Domain

volume 2 upgrade specialist interval chapter 33 - Alice's new cards

Having tested my new skill I had a rough assessment of its strength. A meter cubed of it is roughly equal to a G rank attack. Though I could obviously make it smaller and stronger. When I was in wolf form this defence doubled.

Overall it was a good skill. Against many enemies, I could make a dome shaped shield. then against G ranks, I could make two-meter sized shields. I also had some ideas about other ways to use it, but that was to be left for later.

Solomon: Alice you've got the last enhancement to test. How do you want to test it?

After a few seconds of thought, she answered honestly.

Alice: I don't really know. I don't need to spar to test my new physical stats. I'll figure that out though training. As for my enhancement, it can't do much without skills. I can enhance a trait but I'm not sure what that means.

I guess her skills didn't come instinctually like mine did.

Solomon: give it a go enhancing a trait, we can test to see what happens.

Nodding she closed her eyes to concentrate. Within seconds the green light she emitted grew larger and brighter. After 3 seconds her body undertook a change. Small rock began to grow from her body, within ten seconds most of her body was covered in rocks.

Solomon: well that's, odd.

Gareth: yep, I guess this explains the trait thing though.

Based on the appearance it was most likely an increase in defence.

Having completed her transformation she opened her eyes. They, along with her mouth and nose, were the only uncovered parts of her. Each of these holes in the armour emitted a bright green light, making her look like a golem.

Alice: huh why do I feel heavy.

Looking down she saw the state of her body.

Alice: w, WHAT HAPPENED!?

She was clearly surprised by her new form. Walking over I tried to calm her.

Solomon: calm down Alice, it's just your skill.

Hearing so she seemed to stop panicking, though she still wasn't enjoying this new power.

Solomon: it seems your enhancement lets you increase your defence. This is good for you, it matches you well.

Alice: THIS MATCHES ME WELL, I LOOK HIDEOUS!

She was evidently upset about the physical change. Lowering my head to her ear I tried to get rid of her worries.

Solomon: I think you still look just as cute.

She lowered her head hearing this. I imagined if I could see her cheeks she would be blushing.

Solomon: shall we test it then.

Standing up I offered Alice my hand.

Alice: sure.

Grabbing my hand she stood up.

Walking a couple meters away I turned to face her.

Solomon: I'll try my weakest attack on you, okay?

Nodding her head I held up my hand. Without using my tattoos or weapon, I sent an inch long flame serpent at her. She held up her arms to block the attack. As it collided the flames exploded out like usual. Though it was my weakest attack because my qi had almost quadrupled in quality it was easily enough to roast an average man.

Yet as I watched the flames expand and disappear, she still remained stood there, perfectly unharmed.

Lowering her arms she looked puzzled.

Alice: huh, was that it?

Gareth: I guess your defence is stronger than we thought.

I'd guess judging by how she didn't even feel it, it was at least equal to a G rank magical armour.

Solomon: should I step it up to the next level?

Alice: if it's not too much trouble.

Once again she held up her arms, ready to receive the attack.

This time though I used the same amount of qi I used the arcane orb and my tattoos. With the transformation of the tattoos the quality had doubled. From their the 6x buff of the orb, having still got the upgrade from Yunfei, made the attack 12 times stronger than the last one.

Solomon: be careful with this one, if you feel the armour breaking be sure to jump away.

Having given her a warning, I proceeded with the attack. This time the head of a lizard as long as my arm was formed, before shooting off at her.

I was fully expecting the armour to break against this attack, or at least be heavily damaged.

As I watched the attack collide Alice was pushed back a few meters before the attack lost its momentum. Then exploding the fire spread out over a radius of 2 meters, completely engulfing Alice in fire.

Seeing this I was a little worried. Though I had tried to hold back, my power was greater than I thought it would be. Unexpectedly though, when the fire cleared Alice stood there completely fine.

Solomon: how is it so strong, even my holy light mantle would buckle under an attack like that.

Gareth nodded in agreement.

Gareth: it's certainly very impressive, even against an average G rank fighter she should have no trouble.

Alice: wow, this ability's awesome.

It seems she doesn't mind the appearance so much now that it's really strong.

Solomon: what's the cost to make that armour.

Surely it would be fairly high.

Alice: there isn't one.

I knew I had jinxed it. To have such op armour was crazy, but to have it at no cost was a game breaker.

Alice: I guess technically if I didn't have as many spirits nearby it would be harder.

Thinking about it like that then maybe it wasn't so bad. If we went to a world where we fought in the sea it would be useless. Then again, what were the odds of that? Most missions would have land in some form.

Solomon: we'll just have to see in the future. Anyway let's not test the strength further, I don't want to hurt you.

Nodding Alice agreed. As much as she had faith in her armour she knew I could probably break it. Knowing it would take my all to break her defence would allow me to focus on attacking in fights.

If we fought someone who could easily break the armour then I wouldn't last a second against them.

Solomon: is there anything else?

Alice: there is one thing, it's not an enhancement through.

Nodding, I asked her to continue.

Solomon: go ahead.

Alice: well I was looking at cards for my enhancement. As you know they double in cost if I buy them outside the system. So I thought I would buy a couple. The thing is they're expensive.

Walking back into the other room, Alice showed us the descriptions.

Alice: they come in packs. You can buy specific cards but the costs to do that are tripled.

G rank effect card pack

G rank equipment

400 point cost.

Contains 3 random effect cards for use with the card master enhancement. Using the effect cards causes phenomenon based on their description. Each card has both a cool down time and limitations.

G rank creature card pack

G rank equipment

400 point cost

Contains 1 random creature card to be used with the card master enhancement. Using this card will summon a creature in exchange for at a constant drain on the user. Each card has its own skills.

Alice: I thought it was a little expensive, but we don't have an alternative.

I agreed with her, when we went to the market before, there was not a single card for sale. Rather than risk it with the market, it would be better to buy them. This wasn't all bad though. This way the cost for the cards would not be doubled.

Solomon: I agree, so what are you going to buy.

Alice: well I have 894 points, so I was going to get one of each.

Thinking about it, we could do with another summoned creature. As good as necro was, she needed a card that was able to fight one on one. Also at her level, she could handle 2 cards at most. Her energy would start to run out if she used more. At this level, though she couldn't recover energy she also didn’t lose any. Hopefully, she could keep the creatures out and use the effect cards as well.

Solomon: that seems like the best option, go ahead and get them. Then we can test them.

Standing up Alice requested the items from guild bot.

Alice: guild bot, I'd Like to buy one of each of these.

Saying so she pointed out the packs.

Guild bot 156: payment accepted, 800 points spent.

With a flash of light two plastic packs appeared before Alice, hovering in the air. Grabbing them Alice showed us what they looked like.

They were both palm-sized rectangular packs made of a shiny silver film. One of the packs being considerably thicker than the other.

Solomon: shall we open them then.

Nodding Alice took the thicker pack and split its end open. Disappointing all our expectations, there was no flashy display. Slightly downtrodden, Alice took the cards out of the foil. Like necro's card, they were exactly the same as normal trading cards.

Gareth: what did you get then?

Gareth's question brought me back from my thoughts. Looking at the cards in Alice's hand I placed what they were.

The first was a card titled accelerate. Judging by the card I recognised it from magic the gathering. After that was a Pokemon card. A potion. Lastly was Meteor of Destruction, a yu-gi-oh card.

Alice: I'm not too sure. Solomon, do you have an idea?

Looking at the cards I theorised a couple of ideas, however, it wasn't really something I knew about.

Solomon: I have a general idea, but it's not really my area. The meteor is probably a direct attack. I'd guess it lets you shoot out a meteor or summon one from the sky. For the accelerate card, it's probably a speed buff. As for the potion, maybe some kind of healing effect.

I laid out my best guess, but I was by no means sure.

Alice: I guess I'll just have to try and find out.

Walking into the training room Alice tried out the first card.

Alice: METEOR OF DESTRUCTION!

Shouting out its name she held the card forward. As it was activated a green light began emitting from the card. After a second, the light condensed down into a ball. it started forming a 5x5 meter sphere.

As I watched it the light turned to a red colour. At the end of its transformation, it looked like the meteor from the card. Now having fully formed, the meteor sped forward. Colliding with a target in the shooting range. The dummy made of rock was instantly smashed under the meteor.

After smashing through the dummy and into the wall behind it, the meteor turned back into a card.

Catching the card as it flew to her, Alice was impressed.

Alice: wow, looks like I've got my first attack.

Gareth: looks like it, what's the cost?

Being asked this Alice's mood dampened.

Alice: not good, it takes ten percent of my energy.

Though it was a strong attack capable of seriously injuring most G ranks Alice was disappointed.

Though she didn't say it I imagined she was comparing it to my attacks. In all honesty, without my orb it would take half of my energy to make an equal attack.

Solomon: that's not too bad. When I first got my flame serpent art it cost a quarter of my energy to pull off an attack.

saying so I tried to cheer her up. Compared to my strength upon receiving enhancements she was much stronger. It seemed that my enhancement grew greatly within the rank, whereas Alice's was stronger at first but didn’t grow as much.

Solomon: anyway, shall we test the rest.