Death Ascension - Chapter 78

<Status Window>

<Player name: Deon Hensworth

Lvl. 14

Title/s:

Third Prince of the Heinken Kingdom.

The Cowardly Prince.

Class: Novice Spearman

HP: 270 (x3)

MP: –infinity–

Strength: 72 (x3)

Stamina: 61 (x3)

Agility: 85 (x3)

Intelligence: 76 (x3)

Composure: 40 (x3)

Dignity: 30 (x3)

<Percent Assimilation: 100%>

<Available stat points: +33>

Mikael quickly scanned his partner’s status window.

“FOUND IT!!” he exclaimed as soon as his eyes landed on the last line.

As a person from Earth who thoroughly enjoyed playing games in his teens, Mikael was familiar with the game-like characteristics of the Ascension System. It was also thanks to his partner, Deon, for reminding him of the forgotten title effect that Mikael had decided to search the system for an answer to their current predicament.

“W-what did you find, Sir?” Deon asked, his mental voice small, seemingly disheartened by the fact that they will continue fighting the Super Major.

“Kid, distribute all your available stat points to strength.”

“Uhmm… but why?…”

‘haah….’ Sensing his partner’s unease, Mikael sighed.

It would’ve been better if Deon just followed his instructions without question since they are pressed with time, but Mikael also knew that proper communication was key to perfect assimilation and so, he took his time to explain.

“If I’m not mistaken, that 33 available points in your status window can be distributed freely among your stats. Meaning, if you put all of them in strength, you’ll be much more powerful than you are now.”

“All of them? Don’t we need to put some on dignity? Maybe if we have higher dignity, the bluff skill would finally work…”

Indeed, Deon’s suggestions were valid had they been under normal circumstances, since putting everything on strength would create a huge stat imbalance. As an RPG fan, Mikael knew the importance of balancing one’s stats, but their current situation calls for drastic measures.

Mikael thought putting some into dignity stat to use bluff would be like praying for a miracle given that the skill doesn’t even work that well with ordinary soldier ants.

Mikael hurriedly explained this point to Deon.

“We can’t put the points elsewhere, kid. What we need now is an explosive strength that can pierce through its defense. Think about it. With the perfect Assimilation multiplying our stats by three, our current Strength stat is at 216 yet we couldn’t even damage the monster! But if we put all 33 points in strength, factor in the multiplier, we get boosted to 315!”

Understanding dawned on the prince, ‘Indeed, the professor in tactics of the royal academy told us once that if the enemy has high defense, one way to win is by having a higher strength.’

Nodding, Deon finally accepted Mikael’s rationale and thus told the system to distribute all his available points to strength.

Kaede immediately felt a surge of powerful energy travel from his heart to the rest of his body, pumping his muscles with Adrenaline.

“Now, the only problem left is a weapon,” Mikael murmured.

“Uhmm… Sir?” Deon quietly asked. His tone colored with a mixture of embarrassment and peculiar excitement.

“What? Do you have another weapon stowed in your space ring?”

“Yes but… It’s not a spear, though… so I don’t know if I could use it properly.”

Or so Deon said, but there was an unmistakable joy in his voice.

‘Must be another sword.’ Mikael thought to himself.

And he was right!

Not waiting for Mikael’s approval, Deon fished another sword from his space ring and this time, a new window popped up in their view.

Ping!

<Alert! The Host is holding the cursed sword “Nostalgia”!>

<System Notification: Poltergeist class effect allows the player to equip up to (2) cursed items.>

<Alert! The cursed sword “Nostalgia” is automatically equipped. Agility stat is now set to (0)>

“Wha?!” Kaede’s eyes widened at the notification.

They were surprised that the sword was a cursed item. Especially Deon who brought it from the National Treasure vault. He was mesmerized by the sword’s dark greenish sheen that was rare even among the other National-grade artifacts. Its protective hilt had delicate carvings embedded with small mana crystals while its long, thin blade emanated unforgiving coldness.

In truth, Deon had no intention of using the sword since Butler Sebastian had strongly warned him against using expensive-looking weapons. However, the sword was so bewitchingly gorgeous that Deon felt a strong urge to take it out of its glass casing without anyone’s knowledge.

Ping!

<System Notification: “Inspect” option has been unlocked!>

< System Notification: “Inspect” option allows the player to see a window containing the basic descriptions and effects of equipped items.>

<System Notification: Would Player Mikael like to inspect “Nostalgia”?>

<Yes/No>

Kaede’s gaze turned to the Super Soldier and was relieved to find that it was still stuck beside the Queen without anyone challenging it.

“Yes,” Mikael answered the system.

<Item Name: Nostalgia

Item Class: B

Item Type: Cursed Rapier

Description:

A legendary blacksmith had spent his entire life honing his craft, wandering the world in quest of new techniques and materials.

As he traveled, his name spread across the land and many began to covet his works. One of them was a greedy king who ordered the famed blacksmith to be imprisoned for refusing his offer to settle in their kingdom. The blacksmith tried to escape but was apprehended with his legs severed as punishment.

Every day, as he hammered this blade inside his prison cell, the blacksmith yearned for his homeland. He cursed the king and vowed that one day, the last blade into which he had poured his heart and soul would find its way back to his home.

Item Effects:

(1) Attached Skill: Nostos – a thrust attack can be set to target a single point, stabbing it without fail. Successive attacks increase the chances of critical hits.

(2) The Host’s agility stat is forcefully set to zero

After reading the second item effect, Deon’s heart sank. Out of thousands of weapons in the royal armory, he had to bring one that was pretty but useless.

After all, how could they attack when they are rooted to the spot for having zero agility?

“Sir Mikael… I’m sorry. I didn’t know it would turn out like this…”

“No. this one is perfect,” Mikael replied, his voice shaking in excitement.

–Chapter end–