Chapter 2332 (Patreon)

ToC: https://www.patreon.com/posts/23899958

Someone posted a comment on my Status about wanting me to have a break day on my birthday, and I laughed pretty hard. I honestly haven't had a day this productive in a long time.

In other news, I am giving myself the gift of only two chapters to finish off last week. But these chapters are draining to make, and the second chapter is what we've been waiting for, for so long.

Congratulations! Your Class Lodestone of the Black Wanting has evolved into Deviant Calamity, Soulbound to the Carrion Dragon! Your Skill Conviction of the Celestial Cataclysm (T) has evolved into Certainty of the Dread Wyrm (P)! Your obstinacy has slightly increased. Your willpower now has the capability to influence those around you while manifesting your images. Please note those overpowered by your certainty will suffer severe negative side effects, entering into a dazed state that makes independent thought impossible. Adds a small boost of power and fearful aspects to all images. Effects increase with Skill Level. Skill Level will be maintained.

Congratulations, your Skillset Dread Homunculus, Nyx Reincarnated is reacting to the shift in your Class! Your Skill Chimera’s Suffocating Rebuke (T) has evolved into Dragon’s Fell Smite (GD)! Flames of annihilation and horror will surround your limbs in battle, increasing the power of all attacks. Physical and mental attacks will contain traces of the deep well of existential dread that the Carrion Dragon embodies. There is a small chance of causing extreme damage to your targets, for no explicable reason. The transfer of force within your body is now supported by unconsciously created Nether Rituals, meaning the application of Nether Weight is more efficient. Weaker witnesses to the Skill will lose hope of opposing you when you attack. Effects increases with Skill Level. Skill Level will be maintained.

Congratulations! Your Stats are reacting to the shift in Class!

Your Stat Egg’s Illusory Plume (L) has evolved into Carrion Dragon’s Carapace (T)! Vastly increased resilience to physical attacks. Magical and mental attacks have a chance to disperse naturally on contact with your body. Ratio of Stat amount to Health greatly increased!

Egg’s Illusory Plume (L) generated Health: 33415. Recalculating…

Carrion Dragon’s Carapace (T) generates Health: 65415!

The shift in Classes brought along with them some itching changes in other aspects. Randidly felt the muscles across his body tighten and wriggle like revolutionary worms ready to overthrow the government. His tendons and flesh knitted themselves even more tightly together to form a powerful quilt across his person. As an already monstrous physical specimen, the change elevated his body into an almost peerless weapon.

He released a steaming breath as the changes settled.

At the same time, the greater shift probably came from the presence of his will. As his emerald eyes flicked back and forth, he could feel flames of Nether Weight and a physicalized, fear-based energy going along with his focus. The longer he looked, the more he saw the target of his gaze coming under the effects. The connection had magnified some of the worst aspects of the Dread Homunculus and the Songstress of the Inhospitable Depths, granting him a dangerous power, but while making it much more precipitous for an average person to associate with him.

Neveah? Randidly probed. His hands continued to move as he drew more of Pine’s energy display into his body to fuel the shift, but he couldn’t help but feel wary. The Carrion Dragon… that would be you, yes? And our combination… judged to be a Deviant Calamity by the Pantheon?

One aimed at the entire Nexus, yes. Neveah confirmed. A trial that will either be overcome… or lead this universe toward ruin.

But we-

Randidly, I can feel your emotional response. You don’t like how negatively we are being painted by your own Class. How it hints at the harm we might inflict, Neveah said. But you cannot deny that it’s true. We have bought and paid for these capabilities. These are the forms we have chosen, the images we have embraced in order to climb to this point. Most of the direction for these Classes comes from our reflection in others. So look at yourself, look closely. Does the image you see there make you balk?

Never, Randidly’s expression softened. Even with that answer, he hesitated. Not for himself, but because he knew Neveah. The Soulbond between them might currently be used to increase his own power and capability, and although he didn’t rely on Health as actively as he used to it was still a nice boost, but it came at the cost of Neveah’s harmless existence.

I’m sorry, Randidly added, meaning the two words, but not knowing how else he could ease her pain.

To that, Neveah didn’t respond. She seemed unwilling to comment at the moment. And the evolution of his Class continued.

Congratulations! Your Class Lesson for those of Brittle Will is evolving!

You have grown through the creation of Expira and its inclusion in the Alpha Cosmos. Your Path deviated quite quickly from the commonly trod thoroughfares to lead you through to an area of universe-creation that is rarely explored by those under the System. From strange environments, strange benefits spring. By moving beyond the common Paths, you have encountered strange and wondrous flora and fauna. The breadth of your experience has not ceased accumulating. But no earned Skill will be more valuable than your ability to manipulate the environment to your own ends. You have become an expert in the process of involving people as elements in a large-scale alchemic reaction, producing shocking and impressive results due to your careful balancing. The universe is the ultimate stage and you are prepared to transmute. Your eyes are sharp, the depths of your mind are unfathomable, and your dedication to altering the status quo will never falter in the face of adversity.

You will still be a lesson for your enemies, but now that you have reached the heights of your power, the consequences for underestimating you will often be fatal.

Congratulations! Your Skill Lesson for those of Brittle Will has evolved into The Alchemist of Constellations, Arch-Heretic of Expira! Your Skill Cloak of Utter Night (P) has evolved into Ghosthound’s Cloak of a Thousand Lightless Horizons (GD)! The Cloak of Utter Night has lost some of its implacable darkness as it integrates fully into your person. In exchange, a small amount of defensive ability has been lost. But in exchange, user has completely mastered and made the cloak his own. Will significantly boost the movement abilities of the user while activated. While wearing the Cloak, all regenerations will be doubled. The Ghosthound’s Cloak of a Thousand Lightless Horizons can be manipulated freely, spreading out to cover a large area. Within those covered areas, the efficacy of energy patterns are greatly increased. Effects increases with Skill Level. Skill Level will be maintained.

Congratulations! Your Skillset the Moirae of Ripples is reacting to the change in your Class! Your Skill Severing Tide of Amenonuhoko (P) has evolved into Lethal Tide of Izanami (GD)! Within the bubbling waters of your energy patterns, small aspects of life and death become common. Damage inflicted by Skill greatly increases. Aether and Nether are much more likely to mix harmoniously within your currents. If an opponent is overwhelmed by your patterns, there is a vastly increased chance of receiving critical damage. There is a small chance of Aether and Nether fusing during patterns, producing unpredictability beneficial results. Effects increase with Skill Level. Skill Level will be maintained.

Congratulations! Your Skillset the Moirae of Ripples is reacting to the change! Your Skill Gospel within the Seething Torrent (P) has evolved into Truth within the Primordial Flux (GD)! Allies operating within your energy patterns will have their abilities boosted, depending on the scope of the patterns. Outside energy sources can be incorporated slightly more quickly into your storms of force. When storms of force reach certain milestones of intensity, benefits significantly increase as the environment is altered. Effects increase with Skill Level. Skill Level will be maintained.

Congratulations! You have gained the Class Skill Arch-Heretic’s Thaumaturgy (P)!

Arch-Heretic’s Thaumaturgy (P): A specialized Skill developed by the Alchemist of Constellations to domesticate the wild universe. Through extensive familiarity with Nether, user has begun to understand the base patterns of connection and relationships that can alter the outcomes of various situations. User will have a greater understanding of how to interact with others, and also can display their sincerity in order to persuade others to their side. Skill will create a slight chance of other’s believing or finding the strength to believe in the user’s ideas. Skill will increase the possibility that a powerful reaction will occur, increasing a sympathetic target’s power.

Congratulations! Your Skill Arch-Heretic’s Thaumaturgy (P) has grown to Level 2!

Congratulations! Your Skill Arch-Heretic’s Thaumaturgy (P) has grown to Level 3!

Of all the portions of his Class that evolved so far, this leg included the most notifications. In addition, it ended with the acquisition of an entirely new Skill. One which Randidly was very happy to add to his repertoire— after today’s attempts and trials, he understood how much he needed the assistance of those around him. In his Path forward, he imagined himself forming an army to march against Elhume.

Congratulations! Your Skill Arch-Heretic’s Thaumaturgy (P) has grown to Level 4!

…

Congratulations! Your Skill Arch-Heretic’s Thaumaturgy (P) has grown to Level 36!

But the name, Alchemist of Constellations… in the other Classes, Randidly could see the aspects of what Neveah feared. Others’ perceptions had probably altered the shape of his Class. However, this one was all his own. He had carved out his existence and earned this moniker.

All of his efforts, his nudges, and his growth during his time in the Upper Sonora had led to this result. He had gained power, sure, and a not-insignificant amount of personal strength, but that paled in comparison to his understanding of the wider Nexus and its opportunities. From world-state images, from some of the secrets of the past, from truths about Elhume’s ability to reach the Pinnacle, to encountering the wildness of Devick without the bitter tang of poisonous regret in the present, to witnessing a knock-off Pinnacle and understanding the regrets of the most powerful individual in the Nexus, the memory had provided many broad-perspective bonuses.

Congratulations! Your Skill Arch-Heretic’s Thaumaturgy (P) has grown to Level 99!

Now, Randidly just needed to take all those elements he encountered and weave a dangerous weapon out of them. He might have defined his new word Ghasthund while examining the Elhume in the memory, but it was now a concept that echoed out, perhaps even beyond the limits of the Nexus.

Congratulations! Your Skill Arch-Heretic’s Thaumaturgy (P) has grown to Level 157!

…

Congratulations! Your Skill Arch-Heretic’s Thaumaturgy (P) has grown to Level 400!

All would fall under its sway. Even Randidly, were he not careful.

At the four hundred mark, his new Skill ceased increasing its Skill Level. It would probably continue jumping up once he made use of its effects, but he didn’t worry about it for now; for the current Randidly, what was one more Mille?

Instead, he focused on Neveah. Just one more leg, then the big shift for the Class. Did you notice the way the naming convention seemed to no longer be present?

It’s just waiting for the final shift, Neveah responded. The last piece settling into place.

Randidly pursed his lips; he could sense her tension. So he pushed through to the next steps in the evolution.

Congratulations! Your Class Longing of the Banished Wind is evolving!