Eric raced across the flatlands as impermeable obsidian morphed into porous volcanic rock that crunched and crumbled under his reinforced boots.

Before collapsing entirely to reveal a massive sinkhole filled with vines covered in thorns and putrid green ichor now whipping through the air and slamming upon the ground where Eric had strode just seconds ago. in explosions of wickedly sharp gravel.

Eric could barely hear his own startled curse over the explosions of gravel unleashed by the furious vegetative assault, desperately backpedalling for all he was worth as he lashed out with Mithril and Fire Qi to cleave through as many vines as he could before one smelling of rot and death finally managed to whip around Eric’s torso, nausea warring against terror as Eric was whipped right into a massive maw of thorny teeth.

Before terror became sublime focus as Eric poured his heart and soul into a single perfect cut.

Doom Slice!

Cleaving completely through the three foot thick vine as he was sent tumbling through the air, soot black clouds flaring with infernal fires trading places with the shattered plains of obsidian, pumice, twisted vegetation and a bubbling lake of molten death... what now seemed the semi-inert remains of a volcanic basin, or perhaps exactly what it looked like... a plane of hell.

It took desperate focus to crush down his panic, knowing he dared do nothing that would alter his trajectory right then. Right now his fall was at a single G. Should he be stupid enough to rupture his protective ritual and end up hurtling down at 4 or 5Gs… the fight would be over before it had even began.

So instead he did the only thing he could do, go on the offensive, even while hurtling through the air, roaring out his rebuttal in words that even the creature belonging to the massive maw of five foot long teeth snapping up at the human tumbling through the air could understand. Eric braced himself, hurtling just out of reach of the absolutely horrid profusion of vines reaching up, up, up for him… before the whipping vines immediately retracted as dark spiritual tendrils began to twist all about the massive horror, turning strength to weakness, and the Elder Root’s certain victory into...

“Inevitable Doom!”

“Hell Vines!”

Eric had time for a single desperate smile as the ambush predator’s own vines were wrapped up in their mirror image, only Eric’s Hell Vines were covered in crimson flame, and took no damage whatsoever from the poisonous ichor oozing from the Elder Roots multitude of limbs.

Instead the ichor turned out to be the perfect accelerant for the unfortunate Elder Root, now crippled by a multi-faceted spell bane and wrapped in vines radiating the very essence of flame.

But it wasn’t enough, Eric knew that. He needed to—

You have struck stone ground for 175 Points of damage!

You have successfully braced yourself for impact! Strength check successful! Vitality Check successful!

Sever Wound mitigated to 2 Light Wounds! You are suffering from mild ankle sprain!

You have managed to bite off the tip of your own tongue!

Unified Healing in effect!

You have managed to save against Necrotic Infection!

Eric choked back a cry when his final desperate casting turned into bracing for impact and a hard landing against jagged stone that of course twisted his ankle just the wrong way and now he was coughing up blood and spitting out the tip of something he’d rather not think about, before fury turned to panic and desperate eyes looked all around, knowing that in this place like no other, he dare not let his guard down for even a second.

And he couldn’t help but flash a smile when he met the fiery hot gaze of a fresh pack of Obsidian Velociraptors loping off in the distance, now turning in eerie unison to investigate what was no doubt wounded prey… all while the titanic Elder Root ambush predator roared behind Eric, desperately trying to free itself from his Hell Vines, and Eric had no doubt that the creature would succeed.

But Eric, being no fool, kept his focus on the Mesozoic horrors glaring at him with such hostile intelligence that had so freaked him out in the movie theaters as they rapidly closed the distance from half a mile off to just a few hundred yards to...

“Fulmen! We’re not fucking around this time, you stupid shits!” Eric roared, unleashing multiple blasts of lightning blasting multiple raptors off their massive feet before he charged right through the stunned pack now reduced to half their number, a bar of white hot flame searing through limbs, scales, and proto-feathers to absolutely devastating effect.

“Windfire Strike!”

Before the largest member of the pack struck Eric in turn.

Perception check failed!

Quickness check mitigates fatal wound to Serious injury!

Utahraptor has clamped upon your left hip! Mithril mail mitigates damage!

Words that meant nothing as Eric’s world became hazy with an explosion of pain, his hip cracking under the hideous pressure of a bite that would be strong enough to chomp right through spring steel. A dazed Eric found himself being thrashed back and forth for all he was worth, his sluggish danger sense, clearly muted against higher level horrors, was still screaming warning about the two predators on either side of the alpha, just looking for the right moment to peck and tear.

So he surrendered his grip on his mithril blade as he was whipped and smacked around, unable to get off even a single syllable of any spell, forced to resort to the one weapon left to him against a creature that had him gripped firmly by his crushed hips.

His fists.

And that meant smashing in the beady eyes of his foe with all the Strength he could muster.

Strength infused with the essence of flame.

Fire Fist!

Fire Fist!

You have successfully parried Ripping Beak strike with mithril covered forearm!

You have suffered one additional Medium Wound!

You have infused Alpha Obsidian Raptor’s Skull with the Essence of Flame!

You have critically struck your foe!

Heat Surge is now Rank 12!

Eric wanted to cry out with relief as much as he wanted to shriek with pain when he tore himself free of the hideous beak that had actually managed to crush his hips. But he knew he had no time. He had not a single instant to spare as he rolled, rolled for all he was worth, ignoring the hideous jolts of pain as shattered hip splinters ground into his muscles. Because it was all he could do to make sure the sharp retort of splintering stone as raptor beak met basalt wasn’t replaced by the soft squelch of those dinoraptor fucks tearing out his entrails.

So instead he choked back his whimpers and rolled right into the rocky depression just a few feet away, praying that it was as unoccupied as it seemed to be, and when he was abruptly weightless for a good three foot drop before being jolted to the point of shrieking and spitting up blood, it was with a fierce smile on his lips as the remaining pair of Utahraptors hissed and glared from the lip of depression, more than willing to dart down and rip him open, now that he was effectively pinned in the shallow groove.

And as was often the case for clever hunters on the verge of true sapience, thought became action as the pair leaped down, their wicked talons now in perfect position to rip him right open.

Before both terror birds were char broiled mid leap in a storm of lightning.

Congratulations! You have successfully slain 7 Level 52 Obsidian Utahraptors!

You have successfully slain 1 Level 65 Stalker Raptor!

You have successfully defeated a powerful foe significantly higher level than yourself!

Windfire Strike is now Rank 9!

Fire Fist is now Rank 7!

Fire Fist is now Rank 8!

Lightning Bolt is now Rank 9!

Heat Surge is now Rank 12!

Unarmed Combat is now Rank 14!

You have successfully fused together Shattered Hip Socket!

Full skeletal integrity restored!

Unified Restoration is now Rank 6!

Primal Adventurer is now Level 41!

Primal Adventurer is now Level 42!

Eric wanted to howl with triumph, having bested multiple monstrous foes he took great pleasure in whisking into his ES Space, having every intention of one day raising those monstrous fucks into the most fearsome of hunter killer ambushers that would strike at his command.

Yet all he could do was choke out a sob, trembling with post battle shakes, and just appreciate how damned close he had come to death. Again. Knowing all too well what an utter fool he was, even daring this Orange Tier nightmare. Yet he knew as well that if he wanted to continue to ascend and grow, he had very little choice. Because his world was utterly absent the Green and Blue tier dungeons and territories that promised most other newly ascended worlds smooth ascension from levels 20 to 60 and beyond. All Terra had were white tier followed by orange, and then red and black. So the choice was simple. Take on these nightmares and see if he had a shot at besting this hell hole, or at the very least, come out a hell of a lot stronger than when he had first gone in, or sit back just like everyone else was, picking over white tier scraps, and praying they wouldn’t all get wiped out by a monstrous beast surge within the next ten years.

Eric let loose a bitter chuckle, already knowing that his only choice was to risk death on his own terms, or eventually get swept of the board at his enemies’ whim.

“So quit shaking like a goddamned coward. Man the fuck up!” Eric glared at his own clenched fist, trembling with weakness he absolutely refused to acknowledge.

Though at least he could take comfort in shudders that smoothed to perfect stillness when he boosted his Finesse an additional six points. So maybe he’d be less likely to lose his balance the next time a raptor ambushed him from behind. And maybe 6 points to Perception was all it would take to pierce even a 65th level ambusher’s cover. Sure as shit, he hoped it would be enough to spot the trembling tell of the next elder root… and if not, his final six points invested into Quickness would allow him to react just an eyeblink quicker than he already was… an eyeblink that could mean the difference between life and death.

As fast as he thought, it was done, Eric springing free of the depression with even more catlike grace than he had been blessed with just minutes before, the stench of brimstone, lye, and urine sharper than ever in the air. Yet in an odd way it was comforting as he found himself communing ever deeper with his environment, now better able to distinguish between the scents of the corrupted land all around him and the musky aroma of the Utahraptor packs that had twice over thought to make short work of him, before paying the ultimate price themselves.

With a thought, his soul-bound Mithril blade was in his hands once more before being solemnly cleaned and resheathed as he began a loping jog back to the source of the hideous roars echoing through the vast hellscape, soon accompanied by the stench of scorched leaves and the oddly citrusy scent of heartwood lit ablaze.

Perception Check made!

But Eric was already springing back from the lip of the massive crater that was the Elder Root’s home, not at all surprised to find a pair of scorched vines furiously smashing against the crater’s rim. At whatever level that creature was at, Eric would be surprised if it didn’t have a way to sense Eric coming from half a mile away.

Then he hissed a curse and immediately spun around, just in time to spot a furtive looking vine getting ready to slam his back and send him cartwheeling right into the crater below.

Windfire Strike!

Eric’s blade tore completely through the massive vine, no weapon feat needed as the wood exploded into flame wherever his spiritual fires touched. Which was a damn good thing, since Soul Reserves took longer to recoup than anything else, and he was still scraping the bottom of that particular barrel.

Eric took a shuddering gasp, glaring down at the fractured land behind him, long seconds wasted while the massive Elder Root that had broken free of his earlier trap clambered ever closer to the rim of its own massive creation, but he really didn’t care. Not until his eagle eyes were damn certain there were no clever vines eager to burst out from behind… not until his danger sense screamed in alarm.

But Eric was already prepared.

“Roboro Ventus! Iram Ignis! Plures attentio!” Eric roared over long seconds, pouring all his focus and concentration into spitting out the last syllable just as a dozen monstrous vines grabbed the lip of the crater like fingers, pulling up a hideous collection of whipping roots infested with a dozen truffle like growths, and even Eric had to fight back a disgusted lurch when the truffle-like appendages abruptly expanded to reveal translucent globes of pearlescent liquid. Liquid orbs now gazing at him much like vegetative eyes.

Eyes that were suddenly covered in a maelstrom of liquid flame.

As were the vines, suddenly lashing out in a furious frenzy.

As was the massive cavernous mouth opening to reveal a thousand thorn-like teeth. Then the Elder Root letting loose a vile hiss that instantly froze Eric where he stood.

You have successfully cast Firestorm Ritual! Note. Upkeep costs are currently draining your reserves.

You have been struck by Doom Shout! You are unable to move!

Eric’s mind screamed silently, heart racing with alarm as the massive abomination filled the air with the awful chalkboard-like scratching that seemed to cut into Eric’s very soul.

And Eric was powerless before it.

Powerless before the massive creature whipping its limbs frantically as it continued to writhe in flame.

Flame Eric realized he controlled still, for all that his Qi and Mana Pool were rapidly draining.

It was all he could do to brace himself for the massive vine that inevitably sent him hurtling through the air once more, grateful only that his foe’s torments were such it hadn’t even thought of opening its mouth to the firestorm.

You have taken one Serious Wound and 150 points of damage you cannot parry (temporarily paralyzed).

Doom Shout has ended! Your foe is distracted by pain!

Finesse check made! You have successfully braced yourself against Hard Landing!

“Hell Vines! Hell Vines!” Eric roared, happily paying double standard cost as the ground erupted with not just one but two clusters of furiously whipping vines covered in hellish flames that immediately began wrapping their tendrils around the massive Elder Root once more. Vines that were completely unaffected by the firestorm Eric grimly maintained as his Mana and Qi reserves continued to plummet, all the while grimly directing his vines to pull open the furiously struggling maw of the Elder Root until it too was forced to taste the white hot flame caressing its toughened exterior, at which point it began to burn within as well as without.

Eric crashed to his knees, half in exhaustion, half in trance, as he became one with the flame consuming his foe, until nothing but ashes and the echoes of screams remained.

Only then was it finally over, and Eric wanted to sob with exhaustion and relief in equal measure.

But instead he crawled as close to his foe’s remains a the hideous supernatural heat would allow, so drained he was dizzy just getting back to his feet.

But that couldn’t stop the bloody smile he flashed this twisted world as he glanced at his latest interface messages.

You have overcome a Level 85 Dread Boss!

You have successfully defeated a foe twice your (highest class) level!

You have successfully maintained multiple Runic Chants while battling opponents far beyond your level!

Runic Lore is now Rank 25!

You have earned the Minor Boon of Runic Focus! Now you’ll find it just a bit easier to maintain runic chants, assuming you can even get them off, while fighting on the front lines!

Windfire Strike is now Rank 10!

Inevitable Doom is now Rank 6!

Hell Vines is now Rank 6!

Hell Vines is now Rank 7!

You have achieved Rank 28 in Swordsmanship!

Primal Adventurer is now Level 43!

Primal Adventurer is now Level 44!

You are suffering depletion in all 3 of your Potency Pools! You suffer a temporary –6 to all skill checks checks until 20% or more of all your potency pools have been restored!

Eric chuckled softly, not at all surprised to find out he was presently under a -6 penalty to skill checks, quantifying the utter bone-weary exhaustion that left him feeling sick and dizzy, having squeezed every last ounce of Mana and Qi to keep that swirling firestorm blazing so fiercely for so long around that godforsaken level 85 Elder Root abomination.

He couldn’t quite hold back a groan, so close to heaving he couldn’t stand it, humbled again by how hard he was pushing himself, feeling utterly wrung out and hung over, even with his supernaturally high Vitality.

He quickly slammed six points into each of the three characteristics he now accepted made all the difference between death and survival in any area where he was so badly underleveled, taking a quick look at his abbreviated stat sheet while scooting just as close to his Hell Vine as he dared, hoping that the heat and flames would give him at least a chance to rest before the next predator came his way.

_____________________________________

Eric Silver Level 44 Primal Adventurer

Rank 24 Cultivator

Level 31 Master Necromancer

Physical Characteristics

Strength – 222

Vitality – 242

Finesse – 149

Quickness – 277

Appearance – 24

Mental Characteristics

Scholarship – 22

Perception – 147

Willpower – 76

Charisma – 13

Potency Pools

Arcane Potential – 144

(Mana Pool = 1584)

Spiritual Energy – 207.2

(Qi Pool = 2486.4)

Soul Reserves – 94 (86)

Stamina – 2460 Points

Health – 3322 Points.

Resistances & Recovery

Physical Resistance – 45

Physical Regeneration – 24.2 health per second

Elemental Resistance – 25

Qi Resistance – 37

Mental Resistance – 27

_____________________________________

Eric gave a satisfied nod. As perilous as the adventure had been so far, a Quickness of 277 was nothing to sneeze at, and with Perception and Finesse both close to 150, it was more than adhering to the 2 to 1 ratio so vital for the heightened perception of time that truly made all the difference when one’s life was on the line.

Now it was time to focus on the most exciting development he had encountered since arriving here, achieving Journeyman rank in an actual cultivation skill and, much to his surprise, earning a skill boon while doing so, despite the normal friction between cultivators and System classers.

Windfire Strike has hit Journeyman Tier! Spiritual Energy has been permanently increased by 3.6 points as you come ever close to the cultivator’s ideal!

Synergistic Class-Cultivator Hybridization detected! Due to your unique integration of cultivation and superior System enhancements, you are now free to enhance even your cultivation skills with System Boons! - Note. You are Eveline Death’s disciple! Your Gold Tier master has decreed that enhancing your abilities by any means available is in harmonious balance with the constant evolution of your gifts!

You may choose from one of the following three Perks.

1. Warrior’s Grace – You have successfully channeled the insights of countless System cultivators (Middle-Dantian disciples) that have come before you! You may now use your Windfire Strike with a grace and efficiency that is almost sublime! Windfire now only drains half the Qi it normally would, and constant practice means you’ll rank up this skill faster than ever!

2. Warrior’s Might – You have successfully channeled the insights of countless System cultivators that have come before you! You may now use your Windfire Strike with a furious intensity beyond what your old mentor Pavel would have thought possible! For double standard cost, you’ll be able to lash out with a seven foot long bar of white-hot death that’s twice as hot and deadly as any inferior cultivator’s blow, and will be sure to tear through most white tier defenses and destroy all but the strongest white tier talismans with but a single hit!

3. Bloodfire – This enhancement has little to do with the echoes of those who have come before you, and is instead a true infusion of your most sublime and darkest gifts. Your fully infused Bloodfire Strikes will now cost 6 Soul Points as well as 30 Qi. Even minimally infused, every strike with your blade will apply the boons of your essences and be able to pierce even Soul-Warded targets. Depending on Enhanced Necromancer Class Perks, additional options might also be available.

Pausing only for a quick look at his environment and relieved to see that nothing was making their way through the rocky terrain to approach Eric or the still fiercely hot pyre of a so-called Dread Boss, he felt comfortable taking a few minutes to think over his options.

Warrior’s Grace would be an absolutely fantastic choice if he didn’t have Spiritual Energy as high as it was, since getting off more attacks would let him level up his skills faster, and reduce the risk of his enemies draining his reserves before going in for the kill. But since this Perk would cut in half the cost of using an ability for which he already had nearly 2500 Qi to spend as needed, it was easy enough to cross it off his list.

Warrior’s Might seemed like a much stronger choice. He loved the idea of a tight stream of plasma death stretching a full four feet beyond the end of his blade, effectively giving him a true nagamaki fit to cut down any foe before they could even close in anything but spear range, and those spears would be instantly incinerated by his Wind Fire strike. Since it also doubled the intensity of the flame it seemed absolutely perfect for blasting through the defenses of higher level white tier creatures, very much like the abominations he was fighting now. Were he to evolve his Qi Discipline along this path, he knew it would make all the difference against the pack of Utahraptors he was forced to face, or the next Elder Root’s ambushing vines he would have to cleave through. That alone made it the absolute perfect perk for him.

The only other perk to consider was Bloodfire, and the very fact that fully infusing the strike, whatever that precisely meant, would cost him both 6 Soul Points and 30 Qi served as a serious deterrent against. Because Soul Reserves, unlike his other potency pools, was not multiplied by his full set of 12 Meridians. In other words, it was a choice between 40 boosted kickass Warrior’s Might Windfire Strikes, or a Dozen or so Bloodfire Strikes. Furthermore, Spiritual Energy could be recouped meditating for an hour. To recoup his Soul Reserves, he’d need to actually sleep for a full hour, which was fine outside, but madness in here.

Yet still, despite its drawbacks, he couldn’t deny the appeal of finding out that Bloodfire could pierce wards he hadn’t even known were a thing, though he didn’t know if soul-wards were a non-issue, or an epic tier counter that would see Bronze scions grind him to dust one day. A frustrating gap in his non-existent adventurer’s education that he just had to learn to accept. Knowledge was power, after all, and Earth’s enemies and the sellout administrators and puppets who worked for them were determined to do all they could to keep all that power for themselves.

Eric furrowed his brow, absently rubbing his nose in a futile effort to free it of the scents of ash, considering the final line of the description.

Depending on Enhanced Necromancer Class Perks, additional options might also be available.

Bloodfire… if his hunch was right, that fit perfectly with blood magic. And there was a whole branch of Advanced Necromantic Perks tied to the blood branch of the heritage class tree that he hadn’t bothered evolving yet, because his focus been all about raising an undead army with which he could wipe the orc menace off Earth’s map for good.

And by some miracle he had actually managed to do just that.

For one orc faction at least.

And how ironic it was that, despite learning to raise his first revenants in a rift that blossomed into a world, it seemed that normally no necromancer had access to any of his legions when daring the deeps below grounds. Which meant that in the toughest delve he had ever faced… His Master Necromancer class focuses had done him no good at all. Clearly it was time to expand on those abilities. But even if he could unlock perks that would help him use Bloodfire without tapping out after a mere dozen blows… that there was still one serious drawback to consider.

What if infusing his Qi Attack with what was obviously a necromantic component utterly fucked up his class? Who cared if he got off ten swings or a hundred. If he was unable to break through to Bronze because he had stupidly fused System enhanced Necromancy perks to his cultivation abilities, then he would have truly played the fool.

And what bitter irony it was that his focus was intently on the possibilities of that final perk, fully intending to release and make the right choice the very moment death came to claim her due at last.