10 The 4th Layer

Liam opened his skills window.

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Blessing of the Gods: the gods are looking for you. They gave him the ability to stand up once more when he fell before his enemies.

Description: Relive on base after dying for up to 3 times. After the third resurrection, this ability will disappear from your skill list.

Rank: S (0/0)

Uses: 2/3

Cost: none

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Time Stopping (active): the ability to stop time. The user is no longer affected by time.

Rank: A (0/3200)

Duration: 5 minutes

Range: 320 meters around the user

Restriction: does not affect those that are 35 levels above

Cost: 6400 MP

Cooldown: 25 seconds

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Slash (active): using one sword, attack with a powerful cut.

Rank: A (0/3200)

Effect: Increases damage by 10%

Cost: 10 MP

Cooldown: None

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Haste (Active): Increases movement speed upon activation.

Rank: A (0/3200)

Effect: Increases movement speed by 13%

Duration: 20 seconds

Cost: 20 MP

Cooldown: 10 seconds

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Fireball: Launches a fireball on target.

Rank: A (0/3200)

Attack: Cause 8 ~ 980 damage

Effect: Has a 10% chance of Burning the target -

Burn: The target loses 100 HP per second. Duration: 30 seconds Casting

Time: none

Range: 30 meters

Cost: 10 MP

Cooldown: none

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Sword Mastery: allows you to use any sword more efficiently.

Rank: A (0/3200)

Effect: increases damage dealt by any target sword by 14%

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Shadow of Darkness (active): the ability to create clones of the actual shadows.

Rank: A (0/3200)

Effect: Create real clones with 40% user attributes and all abilities (except Shadow of Darkness), user titles and equipment.

Clone Duration: 60 minutes

Quantity: 128 Clones

Cost: 5000 MP per Clone

Cooldown: 60 seconds

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Recovery (Passive): Passively recovers HP.

Rank: A (0/3200)

Effect: Recovers 7% of maximum HP every 10 seconds

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Mana Soul (Passive): the ability to generate unlimited Mana.

Rank: SSS

Effect: Infinite Mana and Mental Power

.....

Seeing his list of abilities, Liam noticed that what he lacked most was firepower and a good defense. He knew his choice at the moment was defensive skill.

"Genex, open the store and filter out defensive and passive skills against physical and magical damage."

"Filtered skills."

Faced with Liam, a list of abilities came up.

Amongst the hundreds of abilities, only 3 caught his attention:

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Dragon Scale (Passive): Rank-SSS

Effect: absorbs 30% of all physical and magical damage received and converts it to HP and MP

Price: 50.000.000

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Turtle Shell (Passive): Rank-S

Effect: Nullifies 40% of all physical and magical damage received

Price: 100.000.000

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Divine Barrier (Passive/Active): Rank-G

Passive Effect: Nullifies 2% of all physical and magical damage taken

Effect Active: Reflects all damage canceled

Price: 10.000.000

.....

After thinking for a moment, Liam made his choice. Now he just needs to get Contribution Points enough. He barely had 19.000 points.

"Genex, filter katanas that I can buy, even if I have to sell the Blood Core... Mm... Genex, how much can I sell 1 Soul Core to the store?"

"Each Soul Core is bought for 5 thousand Contribution Points." It was the brazen answer to the orb.

"..."

These bastards are stealing money from us. For us to buy, it costs 10 thousand, but for them to buy from us, poor defenseless and innocent souls, the bastards pay only 5 thousand. Die unhappy!

He took a deep breath not to say something that could end up irritating who is stronger than him.

"Hmph..." he took another deep breath before continuing. "I want to sell 10 thousand Soul Core."

"Order accepted. 10 thousand Soul Core removed from inventory. You received 50 million Contribution Points."

"Buy the skill book Divine Barrier."

Then he learned the skill and upgraded it to Rank-A.

.....

Divine Barrier (Passive/Active): the ability to create an invisible shield in the shape of a sphere around the user.

Rank: A (0/3200)

Passive Effect: Nullifies 62% of all physical and magical damage taken.

Cost: None

Effect Active: reflects all nullified damage

Cost: 500 MP for every 100 damage canceled

.....

Liam paid the tax to keep the force fields active and then after buying 2 katanas, one for each hand, he went to the third layer.

The two katanas cost more than 100.000 Contribution Points and had level 40 requirements. One had the 'Bleed' effect while the other had the ability to ignore 2% of the enemy's defense at a cost of 500 MP. Both had the ability to deal more than 100 damage.

Upon entering the third layer, he saw that there were already a few demons and the same was true for awakening. Genex had informed him that 10% of 700 million people perished on the battlefield.

Even with the additional luck, there were those who failed to overcome their fate. Genex explained that luck has nothing without hard work. To get the means to survive, they must do their best and not expect everything to fall from the sky.

For an AI, Liam thought Genex was much more alive than many people.

After delivering 20 points in Strength, 20 in Dexterity, 10 in Magic Power and 5 in Vitality, Liam went straight to the fourth layer.

Liam felt the pressure on him as he crossed the blue barrier. The demons here were powerful. They were much stronger than the other layers. This feeling did not come from the fact that the demons were at higher levels, but that they all gave the impression of being specialists.

Liam's lips curved.

"They should do a lot more EXP."

Liam jumped sideways, diverting from the goblin's ax of almost 100 centimeters.

"Shadow of Darkness."

A cold wind came up all over the fourth layer making everyone shiver. Liam's shadow was misshapen like a puddle of water and then spread everywhere. As if it were oil, the shadows rose and turned into a 16-year-old wearing a pair of boots, a breastplate and a black blade katana in each hand. All the shadows were exactly the same as Liam, including his clothes and equipment. In all, they were 128 Shadow Clones. Each one having the same level of Liam, but with only 40% of the attributes. These clones also possessed all abilities, with the exception of Shadow of Darkness. And of course, they also owned the titles.

Because they possessed the same abilities, each of them also possessed infinite mana. And all abilities were of the same rank as Liam's abilities.

"So that's how I'm behind it? Bizarre..." one of the clones commented.

"Definitely." All the others agreed.

"..."

Liam did not know what to say.

"Cof... Cof... Can we?" Liam said, embarrassed.

"Boss, you need not be embarrassed. It's you!" One of the clones comforted him.

"That's right, boss!" Others exclaimed.

"Why is he the boss?" One of the clones asked in the middle of the others.

A vein appeared on Liam's forehead.

"Why is he the original...?" One of the shadows replied.

"And...?"

"He's stronger..." another shadow answered.

"We are in 128." The clone refuted.

Do not tell me these bastards want to start a riot?

"We have only 60 minutes." Another clone poured cold water on the plans to conquer the world from the other shade.

"Mm... All right... I do not think there's any other way..." the clone said before turning to Liam. He made a V with her fingers and pointed to her own eyes and then to Liam.

"..."