Chapter 1166 – Level 320 Profession Skill Selection

Jake had seriously considered making this the first skill selection he’d purposefully delay for a relatively long time. Delaying a skill selection carried certain risks, but it could also allow one to benefit greatly if one really wanted to develop a particular kind of skill.

Ultimately, Jake had decided not to delay it for a few reasons. First of all, Jake didn’t have a specific skill he was looking to acquire from the selection. In fact, he nearly felt like he had too many alchemy skills already with all the projects he had going on.

Secondly, the only skills Jake had wanted to upgrade were the Malefic Viper Legacy skills, and all of those had now been done. Sure, Palate remained broken, but he could only hope that wouldn’t negatively impact the selection.

Finally, this was his last skill selection of C-grade and the final one for his profession in this grade. As with his class, the previous selection usually included a signature skill of some kind for that particular class or profession, which meant that even if Jake ended up being offered some nice skill he himself influenced to appear, chances were he would still select the final one on offer.

Granted, one did have to have performed well during the grade to get this final signature skill offered in the first place, but Jake wouldn’t say he’d done badly while in C-grade, so he believed he’d at least fulfilled the basic requirements.

Resting on the sofa back in his own little palace, Jake didn’t delay further as he pushed all other thoughts regarding Artemis, relationships, factions, and all that jazz all the way to the back of his mind and got the skill selection started.

Jake felt pleased when he saw the first skill offered was ancient rarity, though when he read what the skill’s name was, he couldn’t help but chuckle.

[Arcane Alchemist’s Supreme Purification (Ancient)] – Through the boundless power of your arcane affinity, stabilize all that you desire and destroy the unwanted as you refuse for any alchemical ingredient to be less than perfect. Attempt to purify any alchemical ingredient, reducing it to its most basic state while ensuring its stability. Arcane purification can also help destroy unwanted properties from an ingredient, making it purer. Must have suitable ingredients. Purification does not require any additional tools or equipment, but the skill’s effect can be amplified with the use of certain catalysts. Adds a notable increase to the effectiveness and chance of success of attempted purifications based on Wisdom and Intelligence.
WARNING: This skill is unlocked by and will serve as an upgrade to your Alchemist’s Purification.

This was the third time Jake had been offered an upgrade to his Alchemist’s Purification skill, and the second in C-grade alone. At this point, it was admittedly a little silly that Jake still had an inferior rarity skill, but in his defense, he never needed it.

Even when he read the description of this vastly upgraded version, he still didn’t really feel like he needed it. Jake tended not to need to purify ingredients much in the first place, as he only procured high-quality products due to being a glorified trust-fund baby of a Primordial. However, even in rare cases where he did need to clean up an ingredient, he had other means.

Truthfully, burning away the unwanted aspects of ingredients was easy enough, especially without a skill in the first place, thanks to Sagacity supporting the entire process. Shit, one of the primary reasons many alchemists used the skill was to purify water for their alchemy, but Jake used his blood as a replacement for that in the majority of cases, and when he made potions and other things where he did need water… well, the inferior rarity skill could still purify water wonderfully.

Did he need to get it upgraded someday, or perhaps just merge it with one of his other alchemy skills?

Yes.

Was it going to be today through the selection of this skill?

Fuck no.

Would Jake more likely than not forget the skill even existed before he was done with the skill selection?

Most definitely.

Hence, he quickly moved on, only to see that with the second skill, he was already up to legendary rarity, which was definitely a good sign. As for the skill on offer, it was definitely a result of Jake’s recent diplomatic mission.

[Life Formation Theory of the Pantheon of Life (Legendary)] – What alchemist does not desire their own garden full of life? Now, you have the tools to create one that’ll earn you the envy of other alchemists. Allows the alchemist to create formations that foster a domain of life suitable for all living things to thrive within. Perhaps life can even appear naturally inside the domain. Relying on powerful concepts gleaned from the depths of the Pantheon of Life itself, you find yourself capable of creating domains containing an incredibly high conceptual level that will only increase as you grow more powerful and begin to understand more of what you’ve seen. These formations are primarily designed to be placed down, but can also be inscribed into items. The effectiveness of Life Formation Theory of the Pantheon of Life is determined by Vitality, Wisdom, and Willpower. Embrace the wonders of life and be an advocate for all living things.

Jake was genuinely surprised to see a skill like this offered for several reasons. The rarity was way higher than he would have expected, especially for a skill he couldn’t place at all how the hell he’d qualified for.

He barely knew anything about formation theory in the first place, and all he did know was related to ritual magic, and without getting into a whole rant about the differences and similarities of those two, Jake simply didn’t like that he’d earned this one.

When racking his brain a bit, Jake could only guess this one wasn’t offered due to anything specific, but was more of an amalgamation of everything. Records for the skill came when his visits to Yggdrasil’s Divine Realm and what he’d seen there, his interactions with Nature’s Attendant, and the bow creation, as well as all the time he’d spent around Artemis.

However, more than this being a representation of what he’d learned or accomplished while at the Pantheon of Life, it seemed more to reflect the people and their intent. While the skill talked about making a garden, this was essentially a skill to create sanctuaries for living things and to help them prosper and thrive.

One interesting thing it did talk about was how he could inscribe the formations into items, which made Jake consider if he could use the skill to create a personal pocket garden of some kind, but alas, such speculation was kind of useless considering there was no way in hell he was going to select the skill.

In the end, Jake’s only real takeaway from getting this offered was that he’d underestimated the Records gained from chilling around gods on a consistent basis and that he should really ask for some books on stuff like this to bring back for Rick the gardener troll. That guy would definitely love a skill like this.

Moving on, the next skill offered… wasn’t a skill offering at all.

[Palate of the Malefic Viper (Legendary)] – The Malefic Viper has honed its venom by devouring myriad toxins and treasures found throughout the multiverse. In the same vein, the Alchemist of the Malefic Viper can consume toxins to learn their effects and properties. Further evolved, you can now also learn the properties of herbs while at the same time enjoying a greater benefit from all potions consumed. Natural treasures can be swallowed and refined at an accelerated pace using your current level of Touch of the Malefic Viper (Legendary). If the item is not a toxin, the item will still be refined but at a slower pace. Allows you to learn the properties of any treasure in your stomach as you slowly refine it. Allows the Alchemist to fully consume a swallowed item, destroying it in the process, if possible. If the item cannot be destroyed or the result of its destruction is too violent, the Alchemist will suffer a backlash, and the internal space will be damaged. Grants immunity or resistance to most poisons. Passively provides 9 Endurance per level in Heretic-Chosen Alchemist of the Malefic Viper (C-grade variant). Through endless consumption, may your power grow; through gluttony, may your Records expand as you devour the world.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
NOTICE: Selecting this skill will fully restore the Palate of the Malefic Viper skill to its uncorrupted state.

This was the consequence of Jake having the skill selection now before fixing Palate, but in his defense, he didn’t even know this was a possibility. He’d at least never seen or heard about it before, and he was shocked enough to reach out to Villy despite them having just stopped talking a bit ago.