14 Skill Books
Cyrus's right hand held a book adorned with the image of a mysterious humanoid figure. The figure appeared to be completely shrouded in darkness, with no discernible features to distinguish its face. Adorning its form was a cloak of flames, which seemed to be a natural part of its body rather than an external element. The title of the book was emblazoned above the figure. As Cyrus gazed at the cover, a transparent holographic screen materialized before him, displaying the book's information.
[Skill Book: Fire Resistance Mastery (Passive)]
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Fire Resistance Lv.1/10
Proficiency: 0%
Description: Provides a certain amount of resistance to the fire element.
*Fire resistance: 5%
NOTE: The skill proficiency increases based on the sustained fire damage. The longer the exposure to fire, the higher the proficiency gained.
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"I believe this item was dropped by the Fire Ants. It's quite convenient because the Fire Ant's high fire resistance mitigated my overloaded heat ability. I think this item could provide me with the same mitigation. I'll test it out and see if it works as I expect. Even if it doesn't, it'll still provide me with some defense against monsters. So, I don't see any downside to trying it."
[Would you like to use the Skill Book: Fire Resistance Mastery? (Yes/No)]
"Yes!"
Once the system's inquiry was confirmed, the book emitted a bright blue light that eventually dissipated into millions of small particles.
[Congratulations! You have learned the Passive Skill : Fire Resistance Mastery!]
"Overloaded Heat!"
[You have lost 2.3 health]
"I can't believe it! It actually worked! Before, I was losing 2.5 health per second, but now, with the five percent resistance, it has decreased to only 2.3 health per second. Hang on a second... Could it also be improving my proficiency?"
"System! show me my proficiency with the fire resistance skill"
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Fire Resistance Lv.1/10
Proficiency: 0.2%
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"I can't believe how broken this is! The more I use my awakened ability, the more proficient it becomes. Come to think of it, I've used my main skill quite a bit. I wonder how much I've improved it."
"System! show me my proficiency with the overloaded heat ability"
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Awakened Ability: Overloaded Heat Lv.1/10
Proficiency: 67%
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"This is pretty good, just a few more uses and its level will increase."
Excited by the first book's content, Cyrus eagerly shifted his focus to the second book he held in his left hand, anticipating another pleasant surprise. However, he was taken aback by its ominous design, raising questions about its contents. The cover featured a large egg-like object, but unlike a typical chicken egg, it resembled a cocoon made of flesh with visible veins. Below the cocoon lay a pool of crimson liquid, suggesting a significant amount of blood had been involved.
[Skill Book: Sacrificial Birth (Active Skill)]
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Sacrificial Birth Lv.1/1
Proficiency: Max
Description: To create a more powerful version of your normal summons, you can sacrifice a certain amount of your life essence. The more life essence you sacrifice, the stronger the summon will become, but the greater the toll on your own health.
*Sacrificing 5% of your maximum health will provide your next summoned creature a 5% boost to all stats.
*Sacrificing 25% of your maximum health will provide your next summoned creature a 25% boost to all stats.
*Sacrificing 50% of your maximum health will provide your next summoned creature a 50% boost to all stats.
*Sacrificing 75% of your maximum health will provide your next summoned creature a 75% boost to all stats.
*Sacrificing 99% of your maximum health will provide your next summoned creature a 99% boost to all stats.
*Cooldown: 24 hours
(WARNING: This skill does not consider your current health level and may consume all of your life essence if you have not sacrificed the appropriate amount equal to your maximum health pool.)
NOTE: Only those who have awakened a necromancy ability or a similar power can utilize this skill.
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Cyrus was taken aback when he discovered that the skill could not be leveled up. However, he understood why. The skill was incredibly powerful for summoners, as it provided a reliable means to defend against stronger foes in life-threatening situations. Although it shared the same name as the Queen Ant's skill, it had a different usage requirement, which Cyrus realized. Unlike sacrificing the life essence of others, this skill utilized the user's own life essence to accommodate a human's needs.
"This skill could fetch a high price due to its usefulness. Although it's not useful for me, selling it would allow me to purchase a more suitable skill book or equipment."
Having lost all his possessions, Cyrus carefully stowed the book into his belt to keep it hidden from anyone who might see him exiting the gate. Since his original path was obstructed by rocks that had collapsed, he was forced to take an alternate route, which eventually led him to the exit. However, the moment he stepped out of the gate, he was abruptly stopped by a mysterious figure who extended her arm to block his way.
"Excuse me, but could I request a moment of your time to speak with you? Would you be able to come with me?"
"Huh?"
