluting with a huge snickerdoodle cookie. “The rest of us just figured we’d eat a bit of cake and try to rest. You, on the other hand, have to invent a new ability and get 2 additional loot boxes. Way to set the bar even higher, Lucas.”

  I shrugged. “Someone has to get the work done while you’re eating all the desserts.”

  Jane dropped onto the same chair as Ruby, forcing her to scoot over. She waved a hand at Steve. “Hush. This loot box sounds really good.”

  It really did. I willed the bright, glowing blue sapphire loot box to open as soon as it appeared. After shaking the air with an unusually boisterous fanfare, a cheesy announcer voice unlike Cyrus or Eva added an announcement.

  Elderspark Expeditions. Forged by sages, tested by heroes!

  “They added a commercial?” Andy laughed.

  “As long as the loot is good, who cares?” Jane asked.

  The loot box left a small, ornately-carved wooden chest about as long as my arm hanging in the air. Made out of dark wood, the carvings of fantastical beasts and ancient temples glowed faintly. It flashed and disappeared into my inventory, and when I pulled up the list of scrolls inside, I grinned.

  “You guys are going to love this.”

  They really were adventurer utility spells, each with 3 uses. They ranged from things like Master Key that could open most locked doors and barriers to Danger Sense that helped identify the nearest source of danger and its threat level.

  Unburden could lighten heavy loads, while Tread Lightly granted silent movement and allowed one to literally walk on thin ice, water, or even lava.

  Some were similar to spells or abilities I already had, like Phase Step, Sure Foot, and Shadow Veil, while others offered lots of promise, like Echo Marker that allowed one to place a magical marker only they could see, then instantly teleport back to that marker later.

  “These are really good,” Tomas exclaimed after reading the list. “I thought it would be a gag gift.”

  “I guess 50 million Followers is a big deal,” Ruby said.

  “Which ones do you guys want?”

  “Really?” Ed asked. “I could use every single one of them.”

  “I’ve actually got a pretty good list of temporary spells, so I’m willing to share.”

  “Don’t have to tell me twice,” he laughed, triggering a loud, boisterous negotiation session as they all clamored and bartered for which scrolls they wanted. The excuse worked to help us all move past the memories of the mess we’d just left behind.

  We almost reached Port Royale by the time I finished divvying up the utility spell scrolls. I kept only 4, sharing 3 each with everyone else. Ruby got one to help break curses, plus a couple to help defend her while healing. Steve picked an eclectic mix, including Master Key, promising to use it to get into Elizabeth’s mysterious New Life Lounge.

  Tomas was most excited about Golem, a spell that would allow him to give life to one of his constructs for 30 seconds. That could prove invaluable in a battle. Jane got a couple mind-focused ones, while Ed was over the moon with Float, which might help him better cast some of his broken spells.

  Andy got movement-focused ones to help with combat, while Lana got mostly protective ones. Overall, the loot box contained way better spells than I could have hoped.

  I kept Echo Marker that let me place an invisible marker, then teleport back there later. Warding Glyph would place a rune to block one spell effect. With some study, I might be able to figure out how to replicate it with my own runes.

  I also definitely had plans for Reality Anchor, which could lock a target, like me, in place against another forced teleportation from Queen Marisara. Finally, Bend Sight allowed me to see around up to 3 corners up to 100 feet ahead.

  “Thank you, Lucas!” Ed cried, and everyone else agreed.

  Except for Steve, who was busy finishing off the rest of the cake.