System Change: Chapter 13

After mentally agreeing to his choice, a new window appeared in his vision.

After dismissing the notification, he pulled the next up.

After getting a class, he checked his information.

Hmm… not enough XP for another level? I could have sworn that I made enough for at least one more level, maybe even more. What gives? Derek thought of some different possibilities. Either the XP needed to level increases after picking a class, or something else is going on. What if it’s different for higher rarity classes?

“Hey, Leon.” Derek chose to ask the older man about his problem. “You said you have an uncommon class, right?”

Leon nodded. “Yes. I have the Forrester class. It’s uncommon. It’s basically an improved version of the Hunter class. I received seven skill points at level 10 for skills. Though… there were some skills that cost more than one skill point.”

“How does it compare to common classes? Like, for leveling?”

“Of course, it’s harder to level an uncommon class than a common class. It’s well known that the rarer the class, the more experience it takes to level. My class isn’t too bad since it’s only uncommon, but it takes 50% more experience points than a common class to level a rare class. It only increases more after that. By how much? I don’t know,” Leon answered.

Of course, it’s like that. Now I have to get what, twice as much XP to level? And that’s with this system that seems super greedy. Derek was lamenting the bad luck that came from his good luck when something else that Leon said struck him. He said that some of his skills cost more than one skill point.

He looked at Leon. “How often do skills cost more than one skill point?”

“I don’t think common classes have any skills that cost more than one, but my class had two that cost two points. I can’t tell you about rare or epic classes, but I imagine there are even more for those rarity classes,” Leon said.

“Skill scrolls,” Thomas chimed in, causing everyone to look at him.

“What?” Derek asked.

“He means that there are skill scrolls that teach you skills. You can learn skills with them without them being suitable for your class, but some will cost more than one point to learn. On that subject, skill awards that you may get through achievements may also cost more than one point,” Leon explained.

“How do you get skill scrolls? Derek asked.

Leon shrugged. “Dungeon rewards or trade. The cost would be… expensive.”

“Cheap-ass system,” Derek muttered under his breath, causing Thomas and Leon to stare wide-eyed at him. Derek didn’t even notice their surprise as he was too busy thinking about something else. He said dungeons. I wonder if they’re anything like the ones that appeared on Earth. Derek looked at Leon but chose to hold off on any further questions for now.

At first, when he saw the 15 skill points that came with his class, he thought he was going to flush with them. Now, after his revelation, he wasn’t so sure. Let’s find out. He pulled up the first Class Skill available for purchase.

Derek flinched at the price of the skill. I’ll still have 10 points left after… I hope it’s worth it. Without further hesitation, he learned the skill.

He felt the same as he did before. There was no recognition for him like he had with Identify and Meditation. Derek closed his eyes and activated the skill like he had with other skills countless times. He didn’t feel anything immediately.

Thomas and Leon were talking with one another when they both glanced at Derek. They stared at him curiously. The longer they stared, the more their curiosity changed to concern.

The atmosphere around Derek felt extremely thick. So thick that Thomas stood and backed away until he could catch his breath. Leon continued to stare.

Soon, the thick atmosphere was sucked into Derek’s body, leaving his body with a light purple glow. The surrounding air went back to normal. Soon, the glow pressed into his body and disappeared.

Thomas crept forward. When he was within a few feet, he opened his mouth to speak.

Derek’s eyes shot open, causing the boy to stumble backward and fall. No longer did he have light blue eyes but piercing deep purple. Not only were his irises colored purple, but even the whites of his eyes were purple. The purple was so dark that people could mistake it for black at a distance.

“Come, sit down,” Leon said. “He’s learned a new skill, an elemental one, and has yet to get control of it. Don’t distract him.”

Thomas scurried back over to Leon and sighed. “Oh, that’s good. I was starting to think he was a demon again.”

“Again?” Leon asked.

Thomas shook his head and refused to answer. Leon didn’t say anything and continued watching Derek.

“Amazing,” Leon said.

“What?” Thomas asked.

“It’s clearly the first time he’s used the skill, but he seems to be learning to control it so quickly. It doesn’t look like an easy skill to control, either.”

“Ah!” Derek suddenly clutched at his head.

“Haha…” Leon chuckled. “Mana deprivation, I presume?”

“Yeah… new spell. I wasn’t thinking about my mana,” Derek replied, then offhandedly added, “200 mana a second is insane.”

Leon’s mouth fell open in shock. He leaned over and whispered to Thomas, “Did he say 200 mana PER second?”

Thomas nodded.

“What level is this man?”

“How am I supposed to know?”

Derek ignored the two’s whispers and used Greater Meditation. Four minutes later, he used his new skill again. Ten seconds later, the mana headache hit him again, and he scrunched up his face. He repeated the cycle a few more times.

To say the least, Derek was in love with his new skill. There was a power flowing within him, threatening to escape. The more he channeled the void, the more he understood it. He was able to direct the flow, focusing it all at one point. He had no clue what kind of damage it would do if used for an attack, but he knew it would be fierce.

He focused with all his willpower, finally managing to bring a small ball of purple light out of his body, into his hand. The ball was no larger than a pea, but he knew there was an incredible power sealed within. He didn’t know what kind of power, though. Fire burns, ice freezes… that’s self-explanatory. What the hell does void do? Erase? Null? He smiled. I can’t wait to find out.

He knew one thing, though. He didn’t waste five skill points.

Leon was on the verge of going insane while watching Derek. He knew exactly what skill the man was using in between his new skill. It was Meditation. He also had the skill. No self-respecting adventurer would go through life without learning the General Skill.

What Derek was doing with it, however, was terrifying. First, he casually says that he has a mana pool of no less than 2,000 MP, now he’s using Meditation to regenerate all those points in what? Four seconds? And that’s not even considering how fast he was able to fetch Malorie and Brandi. I don’t know how far away they were, but they traveled for hours. Where did this man come from?

Plus, he’s letting his mana drain to empty every time. Leon saw Derek scrunch his face time and time again, indicating the pain of mana deprivation. I already know he’s a monster. Is he a masochist as well?

“What are you doing?” Thomas interrupted Leon’s thoughts by questioning Derek. Is that Meditation?

Leon perked his ears up to listen for Derek’s answer. He was wondering the same thing. How could Meditation work that fast?

“Oh… sorry,” Derek said. “Yeah, it’s Meditation. I’m using the skill I just learned, then using Meditation to refill my mana. I’m trying to learn how to control the skill and how to best use it,” Derek explained to the boy.

That explains it… it is Meditation. Leon was awed.

“In fact,” Derek continued, “when you finally unlock the system, the first skill point you earn should be used to unlock Meditation immediately. It’s one of, if not the best General Skill. If you level it up enough, you can use it without losing your senses. Hell, if you upgrade it, you can activate it while moving. It’s even possible to fight while using it.”

Does he even know how valuable the information he just told Thomas, and by proxy, me, is? People would kill to learn something like that. Leon finally couldn’t help himself. “You said Meditation can be used without loss of one’s senses? And you can upgrade the skill?”

Derek squinted his eyes at Leon, causing Leon to draw back and begin to apologize for fishing for more information. However, before he could speak, Derek answered.

“Yes, it can be upgraded to the skill ‘Greater Meditation’. I suspect you can do the same with many skills. It takes an extra skill point and the skill being at level 20 to do it.”

“So, you have this Greater Meditation? Can you meditate while moving?” Leon asked. He knew it was rude to ask questions like this, but curiosity got the better of him.

Derek smiled but didn’t respond.

Leon cast a self-deprecating smile. He knew that was all he was going to get out of the man, so he stopped asking questions. He’d already learned more than he had any right to. He would have considered himself to have gained a great deal this day if not for the fact that it was mired in tragedy.

He looked over at Travis and his family. His time is almost up.

After ignoring Leon’s question, Derek focused on his next new skills. Channel Void was such a surprise that he couldn’t wait to test the next one.

What kind of description is that? And it costs seven points… this greedy system is trying to rob me blind. Derek frowned. All his dreams of buying the General Skills that correlated to some of his previous skills were vanishing before his eyes. It has to be amazing, though… right? If a skill that seems as good as Channel Void does costs five skill points, then one that costs seven has to be even better…

He no longer complained about the previous skill costing five points. All his frustration was on the new, nondescript skill. He shook his head and bit the bullet, spending the seven skill points.

What a hit. Derek inwardly groaned at his remaining skill points. Especially with the skill having next to no description. He was heartbroken.

Okay… no time like the present. He checked his mana to make sure it was topped off before casting Void Call.

He once again felt his body fill with the now-familiar void energy. This time, however, his mana bar was not depleting. That’s strange. He seemed to be unable to control the void energy that came with his new skill. What really worried him was the pressure. The pressure from the void energy was building within his body at an extremely alarming pace. He felt as if he were a soda and someone had just shaken him up to the point of explosion.

From the outside, he looked the same as when he was getting control of his other skill. The atmosphere was tense and heavy, and a purple glow radiated from his body.

The longer Derek held the pressure in, the worse he felt. He tried to take control of it, but it moved on its own, all towards his head. The glow on the outside retreated from the rest of his body and moved up. His body was now normal from his shoulders down, but an intense, almost blinding glow emanated from above his shoulders.

Soon, the glow thickened around him, then shot, like a beam from a cannon, into the sky. The beam passed through the clouds, then disappeared. Derek slumped over, exhausted.

Derek was not unconscious, however. He was in a deep meditative state, healing himself. As the pressure from the void energy built up, it caused damage to his organs, specifically his heart, lungs, and brain. Luckily for Derek, he had a vast amount of vitality and endurance, and pressure was unable to cause fatal injuries. In fact, Derek had already entered Greater Meditation before the void energy left his body, and the injuries the energy had caused were mostly healed already.

Whew… He sighed. Things got pretty hairy for a moment, he joked to himself. He was relieved he was still alive. Then, he realized what happened, or rather, what didn’t happen. Nothing happened. What the hell was that skill even for? It’s bullshit! It tries to kill me, then shoots into the sky, doing nothing. He clenched his fists in anger.

“Derek… what was that?” Thomas asked.

“I’d like to know, too… I was testing a new skill, like the other one, but then what you just saw happened. The energy built up in me, then shot into the sky. I don’t even know what the skill is good for; the description sucks ass. And on top of it all, it damaged me just casting it. It’s a scam, a total scam.” Derek let the other two know his feelings. Then he looked up at the sky and screamed. “Give me my skill points back, you asshole system!”

Not seconds after Derek’s yell, a loud pounding came from the sky. “Oh, you’ve finally done it. You have blasphemed the Great System one too many times, we’re doomed!” a terrified Leon barked out.

While Thomas and Leon were out of sorts, Derek was actually happy. He had heard that pounding before. It was the same pounding that led to him escaping the void. This pounding was the most soothing symphony ever played. It was the sound of freedom, the sound of escape.

As he expected, a part of the sky, where the void energy had passed through, began cracking. The cracks stretched out like spiderwebs, then splintered off, creating holes in the sky. A dark fist with long claws came out from one of the holes. The hand was smaller than the one Derek remembered but looked just as menacing as before.

Derek was ecstatic. I can’t believe this. Is Void Call a summoning spell? Am I able to summon one of these creatures from the void and command it? He was giddy with excitement as he watched the beast break its way out of the void.

“Th-That’s… that’s a… a Void Beast!” Leon uttered in fear.

Meanwhile, Derek was thinking of all the help the monster would be. He was no longer angry with the system scamming him. I wonder what I’ll call it? Leon called it a Void Beast. I think I’ll call it Asher. Yeah, it looks like an Asher. All dark and gray with those same kill-me bits. Derek was already treating the Void Beast like it was a new pet he picked up at a shelter. It’s a little smaller than the other one, but I can work with it.

The three stared at the sky. One ecstatic, one terrified, and one confused. Derek’s and Leon’s reactions were in complete opposition.

“H-he’s smiling? He’s crazy!” Leon muttered. “Thomas! Where did you find this madman?”

Before the boy could answer, the dark beast made it out of the void and began its descent. As before, the cracks in the sky seemed to repair themselves instantaneously. By the time the Void Beast had landed, the cracks were barely visible.

“We’re going to die!” Leon shouted at the top of his lungs. His day had been one full of ups and downs. His village being attacked and ravaged left him in despair, but Derek and Thomas arriving and saving him had given him hope.

Seeing his best friend’s family getting to say goodbye was bitter-sweet. Then there was everything that had happened with Derek. That was a new ride altogether, one filled with confusion, elation, and now utter terror.

He reached over and grabbed Thomas. “Come on! We’ve got to get out of here… now!” He pulled Thomas to his chest and sprinted towards Brandi and Malorie.

“Stop!” came a yell from Derek. He was looking at the duo. “Everything is fine.” He pointed toward the Void Beast, who was beginning to stand after crashing to the ground. “It’s fine. It’s not going to hurt anyone. We’re safe.” Derek comforted Leon and Thomas.

Leon remained skeptical. Derek acted like he was in control of the Void Beast, but he had never heard of anyone being able to control one. There were a few people who could fight with one, but to control a Void Beast, Derek had to be insane. Then again, I’ve only heard stories of Void Beasts. It’s not like I’ve ever been able to study or research anything about them. Who am I to say that he can’t control one?

Then a thought suddenly struck Leon. Was that void energy that Derek was channeling earlier? When he shot that beam of energy into the sky, was he summoning the Void Beast? Now Leon knew that Derek was insane, but insane in a completely different way than before.

The only magic Leon knew of that used void energy was portals. But it was taboo to use portals. In the early days, portals were widely used to quickly travel a long distance. The skill was easily learnable and didn’t cost many skill points. Many mages invested in the Create Portal skill.

Soon, though, the Void Beasts began to exit out of open portals. It was then realized that the portals connected to the Create Portal skill were connected to the void. And the void was where the Void Beasts lived.

So now, seeing that Derek actually used a legitimate form of void magic, Leon’s nervousness lessened a great deal. “Are you saying that you can control a Void Beast?” Leon asked.

“I’m pretty sure. I think the skill I used before summoned it. Besides, I met another Void Beast a few days ago. It wasn’t a bad fellow at all, in fact, it helped me out a great deal. You’ve got nothing to fear,” Derek answered as he stood up and walked forward to the awaiting Void Beast. “I knew this skill was going to be awesome. Oh, Great System, I’m sorry for doubting.”

Derek walked toward the creature, and the Void Beast lumbered in his direction. When Derek was in range of the beast, he opened his arms and spoke to the beast. “Welcome, I’m going to name you Asher. Is that OK with you?” Derek reached out to pat the creature on its shoulder.

Seeing nothing bad happen when the man touched the beast, Leon sighed in relief.

That was when the monster backhanded Derek in the chest with its hammer-like fist and razor-sharp claws.

A crimson liquid flew out of Derek’s mouth as he sailed through the air. Landing 20 feet from the monster, Derek looked up, blood dripping from his lips. He turned his head towards Leon and Thomas and yelled, “Run!”