Chapter 127: Nyx Seed
The transformation had awakened something in him that went beyond mere statistical improvements.
Where once he might have felt concern at facing impossible odds, now he felt only anticipation.
Jack flexed his fingers, marveling at how the simple gesture felt different now.
The Sanguine Accelerator and Crimson Recovery ring pulsed gently against his skin.
’This is what I was meant to become,’ he thought, though the origin of that certainty troubled some distant part of his mind.
’Not just a mage throwing lightning from a safe distance, but something that thrives in the heart of battle. I always thought after I died I would be a mage in the heat of battle. Now it’s time to put up or shut up for good.’
’System,’ he thought, flexing his fingers around the Lightning Spear’s grip, ’I have 286 vile cores in storage. Convert 280 of them to stat points.’
The request felt natural now, like breathing.
The system’s integration with his consciousness had deepened since consuming the demon heart, creating a symbiotic relationship that felt less like using a tool and more like accessing an extension of his own will.
[Processing conversion...]
[280 Vile Cores → 28 Stat Points]
[Ring of Stats bonus: +28 additional Stat Points]
[Total gained: 56 Stat Points]
[Current Stat Points: 133]
Jack watched the numbers cascade across his vision with the satisfaction of a craftsman selecting the perfect tools for an important task.
Each stat point represented potential, raw power waiting to be shaped according to his will.
The allocation decision required careful consideration.
His current build favored magical offense and mobility, but the upcoming engagement would test every aspect of his abilities.
Too much focus on any single attribute could create exploitable weaknesses, while balanced distribution might leave him without the advantages needed for the upcoming fight.
’Fifty points to Vitality,’ he decided, committing to the choice without hesitation. ’Fifty to Agility, thirty-three to Magic.’
The reasoning was sound.
Vitality would help him live longer and accompanied by his new items, he would essentially be a walking tank as long as he continued to kill enemies.
Agility would enhance both his combat effectiveness and his speed when dealing with all the monsters.
Magic would amplify his already considerable offensive to devastating levels.
The changes hit him like a controlled explosion.
His reflexes sharpened, he could see more than he could before.
His body felt lighter, he could move quicker and he could run faster now.
The magical energy flowing through his veins intensified, he could feel the lightning dancing on his finger tips.
[Status Update]
Jack Kaiser: Level 20 (29,910/35,000)
Class: Arc Mage Level 7 (44,700/75,000)
Strength: 55 (+30)
Stamina: 55 (+25)
Agility: 105 (+25)
Vitality: 105 (+25)
Endurance: 55 (+30)
Magic: 135 (+40)
Mana: 400
HP: 3,250
Skill Points: 110
Stat Points: 0
Reputation Points: 66,096
Magic Talent Rank: S
Martial Talent Rank: S
Affinity: Lightning
Blessings: Draven’s Pendant (Level 2), Soul Warden (Level 1)
The transformation felt like awakening from a dream.
He took a moment to truly appreciate the magnitude of his development.
Weeks ago, he had been a relatively inexperienced mage struggling with basic combat scenarios.
Now, enhanced by divine blessings, demonic essence, and carefully allocated statistical improvements, he stood as something approaching a force of nature.
The irony wasn’t lost on him that his greatest advances had come through consumption.
Eating a demon heart, absorbing essence, feeding his equipment with enemy deaths.
Not everyone had the willpower to make the choices Jack’s had to make.
’I’m becoming exactly what this realm demands,’ he thought, though he pushed aside questions about what that transformation might cost him in the long term.
Survival came first; philosophical concerns were luxuries for those who lived long enough to contemplate them.
Before he could fully appreciate the changes, system notifications began cascading across his vision:
[DING!]
[Multiple enemies eliminated!]
[+10,000 EXP]
[+2,000 Death Tokens]
Jack blinked in surprise. ’Looks like they’re coming up the way I came.’
[Sanguine Accelerator stacks gained!]
[Current stacks: 5/10]
"Corvin," he said aloud, and the great raven responded by expanding to his full size.
Midnight feathers spread wide as Corvin transformed from shoulder companion to aerial mount, his violet eyes blazing with anticipation for the hunt ahead.
CAW!!!
’Yes you’re hungry too, let’s get you a snack before the real fight begins.’
Jack vaulted onto Corvin’s back, feeling the familiar comfort of their soul bond strengthening his confidence.
From this elevated position, he could see the mountain terrain spreading below them, rocky ledges, narrow canyons, and countless shadows where enemies could be lurking.
’System, tactical assessment. How many hostiles within five miles, and what are their classifications?’
[Scanning...]
[10,000 Dread-rank entities detected]
[1 pack of Nightmare-rank entities detected - 10 individuals]
[Warning: You are completely surrounded]
[Recommendation: Strategic retreat]
Jack’s mouth curved into a smile that would have made his enemies reconsider their life choices.
’Retreat? System, you still don’t understand what I am. If I’m not the protagonist, then who is?’
Jack retrieved the mystery box from his system storage, a container he’d acquired what felt like a lifetime ago.
The ornate chest materialized in his hands, its surface warm to the touch and humming power.
He opened it.
Inside, nestled in velvet cloth, lay a single object that defied easy description.
[Nyx Seed]
[A small sphere no larger than a pearl, black as moonless sky. Tiny white motes drift within it like slow-moving stars. It is weightless yet somehow heavy with silence.]
Jack lifted the seed, feeling its weight. Despite being no larger than his thumbnail, it seemed to contain depths that he couldn’t fathom.
’System, analysis. What is this thing?’
[Insufficient data for analysis]
[Item origin: Unknown]
[Item purpose: Unknown]
[Recommendation: Store for future investigation]
Jack frowned, studying the shifting stars within the black sphere for a long moment.
The tiny white motes within moved in patterns that suggested intelligence, purpose, as if the sphere contained not just power but awareness.
He rotated it between his fingers, watching the internal constellation shift and rearrange. For a brief moment, the motes formed what looked almost like a map.
It reminded him of something he couldn’t quite place.
Then the pattern dissolved, leaving him wondering if he’d imagined the resemblance.
’There’s more to this than meets the eye,’ he thought, feeling the weight of ancient mystery pressing against his consciousness.
The Nyx Seed felt like a key, though he had no idea what lock it might open. ’But, I won’t know what this is for quite some time I think.’
The words echoed in his mind, reminding him of something the God of Death had told him, and Jack found himself appreciating the wisdom.
He had enough unknowns to manage without adding mysterious artifacts to his immediate concerns.
He returned the Nyx Seed to his storage and refocused on immediate tactical concerns.
"Time to hunt," he murmured to Corvin, who released a low croak that sounded remarkably like anticipation.
They descended from the ledge, Corvin’s enhanced vision scanning the terrain below for suitable targets.
Jack needed to reach maximum stacks on his Sanguine Accelerator before engaging the larger threats, which meant finding smaller groups to eliminate efficiently.
It didn’t take long.
A cluster of movement caught Corvin’s attention near a cluster of broken stones that had once been a mountainside shrine.
Fifteen creatures moved with the deliberate purpose of predators following a scent, his scent trail.
[Entities Identified: Stone Basilisks]
[Rank: Dread]
[HP: 8,000]
[Affinity: Earth, Water]
[Note: Basilisks hunt in packs and can petrify enemies with direct eye contact]
’Perfect,’ Jack thought, already formulating his attack plan. ’Soul resonance.’
[Soul Resonance Activated]
[Corvin’s stats increased by 20%]