194 The Cost
Several things popped up in my mind.
"Alert: You have slain a |Divine Beast|. Classification: Juvenile. You have gained the enmity of Lod, the Goddess of Wind and Harvest." [Spirit Guide]
Great. Now I have a god hating me.
"Alert: The Goddess Lod has bestowed upon you the |True Title| |Divine Beast Slayer|." [Spirit Guide]
Surprising that she would give me something after killing her pet. I thought it was a blessing until I saw the effects.
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Title Name: |Divine Beast Slayer|
Description: Gifted to the one who has slain a |Divine Beast|.
Effects: Reduces |Experience| gained from slaying a |Divine Beast| by 50 percent. Alerts |Divine Beasts| of your presence within the region.
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You'd think a title like |Divine Beast Slayer| would buff me… However, things just don't go my way.
"You have gained |Experience|. |Experience| limit reached. You have gained a level." [Spirit Guide]
I heard this repeating for a while. Once it was over, I checked my status.
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Name: Solace
Race: Forsaken Spirit
Gender: ???
Age: ???
Level: 121
Health: 13700/13700
Mana: 6850/6850
Strength: 2038
Agility: 1370
Intelligence: 832
Willpower: 1770
Status: Unstable (Sanity: 50%)
Skills: |Mystic Tongue Lv. 9| |Analyze Lv. 19| |Appraisal Resistance Lv. 1| |Liquid Bullet Lv. 3| |Ashen Arrow Lv. 6| |Flame Cannon Lv. 3| |Wind Edge Lv. 4| |Cleanse Lv. 1| |Kindle Lv. 1| |Night Vision Lv. 4| |Earthen Shield Lv. 1| |Reinforce Lv. 4| |Paralyze Lv. 1| |Mimic Lv. 6| |Status Concealment Lv. 1| |Item Box Lv. 7| |Sound Interference Lv. 1| |Enchant Flame Lv. 1| |Fire Resistance Lv. 9| |Blazing Fist Lv. 2| |Liquid Barrage Lv. 1| |Convergence Lv. 1| |Shock Resistance Lv. 6| |Wardrobe Lv.1| |Mana Detection Lv. 1| |Mana Breathing Lv.3| |Terra Javelin Lv. 2| |Imbue Alarm Lv. 1| |Cold Resistance Lv. 4| |Mental Fortitude Lv. 10| |Nausea Resistance Lv. 3| |Temperance Lv. 12| |Doppelganger Lv. 1| |Explosion Arts Lv. 1| |Vortex Arts Lv. 1| |Piercing Blow Lv. 1| |Poison Resistance Lv. 9| |Corrosion Resistance Lv. 3| |Enchant Lightning Lv. 1| |Pain Resistance Lv. 6| |Elara Lv. 1| |Revolving Shell Arts Lv. 1| |Liquid Cannon Lv. 1| |Small Cure Lv. 1| |Liquid Blast Lv. 1| |Thunderbolt Lance Lv. 3| |Grygand Lv. 2|
Unique Skill: N/A
Titles: |Contracted Spirit Of The Unfortunate Summoner| |Unresting Experience Trainer| |Challenger Of The Strong| |Pitiful Disciple| |Liberator| |Guinea Pig|
True Titles: |Blooming Undying| |Divine Beast Slayer|
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I leveled up around thirty times and my level had finally exceeded 100.
"Alert: You have reached level 100. Evolution is now available. Do you wish to evolve?" [Spirit Guide]
Before I was about to answer, the Spirit Guide cut me off.
"Alert: It has been detected that you are no longer in combat. Commencing retrieval of |Sanity|." [Spirit Guide]
"Huh?" [Solace]
I suddenly burst into flames.
"Wha- AAAGH!!!" [Solace]
I screamed in agony as fire scorched my skin. I flailed about trying to put out the fire. I can only say the Stop-Drop-and-Roll did not work. Matter of fact, I'm pretty sure it didn't even burn the ground. It was like the fire was targeting specifically me.
"L-|Liquid Blast|!" [Solace]
I conjured up a ball of water and dropped it on me. Unfortunately, it didn't even cool me down. The flames seemed to be unaffected by anything.
("Is this what Hema meant when she said it would cost me?!") [Solace]
"Alert: |Sanity| restoration at 60 percent." [Spirit Guide]
It felt like ages had passed and only ten percent was regained. I gripped the dirt in an attempt to endure the pain.
"Alert: |Sanity| restoration at 70 percent." [Spirit Guide]
The flames began to grow hotter as time passed. It hurt so bad that I could die, literally.
"Alert: |Sanity| restoration at 80 percent." [Spirit Guide]
It didn't appear to physically harm my body, but it still felt like it. I was burning to the point it almost felt cold.
"Alert: |Sanity| restoration at 90 percent." [Spirit Guide]
I was absolutely losing my mind. Tears, saliva, and snot ran down my face as I did everything in my power to withstand the pain. I even slammed my forehead into the ground out of frustration.
"Alert: |Sanity| restoration has been completed." [Spirit Guide]
Just like how fast the flames appeared, it vanished. I laid there panting heavily as I took a well deserved rest.
("Do I have to go through this every time I die?") [Solace]
It was like a balance patch to keep me from abusing it. What the hell, Hema?
"Urgh…" [Solace]
I picked myself off the ground and cleaned my face by summoning a ball of water. I then checked my spoils of war: the |Divine Beast|.
("I hope I can find whatever is left of Elisse in there.") [Solace]
I poked around in the beast's guts, but found no traces. The only thing that I could find was an undigested and somewhat burnt dress.
("...Maybe she's still alive somewhere?") [Solace]
It was a false hope. I lied to myself knowing that the dress probably belonged to Elisse.
"|Item Box|." [Solace]
I thought it'd be a waste to leave the corpse, so I took the beast into my inventory.
("...I still feel terrible.") [Solace]
Even when I finally defeated the monster I wanted to kill, I felt dissatisfied. What was it all for? Did I get Elisse back? I could have gotten thirty levels over time. I even got a target placed on my back from a god. I felt like I only lost.
("Oh… I almost forgot.") [Solace]
I needed to evolve.
("Spirit Guide, I agree to evolve.") [Solace]
""Permission confirmed. Initiating evolution." [Spirit Guide]
I felt that bubbly feeling I haven't felt in quite a while. I felt warm and comforted. It was almost like all my problems just vanished.
"Verifying integrity. ...Verification complete. Processing. ...Processing complete. You have successfully evolved into a |Forsaken Great Spirit|." [Spirit Guide]
("...That's it?") [Solace]
