Chapter 406 - Unique (Patreon)

I appear on the 6th floor with my arms still missing and a few more unhealed wounds. All of them are slowly taken care of with the help of my passive.

The place I am at is the exact place where I left from, meaning group 4 members are somewhere far away together with that silly healer. It will probably take a few days to get them.

Too tired to deal with this sort of stuff, I send my domain as deep under the surface as possible, and there I find a hidey hole we made for our items. In it, there is arcane alloy, some materials, interesting mana stones, water, clothes, food, and more. Mostly my things, as the rest of the group took theirs.

I place an anchor and teleport there and light the place with a single orb I make to last for a day or two.

Before going to sleep, I check my stats after a long while. And they are beautiful.

Name: Nathaniel Gwyn
Title: Champion Candidate
Difficulty: Hell
Floor: 6 - Astral Prison
Time left until forced return: 3y 343d 23h 06m 11s
Traits (2/3): Mana Circuit 2/3, Mana Wavelength Iris 0/3

Lvl 250
Strength: 121
Dexterity: 115
Constitution: 272
Mana (Stage 1/3 - Vast Mana): 1051 + 1051
Primary Class: Focused Channeler (Epic)
Sub-class: [Adept of Pride]

Active skills:
Focus - Lvl 50
Perception - Lvl 50
Redistribution - Lvl 50
Resonance - Lvl 50
Mana Domain (Pride) - Lvl 43
Tether - Lvl 37
Infusion - Lvl 33
Mana Crown - Lvl 31
Mana Manipulation - Lvl 51

Constructs:
Reinforcement (Construct)
Thermokinetic Mana Heart (Construct)
Mana Regulator (Construct)
Mana Sovereignty Mantle (Construct)
Vortex Core (Construct)

Passive skills:
Mana Reservoir (upper epic)
Arcane Resilience (mid epic)
Phoenix Embrace (mid epic)
Mana Overload Absorption (low epic)
Cognitive Fortress (mid epic)

Tokens:
Beyond difficulty entrance token
Passive skill combination token (upper epic)
Trait strengthening token (2nd stage)

Shards: 156,638

I can now use my passive skill combination token. I can now check the stuff Lissandra left with me. I can now do Beyond's 3rd trial.

But first, I need to sleep.

Using my [Tether], I let fresh air into the hidey hole. I wouldn't want to die here from lack of air.

I set up defenses and traps, I strengthen the walls with mana and give it enough to last against very powerful attacks. I also make orbs that will burst and damage intruders in case someone tries to get in.

That should be enough to wake me up and mess up whoever tries to disturb my sleep. Then I create another thermal orb I put on my chest, the heat from it powering my passive.

I fall asleep even before I fully close my eyes.

***

When I wake up, I open my eyes very slowly and let out a long yawn. Then I close my eyes again, grabbing one of the blankets nearby with a mana tentacle I quickly create and putting it over myself.

It feels too nice and cozy.

Well, until the scary thought comes to my mind.

Did I have so much trouble and have to go so far to get my skills to level 50 because I didn't have body upgrade? Did my body and mind fight against it because of the pressure the skills would put on me?

There is no way, right? But it's cockroach we're talking about; she is more than capable of setting such messed-up rules just to push me.

And another thing.

Lissandra didn't explain to me what black mana is. Did she do it on purpose because I called her a cockroach or something? She wouldn't be that petty, right? She was an Absolute; there must be some dignity in her, right?

Knowing her, she wouldn't have told me that much anyway.

I also decided not to use black mana for a while, maybe until I get my skills to level 60. As proven before, I need to work on my basics and grow without sacrificing everything for black mana. It could be said that, for now, black mana is sealed away. I should put some bandages around my left arm and seal it there.

Anyway, it all ended up fine. Training arc Nathaniel did pretty well, scary jerk.

Checking the timer again, nearly 24 hours passed. Once again I yawn again and stretch, finally opening my eyes.

A few more thermal orbs float into the place and light it up while I eat some of the food reserves and start more actively using thermal energy to heal my body.

Two evil orbs pop up into existence over my shoulders, and I finally decide to use the token I wanted for a long time. I just waited for the title of Champion candidate that now even shows in my status. That was done in hopes the title, that “achievement”, would improve the final result.

Passive Skill Combination Token (Upper Epic) - Allows you to combine two passive skills up to upper epic rarity. The resulting combination will be a unique skill that cannot be obtained otherwise. Passive Skill Combination Tokens cannot be bought or sold in the system shop.

“I want to sell Mana Overload Absorption.”

Do you really want to sell the following item for 4220 shards?

Mana Overload Absorption (low epic)

Yes/No

I confirm, then I spend 32,465 to buy the upper epic passive skill I've been eyeing for a while and I think it will be nice to use for combination.

Passive Skill: Adaptive Defense (Upper Epic) - The user’s defensive capabilities automatically adjust to counter the nature of incoming attacks, providing optimal resistance whether the threat is physical, magical, or elemental.

“I want to combine Adaptive Defense and Mana Reservoir,” I say.

A feeling of asking for confirmation hits me, and when I do so, both of them disappear from the list of my passives.

You have used your Passive skill combination token (Upper Epic) to combine Adaptive Defense (Upper Epic) and Mana Reservoir (Upper Epic).

Analyzing passive skills used in the combination.

Analyzing user performance up until now.

Several options devised.

Adjusting for Champion candidate status.

Creating a passive skill for the user.

Congratulations, you have obtained a Unique Epic passive skill!

Mana-Kinetic Conversion Reservoir (Unique Epic) - The user's body passively channels mana from the reservoir into their kinetic responses, creating a feedback loop that adapts to physical impacts or nearby bursts of kinetic energy. When struck or near a powerful source of it, their body can absorb the kinetic energy and store it as mana.

Okay, let's breathe it out. And stop trying to use [Focus] for your emotions. You haven't done it for over two weeks and have already decided to use it very sparingly. It seems to be working better that way.

Calmed down? Good, now read the description at least five times.

I do just that after checking my ex-Mana Reservoir, but the original effect doesn't seem to be changed. It still can store three times my body mana, but there is also something else, it changed a bit.

There is one sentence in the new description that I really, really like. When struck or near a powerful source of it, their body can absorb the kinetic energy and store it as mana.

There is, of course, something I don't like. I can absorb kinetic energy on my own and store it as kinetic energy. I can use it for defenses, I can even counterattack. It's something I started to work more on, and I'm getting quite good at it. Some passive skill doing it instead of me, and maybe less efficiently, is only annoying, and I really don't like that part.

However, there is that one thing that makes that annoyance disappear as nothing.

Turn kinetic energy into mana.

I mean, the heck? Should I have that? Isn't it illegal? Isn't it too good?

The efficiency can be bad of course; I could be wasting a lot of my mana to turn kinetic energy into mana to the point where it wouldn't be worth it. Still wouldn't care at all. For the first time, I have found a way for me to turn one of my primordial energies into mana.

So far, I could only use my own mana, send it through Thermokinetic Mana Heart, and with a bit of help from [Redistribution], turn it into my primordial energies.

This is huge. I mean, really, really huge. Wasn't that Champion called Laten someone super strong because he could turn thermal energy into mana they used for the ignition station?

Of course, I have no expectation my thing is anywhere near as good, but I know for sure if I got it now, there is a huge chance it will influence my future Primary class options, my traits, my passive skills, all this stuff. In the future, I could get something much better. I'm only level 250 anyway, so it's obvious it wouldn't be Champion-level.

But I also wonder, did having the Champion candidate title help with that? Did having 5 skills at level 50 allow the system to improve what I got? Maybe my subclass affected it. Maybe cockroach knew that and... well, whatever. Good stuff.

If efficiency is good, I can break my heart a bit and make it so it beats dangerously, similar to the way that almost killed me on the third floor. That way maybe I could have my passive work constantly and gain another source of mana.

Wouldn't that be perfect? There would be no damage, I could go more wild with that construct and would still get the bonus.

For that, I will need to do some testing with efficiency. But first, I check the rest of the notifications from Champion declaration.

Congratulations, you have been declared Champion candidate by a person judged by the system to be capable of such a declaration!

You can now challenge beings with similar rank to yours, beings such as candidates, disciples, vessels, and more. The challenges are overseen by the system, and both sides can set wagers.

Rules of the challenges are set by both sides, and there is a heavy penalty in case of breaking them. The wagers will be overseen by the system itself.

So duels against other Candidates and similar stuff?

I wonder, could I bet my stats, passive skills, or something like that? It would be interesting in such a case.

But it also could be abused, I can imagine. Let's say some dying Champion would want to pass something to his son or daughter who would be a Candidate. Would in such a case, the Champion be able to lose on purpose after using all his status as a wager to pass it along?

It's a very interesting thought and something I should consider more.

Noname (Hell, group 4) - on the floor.

Knight (Hell, group 4) - wow, so you didn't die in the end.

Noname (Hell, group 4) - didn't you want to become my minion? Be nicer.

Knight (Hell, group 4) - I gave up.

FoodFood (Hell, group 4) - food!

Noname (Hell, group 4) - hello bud! I hope you are eating well.

FoodFood (Hell, group 4) - food! Food!

Noname (Hell, group 4) - I will talk to them when we meet.

Grumpy (Hell, group 4) - Hey! I bet you need healing.

I check my still partially missing hands and some healing wounds. It seems not that bad, the now-working passive helps. I also still remember Lissandra stabbing me with that dagger made of Saint's arm and with an eye imbued into it.

Being cockroach she is, she didn't heal me, and she said it saved my life, something I strongly disagree with. Such wounds are barely worth mentioning.

Noname (Hell, group 4) - no healing needed. Sset, are you here?

Sset (Hell, group 4) - yes. Are you at the spot where we were when you left?

Noname (Hell, group 4) - yes, exact same spot.

Sset (Hell, group 4) - that's perfect. Can you destroy a small fort for me? The highest level there should be close to 300.

Noname (Hell, group 4) - Tell me where to go.

***

After finishing my conversation with Tess and others, I check the timer. I have two days to reach the place.

The plan is simple. Tess and others will attack the Black Tower where Dennis and Aaron are held still. They will deal with the Champion candidate there. A combination of Tess, Lily, and Sophie should do it quite easily. Their next step will be to deal with everyone else trying to get in their way.

I know it's not that simple, and Tess, Maya, and Sophie probably prepared some cool, complicated plan to do that.

Meanwhile, my job will be to reach a place called Bone Fortress. A fortress built around the rib cage of some giant, long-dead monster.

Bone Fortress and Black Tower are two places that cooperate together, so Tess is worried they might send help through some portal. That's where I come in and mess these guys up before they do so.

My plan is very simple, unlike Tess's.

I will fly there as it's in the opposite direction of where Black Tower is. While flying, I will practice a bit and get used to all this stuff. I can try to examine my newest passive. I will open up some of the “gifts” left to me by Lissandra too.

Then, when I reach it, I will attack at the time Tess tells me to. During that attack, I will test the new passive, the difference in handling my mana, and how much I grew. There is hope they will have a strong guy or two.

When it's all done and the twins are free and group 4 safe, I will go and do Beyond's 3rd trial. A day or two is something I can sacrifice before going there. That also should be enough time for my body to heal fully.

My crown is already activated and being filled with my mana. Before I reach the Bone Fortress, it should collect a decent amount.

***

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