Chapter 27 - Stat Update Chapter

  The chapters labeled ‘Stat Update’ are not essential to the story and if you don’t want to read/hear everything Artie has going on all over again, you can skip them as all major changes will be/have been mentioned in the story. However, I understand that many readers enjoy detailed character information, so I’ve included this for those who want that kind of stat crunchy goodness and will do so 1-3 times per book as needed.

  [Name - Arthur Bajbub Neilson

  Class - Suzerain - Unique - Rank SSS

  Path: Scholar

  Bond: Raiju

  Level - 34

  HP - 500

  Mana - 908 (807 available after Summon/Vassal Tax)

  Stamina - 756

  Stats

  Might: 56

  Agility: 178 → 200

  Toughness: 140 (Currently 200 due to bond with Ylsa)

  Charm: 151 → 201

  Wits: 222

  Perception: 180 → 200

  Arcane: 350 → 364

  Divine: 350 → 364

  Active Skills - Mastery %

  Rapid Strike - 89 → 91

  Dual Chop - 76 → 77

  Mana Slide - 40 → 50

  Arcane Armor - 86 → 89

  Elemental Bolt - 79 → 81

  Lockpicking - 86

  Sunny Side Up - N/A

  Wingbind - 81

  Synthesis - 99

  Status Shield - 59

  Psyknife - 53 → 58

  Air Step - 84 → 89

  Haste - 65 → 74

  Light Arrow - 75 → 76

  Acid Spray - 33 → 34

  Wall of Force - 40 → 42

  Sunlance - 50 → 53

  Sanguimancy - 40 → 60

  Sending - 73 → 75

  Mana Conduit - 48 → 50

  Arcane Cannon - 50

  Heartsight - 50

  Sun Armor - 50

  Unique Skills - Mastery %

  Skill Dominance - 46 → 50

  Dominus’ Insight - 33 → 39

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  Lordly Aura - 31 → 36

  Resonant Bolt - 40

  Serene Glade - 40 → 42

  Passive Skills

  Evasion

  Linguist

  Light Armor Training

  Medium Armor Training

  Small Blade Training

  Bow Training

  Code Cracking

  Spelunking

  Cartography

  Herbalism

  Ritual Magic

  Chosen of Dominus (Unique Passive)

  Evolved Skills

  Elemental Mastery (Multiple Skills Merged with Elemental Barrage Evolution)

  Dominus' Fury (Sun Apostle's Fury Evolution)

  Elemental Surge (Elemental Teleportation Evolution)

  Assassin's Mark (Backstab Evolution)

  Illuminate (Light Evolution)

  Distant Legerdemain (Mage Hand Evolution)

  Elemental Form (Elemental Body Evolution)

  Bunker Bolt (Chain Lightning Evolution)

  Elemental Pactlord (Summon Elemental Evolution)

  Magic Sight (Combined Arcane Sight and Path of the Scholar)

  Trap Master (Trap Finding and Trap Disabling Combined Evolution)

  Force Missile Swarm (Magic Missile Evolution)

  Essence Reading (Analyze Evolution)

  Boons

  Friendly Face

  Diplomatic Immunity

  Spell Turning

  Holy Visions

  Spatial Awareness

  Echoes of the Past

  Tiny but Mighty

  Hydra's Regeneration

  Flash Focus

  Sympathetic Statistics

  Speed Blur

  Stolen Skills (5 Standard Slots Available - 1 Unique Slot)

  Stolen Skills List:

  Aqua Slice

  Cat’s Prowl

  Fireball

  Frost Blade

  Hydrosphere

  Photosynthesis

  Raging Torrent

  Searing Wind

  Shearing Gale

  Silent Step

  Silverwood Barkskin

  Sun Jump

  Sunburst

  Water Bomb

  Water Shot

  Basalt Bunker

  Edge of Spring

  Stolen Unique Skills:

  Leviathan's Breath

  Silverleaf Storm

  Storm Knuckles]

  Interlude - Cult of the Void

  Marie Emberstone stood over the still bleeding corpse of the worst man she’d ever met. The former High Priest of Devourer, her patron deity. She held a sinister wavy bladed kris in a vice-like grip as she stared down at her tormentor of so many years. It’d all started when he’d preyed on her mother back when she had one of those, but his eyes were always on the woman’s young daughters when their mother wasn’t looking.

  Ever the protective elder sister, Marie had stepped in and borne the brunt of his abuse, be it physical or emotional, even at a young age. Nearly a decade of that sort of treatment before she’d even gained her [Usurper] Class as Devourer’s Chosen had given her a horrifyingly strong connection to the man, even if she would have done anything to sever it a thousand times before today.

  Panting, she roared toward the altar mere feet from her, where the old priest had attempted to relive his earlier fun with her mere minutes before. “Your perverted High Priest is dead! Make me a deal, or I’ll do the same to myself!”

  ‘That’s no way to speak to a god, is it Marie?’ Devourer’s voice felt like the worst sort of oil as it entered her mind. ‘You just killed the head of my church and now you’re making demands? How do you expect this to go?’

  She put the blade of her kris to her throat and drew a line of blood. “I killed a pedophile, rapist, and murderer who was attempting to defile me again.” She cut a bit deeper. “Someone you elevated beyond his former Priest role after he did so many horrible things. I want out, for me and Mindy.”

  ‘You would give up your Class and all the benefits it conveys for such a…small thing?’ The god truly didn’t get it as she drew the blade even farther across her throat and a steady stream of blood began to flow. ‘I see, you would. In that case, I have a deal for you.’

  She relieved the pressure of the blade against her neck, but didn’t remove it. “I’m listening.”

  ‘I freed you from that man once before, when he would likely have tortured you for weeks. At that time, I wanted you to find the Chosen of Dominus and you failed.’ He leaned on the word. ‘I just so happen to have located him and know where he’s going. I just need you to kill him for me and I’ll never interfere with you or your sister ever again. I’ll even let you keep your Class if you want.’

  To her surprise, a System window appeared before her. The edges of it weren’t their usual blue, but instead it was rimmed with purple, black, and a sickly absinthe.

  [Devourer has offered you his guarantee of non-interference in the lives of you and your sister, Marie and Melinda Emberstone, in exchange for the murder of Arthur Bajbub Neilson, Chosen of Dominus within the next twelve months. As the Chosen of Devourer, you will not receive any divine retribution from Dominus for killing her Chosen. If you fail, Devourer will instead reap your soul and still not interfere with Melinda Emberstone.

  Do you accept these terms? Y/N]

  “If the System is around to keep you honest, this is the easiest contract I’ve ever accepted.” She slammed the button to accept the terms and a beam comprised of the energy within the prompt slammed into her chest, branding her with Devourer’s holy symbol, an orb with tendrils shooting out around it. “Where is he going?”

  ‘He’s headed for Sunhome by way of a number of Dungeons. I’ve added their locations to your map.’ Devourer couldn’t help but joke. ‘He’s got quite the head start on you, you should get moving if you plan on hitting that deadline.’

  Stepping over the body of her worst tormenter, she reached down and snatched a dingy amulet on a rawhide cord from around his neck and stowed it. “This was always mine, you pig.” She spat on his corpse as she walked toward the exit from the safe house she’d been holed up in for the past week. “It’s time to hunt another Chosen.” Artie may have been a great guy, but this is me and my sister’s lives. We’re FREE if I finish this last job. I just hope Mindy can forgive me eventually…