Chapter 27 – Crafting a New Staff

[Gale Step (E) 2TP], [Lesser Spirit Anchor (E) 1TP], [Thornshot (F) 2TP], [Feral Roar (F) 2TP], [Lunar Flare (D) 4TP], [Stoneguard (E) 3TP]

Note: You can choose to reroll a saved skill from the last selection. That skill won’t appear again.

[Thornshot (F) 2TP] – Summon thorn bullets and fire at your enemies. Shoot up to 6 projectiles per cast. Damage scales with tier and level. Costs 80 Spirit per cast.

[Feral Roar (F) 2TP] – While in feral form, unleash a roar imbued with spirit energy and your willpower, causing enemies to flee in fear and empowering allies, increasing their overall speed by 10%.

[Stoneguard (E) 3TP] – Command the earth beneath you, raising a two-meter-tall and wide wall for protection. Costs 150 Spirit to cast.

Hmmm, I’ll remove Thornshot. It’s not something I’ll be needing. Maximus decided, though a part of him also wanted to test this feature and see what would happen.

Rerolling skill [Thornshot (F)]

New skill added to the selection.

[Spore Cloud (E) 3TP]

Well, that was underwhelming. Ah, well, I’ve got 11 points to spend, I’m taking the Spirit Anchor and Lunar Flare just from looking at their names. Well, let me see the details first. No rush, you old fool. He opened the skill descriptions.

[Gale Step (E) 2TP] – By using explosive bursts of wind, move up to 5 meters in any direction regardless of terrain. Your next melee attack evokes slicing winds and has its damage increased by 10%. Costs 50 Spirit per cast and goes on a 5-minute cooldown after three casts.

[Lesser Spirit Anchor (E) 1TP] – Using your being as an anchor, summon a lesser elemental spirit to aid you in battle. The spirits will bless you with a boon related to their elemental attunement while summoned and attack with low-level spells. Spirits summoned 0/1.

[Lunar Flare (D) 4TP] – Commune with the power of the lunar star and conjure a brilliant flare of purifying cold flames that engulf your target, dealing medium instant damage and constant burning cold damage over a 2-minute duration. Costs 240 Spirit to cast.

[Spore Cloud (E) 3TP] – Summon a cloud of Mycenae spores which, once inhaled or absorbed, cause hallucinations and paralysis in the victim, lasting for 2 minutes, and cannot be cleansed by regular means. Costs 180 Spirit per cast.

By the heavens, they are all amazing. Imagine getting half the points; poor other participants. He chuckled inwardly as he reread the list. At this rate, I’ll never get that Earth spell. Sigh, I’ll take the newest four. He chose, leaving Feral Roar and Stoneguard behind once more.

“Got anything good?” Oscar asked impatiently.

“Indeed, a few things.” Maximus smiled.

“What, you’re not gonna clue us in?” Oscar pressed.

“I got a sort of a fire spell and a few others, you’ll see.” Maximus winked playfully.

“How are you even buying all these skills?” Felix cut in, intrigued.

“It’s a secret,” Maximus said with a grin.

“Fine then, keep your secrets, Red.” Oscar hmphed.

“Well then, I’ll need to get a new staff; my old one broke,” Maximus muttered as he stood up.

He inspected Sprout’s cocoon and noticed that a small crystal had crumbled loose from where he had rooted himself.

“That’s it! How have I not thought of that?!” He crouched next to the cluster of crystals and took out his sword, prying a few loose.

“What are you doing now?” Felix questioned.

“I’m going to fix my staff myself. These crystals should make a good conduit for spells, and I can find a new handle outside.” Maximus said, enthused.

“Ha! Look at him! Now he thinks he’s a master blacksmith, he does. Aye, of course you can, mate. I’m one hundred percent behind your crackpot plans, me,” Oscar chuckled.

“I really want to see the finished product,” Felix said, half-kidding, half-expecting something ridiculous.

“Heal and watch over Sprout. I’ll be back soon enough,” Maximus said as he walked outside.

***

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As soon as he exited the cavern, Maximus activated his World Sense and, for the first time, saw the world for what it truly was. Spirit energy radiated from trees like a thick green mist, pure mana mixed with elements and laws flowed through everything, and connecting it all was liquid-like numina, with four elements radiating through the realm itself.

As he observed water numina flowing through the trees and air numina drifting above him, the two small, dim lights within his seed ignited, drawing in enough energy until they shone as brightly as the other two.

After the balance was set, he observed no other changes. This is very odd. If only I could run an experiment to reproduce the same effects. He stood there thinking as the sun warmed his ever-changing body.

Maybe I could make an external seed and force the numina into it, and then see what happens if I activate it. As he was trying to figure out the best way to experiment, Silex walked slowly next to him and whipped him with his tail across the buttocks.

Maximus winced and frowned. “What is it now?” He looked down and gasped.

Around Silex, water mana and numina flowed, making him look as if he were submerged beneath a shallow tide. “Silex, my boy… How are you… How are you just a regular beast?” Maximus couldn’t believe that the crocodile carried water numina within him. This would mean that he could become much, much stronger one day. He smiled as he crouched down, petting his large head. “What is it? You wanted something?” He asked gently.

Silex nodded and led him behind the cave.

There, at the corner where the cave merged into a larger hill surrounded by thick woodland, stood a tall tree shimmering with faint green veins running across its bark.

[Spirit Pine (C)]

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