15 Improved Status

Suddenly the amount of trembling on Azazel's body visibly decreased, showing that he is in a noticeably less amount of pain as compared to a few minutes prior. Slowly the colour of his eyes turns back from that ghastly green into a brilliantly pure crimson, showing that the evil and malice invading his mind has been dealt with.

"Haaah that feels so much better, looks like I won the gamble though, I guess if 'Soul Cultivation' wasn't enough then I would've made a big loss, potentially even losing my life..." Azazel shuddered thinking how reckless of a decision he had just made due to his pursuit of power.

'My mind has changed since seeing... no, since experiencing my previous death so vividly, even though my instinct as a Shade for hate and revenge has concealed itself I still feel an intense need to grow stronger, strong enough to kill them all... I've still got a long way to go, and I don't even know the reason I'm even here, I think it's time to know.'

"Ezra, show me my status and skill page, also once that's done start telling me about my heritage and these other inheritors."

*DING* Showing Status to Host

- Name: Azazel (Childe of Death)

- Race: Spirit (Shade - Variant)

- Age: 6 years

- Level 5 (+5) - Experience (0/100)

- Health (HP): 176/240 (+160)

- Mana (MP): 645/900

- Strength (STR): 20 (+15)

- Endurance (END): 24 (+16)

- Agility (AGI): 20 (+12)

- Intelligence (INT): 90 (+67)

- Wisdom (WIS): 100 (+63) - Mana Regen (Per Minute): 10.0

- System Points (SP): 4000

*DING* Showing Skills to Host

Death:

- Drain (Basic – 36%) - Range 1m – Able to drain MP on contact and some light around the user for semi-visibility

Soul:

- Telekinesis (Basic – 16%) - Range 5m, currently limited to small items

- Body Manipulation (Basic – 61%) – Able to change bodily form

- Soul Cultivation (Apprentice - 1%) - Able to cultivate the soul increasing INT and WIS for every rank by x1.5

Mana:

- Mana Manipulation (Basic – 81%) - Enables movement (Walking Pace) and usage of spells

- Mana Detection (Apprentice – 1%) – Enables the ability to detect sources of Mana from increased ranges, sometimes detects hidden Mana

Darkness:

- Acidic Arrow (Basic 0%) - Enable the user to shoot out an arrow of darkness which corrodes and poisons on contact

'So I've learnt Victors skill somehow? Probably from my recent evolution, I guess its a good thing though as the skill looked pretty useful, and it seems my Mana detection increased in rank, probably from keeping it active constantly just in case those winged demons decided to come back. Overall though my skills are seeing improvement and my status has jumped up massively, especially Intelligence and Wisdom, I feel as if I could cast spells for days on end with my current Mana Pool.'

*DING* "Azazel, the heritage you gained isn't one freely given, the Lord wishes for a successor for reasons you do not yet need to know. However you aren't the only one chosen to be a successor, there were 665 other candidates, including you that makes 666, the unholy trinity of numbers. however currently only 312 of you remain, having survived to reach the second round of selection.

32 died before breaking free from the void, 96 died in their first battle, and the remaining 226 died from other various reasons such as trying to complete the quest to claim their own territory.

You and the 311 others are now in the second stage of succession, the domination stage. Within this stage your goal is to increase the lands you rule and whether through conquest or negotiation increase your territory size. Once this stage is complete, the remaining candidates will wage war to ensure only one true successor remains, however that is quite far away at the moment, as you barely have any land or power.

From now on Quests no longer exist as they were purely to assist you to adapt to your new life and world, all system points remaining are free to spend at your discretion however more will be hard to attain without special circumstances. So it is up to you to decide your own direction and path to domination, the system will now take a back seat and only intervene in certain circumstances or if questions are had regarding the heritage, do you have any further questions?"

"...Wh.. What?" Stuttered Azazel due to the overwhelming information he just received. Taking a second to think things through a nasty smirk suddenly appeared on his face as his eyes squinted slightly. "So I just have to kill all who get in my way and I will receive the inheritance? If that's so then I accept whatever is thrown at me! I will become as strong as that giant shadow from before and crush the ones who denied me a peaceful life!" He roared to the sky unafraid of any obstacles to come.

——————————

While Azazel was roaring to the sky like a mad man off of his medication, to the south Ventura was making progress on his mission.

Within a cavernous region of the Silent Desert, with ravines spreading out looking like the cracks formed from a blunt weapon of gargantuan size striking the earth, Ventura was silently floating within the darkness followed orderly by six small Minor Ghosts, when looked at from the sky the image reminds one of a mother duck leading her children through the darkness.

As he was travelling south on his mission for his Lord, Ventura had managed to find six Minor Ghosts who he had deemed worthy, that's right, he deemed them worthy, not the other way around, the ones following him had no choice in following him, it was either obey and follow, or die, not that any of them had any notion of rejecting coming under his leadership. Many times he was approached by Minor Ghosts attracted to his unique appearance as a Spectre and the strength they felt radiating from him, however he would quickly and efficiently turn them into Mana for his own nourishment unless he deemed them worthy.

Suddenly as he was leaving the cavernous area he came across another Minor Ghost, making his way upto it he slowly came to a stop once he was within 5 meters. "Speak Childe, what is your ambition?" Ventura asked in his mature intellectual sounding voice, seemingly harmless yet at the same time hiding a great power.

Turning towards Ventura and his following the Minor Ghost took a few minutes to think, however Ventura waited patiently, knowing that a Minor Ghost isn't the quickest thinker, having been one himself.

"... Need... Kno..w ...Who... am I" Stuttered the Minor Ghost due to not ever having talked to someone before this.

Venturas eyes locked onto the little ghost, resembling the visage of a predator looking down silently at its prey. Feeling the intense stare on its body by this higher being the Minor Ghost started shivering in fear of its fate, when suddenly the pressure vanished and a gentle smile appeared on Venturas face, it would have almost been dreamlike if not for it being the smile of a Spectre, a species known for having an appearance as if skin was decaying and flaking off from it's body.

"Follow me childe, I will bring you under the rule of my Lord, where you will have the opportunity to grow and discover who you are." Spoke Ventura while gently stroking the Minor Ghosts body, almost as if he were patting its head if it even had one.

Joining the other six members of the group the Minor Ghosts continued following Ventura on his way south, on his journey to find Minor Ghosts who seek an answer, only accepting the allegiance of those who want knowledge no matter how small or stupid the question, to seek self improvement is the quality he was searching for in his troops, turning those who seek only strength into nourishment.

'His Lordship requires an army, and only an army capable of thinking are able to help realise his ambition. I will find those who seek knowledge yet are unable to survive long enough to find it and bring them under my Lords banner!' Swore Ventura wishing dearly to complete his mission to the best of his ability, all to repay his Lord for saving his life.

Ventura was the last Minor Ghost Azazel picked up on the way to the plateau, he was found being beaten to death by a bigger Minor Ghost who mocked him for his weak strength and wanted to kill him for food, however Azazel noticed the resolve burning within Venturas eyes and chose to save him, giving him room to grow into the form he has today. To repay this he would do anything.

Turning back to look at the seven Minor Ghosts he swore to himself, 'I will return to you side soon my Lord'