“You think you can take a true Infernal, someone whose very blood gives him the powers you have to gain through brokered deals with the Mad King?”
“Even in your faulty logic,” Jacob replies, holding the sword in front of him, “you know that what you’re saying doesn’t make any sense, right? If, indeed, I wielded the power of the Mad King, as you call my master, the problem would be one of morals—maybe ethics, whatever you want to pick—but certainly not one of power.”
The Infernal just stares back, slightly confused.
“King Baalrek was a legendary figure who held unfathomable power, who killed Gods, Lazerketh. If I’m his disciple, sure, that makes me ‘bad’ in your eyes, but why would it make me weak?”
“Because you’re a bastard who’s taken a shortcut,” Lazerketh replies.
“I was born poor, weak, and the only thing I got was luck and hard work,” Jacob shrugs, chuckling, “you were the one born a member of the Three Great Races and with whatever noble blood you got or not… Are you a noble?”
“I’m from the house of—”
“I don’t know the Infernal houses, please spare me,” Jacob sighs. “Anyway, do you understand that between me and you, you are the one who took a supposed shortcut, being born with a silver spoon in your mouth, and that I had to work my up to here?”
Several of the smarter and more perceptive member of the crowd start coughing under their breath.
“Technically, he’s correct. He might be a Fake Champion, but even if he made a deal with an ancient monster, he still had to get there to get the power. Compared to a true-born Infernal, it’s hard to say who’s taken a shortcut between the two.”
“I mean, if the Fake Champion had to earn his power—and it seems like he did since he’s still the weakest of the Champions—then he did earn his power,” another person chimes in.
“Has anyone seen my hat?” Another member of the crowd says. “It’s getting chilly out here.”
“It doesn’t matter which words come out of your mouth,” Lazerketh says, ignoring everything Jacob just said. “The only thing that matters is how you’re going to bleed.”
“That doesn’t really make any sense,” Jacob grimaces and cracks his neck.
“Let’s see what you’re capable of,” Lazerketh says. “What kind of rotten Class has the Mad King afforded you?”
“Oh, a nice one, trust me.”
* * *
Twenty-four hours before
[Would you like to proceed to Platinum Rank?]
[Yes/No]
Jacob took a deep breath and accepted the prompt from the System.
[Infernal Architect (Gold) is evolving.]
[Skills will now be consumed, integrated, and made Core Skills of your next Class.]
[Two Skills have been consumed.]
[Flame Shield – Lv. 100 (Gold – Defensive)]
[Sigil of Baal – Lv. 100 (Platinum)]
[You have learned Baal's Cage (Diamond)]
[Five Skills have been consumed.]
[Flame Armor – Lv. 100 (Gold – Defensive)]
[Infernal Veins – Lv. 100 (Platinum – Constitution)]
[Furnace Core (Passive) – Lv. 100]
[Flameform Blueprint (Active) – Lv. 100]
[Infernal Thread (Passive) – Lv. 100]
[You have learned The Devil’s Engine (True Diamond)]
[The Devil’s Engine is currently too powerful for you.]
[The Devil’s Engine has been nerfed to Diamond Rank.]
[Bring The Devil’s Engine to Level 100 and your Class to its maximum Level to unlock the True Diamond version of the Skill.]
[Three Skills have been consumed.]
[Ember Keystone (Active) – Lv. 100]
[Hellspire (Active) – Lv. 100]
[Ignition Array (Active) – Lv. 100]
[You have learned Curse of Fire (Diamond)]
[Five Skills have been consumed.]
[Architect’s Insight (Passive) – Lv. 100]
[Shard Dominion – Lv. 100 (Platinum)]
[Quake Balance – Lv. 100 (Gold)]
[Greater Fault Line Instinct – Lv. 100 (Platinum)]
[Heavenly Intuition – Lv. 100 (Platinum)]
[You have learned Heavenly Balance (True Diamond)]
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
[Heavenly Balance is currently too powerful for you.]
[Heavenly Balance has been nerfed to Diamond Rank.]
[Bring Heavenly Balance to Level 100 and your Class to its maximum Level to unlock the True Diamond version of the Skill.]
[Two Skills have been consumed.]
[Blood of the Ancients – Lv. 100 (Platinum)]
[Greater Fire Resistance – Lv. 100 (Platinum)]
[You have learned Baptism of Blood and Fire (Diamond)]
Jacob’s impressed with the list of mergers and the actual Skills he’s got—two of which are actually at True Diamond Level.
But I’ll need to level up a lot to basically start leveling them at True Diamond… he thinks.
Then, he gets more notifications.
[Your new Core Skills have consolidated.]
[Hellraiser Sword – Lv. 100 (Diamond)]
[Hellraiser Sword, Effect #1: Bleed: deliver a debuff that cannot be removed from anyone below True Diamond Rank by any normal means beside letting it expire. Bleed makes each wound drain blood from the target at an exponential rate.]
[Hellraiser Sword, Effect #2: Hellbane’s Mark: deliver a debuff that cannot be removed from anyone below True Diamond Rank by any normal means beside letting it expire. Hell’s Mark makes each debuff the target is already suffering more effective.]
[Hellraiser Sword, Effect #3: Shadow Plague: deliver a debuff that cannot be removed from anyone below True Diamond Rank by any normal means beside letting it expire. Shadow Plague slows the Mana circulation of the target.]
[Hellraiser Sword, Effect #4: Black Burns: deliver a debuff that cannot be removed from anyone below True Diamond Rank by any normal means beside letting it expire. Black Burn inflicts ongoing internal damage to the target.]
[Baal's Cage (Diamond)]
[Description: Baal’s Cage creates a cursed field that oppresses the target and slows them down.]
[The Devil’s Engine (Diamond)]
[Description: The Devil’s Engine allows you to grow stronger as your enemy becomes cursed and weaker as a result of the afflictions you inflict upon them.]
[Curse of Fire (Diamond)]
[Description: Curse of Fire has to be inflicted through physical damage. Curse of Fire must be delivered individually. Curse of Fire creates a small will o’wisp that follows the target everywhere.]
[Synergy detected: Curse of Fire and Tribulation of the Damned.]
[Synergy Effect: use Tribulation of the Damned on an enemy afflicted by Curse of Fire for extra damage.]
[Heavenly Balance (Diamond)]
[Description: Heavenly Balance allows you to experience what absolute balance should feel like.]
[Baptism of Blood and Fire (Diamond)]
[Description: reforge your body anew through fire and blood.]
[Tribulation of the Damned – Lv. 100 (Platinum)]
[Description: Tribulation of the Damned inflicts damaged equal to the amount of afflictions your enemy is suffering from.]
[First Step of Mephistus – Lv. 77 (Platinum)]
[Description: you’re on the path of Mephistus. You move fast.]
[Hellish Reversal – Lv. 80 (Diamond)]
[Description: Hellish Reversal inverts the buffs of the target, turning them into debuffs. The Mana cost of this Skill is equal to the power of the enemy and the amount of debuffs they’re suffering from.]
[Infernal Well - Lv. 100 (Platinum)]
[Description: Infernal Well fuels your veins with a large source of Infernal Mana.]
[Embrace of Darkness - Lv. 100 (Platinum)
[Description: absorb vitality from your enemies through tendrils of darkness.]
[Diavolo Hypercut - Lv. 100 (Platinum)]
[Description: an insanely fast attack that goes through most defenses.]
[Domain of Ruin and Bones Lv. 1 (Diamond - Domain)]
[Description: summon a domain of ruin and bones.]
[The Grimoire Extraordinaire (Rainbow)]
[Infernal Architect (Gold) has evolved into Architect of Ruin (Platinum).]
[Architect of Ruin: +8 INT, +8 SPI, +6 WIS, +4 DEX, +4 VIT, +2 STR, +2 END, +0 CHA, +0 LCK, +10 Free Attributes]
[Stat increases apply from the next level. They are not retroactive.]
[You gain new Class Skills.]
[Cinder Rot]
[Description: every time the target uses mana, their body overheats from within and takes fire damage proportional to mana spent. If they stop using mana, the damage slows, but the rot persists longer.]
[Ash Fever]
[Description: the target’s regeneration turns hostile. Healing effects still trigger, but a percentage converts into internal burn damage instead.]
[Blight of Embers]
[Fire damage received permanently lowers maximum vitality for the duration of combat. Even blocked or resisted fire still applies the reduction.]
[Smoldering Blood]
[Critical hits against the target ignite their blood.]
[Armor of Cinders]
[Physical armor, carapace, or any protective layer on the enemy heats up when struck and begins damaging the target.]
[Architecture of Ruin]
[Afflictions have synergy.]
Name: Jacob Cloud
Class: Architect of Ruin – Lv. 200
Core Skills:
Hellraiser Sword – Lv. 100 (Diamond - Offensive, Debuff, Control)
Baal's Cage – Lv. 1 (Diamond - Control)
The Devil’s Engine – Lv. 1 (Diamond - Constitution)
Curse of Fire – Lv. 1(Diamond - Affliction)
Heavenly Balance – Lv. 1 (Diamond - Control)
Baptism of Blood and Fire – Lv. 1 (Diamond - Support)
Tribulation of the Damned – Lv. 100 (Platinum - Offensive)
First Step of Mephistus – Lv. 77 (Platinum - Movement)
Hellish Reversal – Lv. 80 (Diamond - Debuff)
Infernal Well - Lv. 100 (Platinum - Constitution)
Embrace of Darkness - Lv. 100 (Platinum - Control)
Diavolo Hypercut - Lv. 100 (Platinum - Offensive)
Domain of Ruin and Bones – Lv. 1 (Diamond - Domain)
The Grimoire Extraordinaire (Rainbow – Support)
Class Skills:
Furnace Core (Passive) – Lv. 100
Cinder Rot (Active) – Lv. 1
Ash Fever (Active) – Lv. 1
Blight of Embers (Active) – Lv. 1
Smoldering Blood (Active) – Lv. 1
Armor of Cinders (Active) – Lv. 1
Architect’s Ruin (Passive) – Lv. 1
Attributes:
Strength (STR): 375
Dexterity (DEX): 512
Endurance (END): 273
Vitality (VIT): 512
Intelligence (INT): 1024
Spirit (SPI): 1024
Wisdom (WIS): 719
Charisma (CHA): 18
Luck (LCK): 10
Unassigned Points: +30 Free Attributes
Other Skills:
Minor Cookery – Lv. 35 (Iron)
Greater Night Vision – Lv. 100 (Gold)
Light – Lv. 100 (Bronze)
Expert Pickaxe Mastery – Lv. 100 (Platinum)
Greater Mineral Sense – Lv. 100 (Platinum)
Vibrational Hyperawareness – Lv. 100 (Platinum)
Platinum Grip – Lv. 100 (Platinum)
Expert Endurance – Lv. 100 (Platinum)
Expert Strength – Lv. 100 (Platinum)
Greater Striking Rhythm – Lv. 100 (Platinum)
Jacob looks over the cascade of notifications again and takes his time to analyze all his Skills.
Well, it seems like I’ve gotten weaker, in a way. No more shield, armor, or anything that makes me stronger in terms of pure attack. Other than the Primordial Spell for Domain of Ruin and Bones and, I suppose, The Devil’s Engine, I’m exactly where I was before—arguably weaker. I guess there’s also the future stat increase.
Yet, despite the little increase in raw power, this new Class has just given Jacob a much wider arsenal compared to Hellraiser Sword, which used to be the only Affliction-based Skill he had before.
I guess the only way to know how strong this Class is will be to test it.
* * *
The Present
As Lazerketh cracks his whip and summons thorns on the ground like he had done with Lancelot, Jacob activates one of the Skill that still confuses him.
Let’s see how this works, he thinks.
“Baal’s Cage.”
Suddenly, the air around them becomes darker and Lazerketh’s eyes go wide as he brings his hands to his throat, wheezing, and not able to breathe anymore.
The Infernal retreats, but he does so ever-so-slowly, with every limb of his feeling like a carriage full of lead.
“Not bad,” Jacob nods. “Hey, Lazerketh, why are you running? Don’t you have to teach me a lesson or something?”
The Infernal rages and his aura grows as Jacob opens his Skill list and mmms to himself.
What should I try out next?
