Trial VIII

Leon panted for breath as he fell to his knees due to mana exhaustion. He didn't even look at the contract notification and simply laid on the floor, waiting for his natural mana regeneration to kick in and pull him out of this nauseating state.

Millie came to him and patted his head. "Are... you okay?" she asked.

Leon looked at her, surprised to hear her speak for the first time. "Yes, I am. I'm just exhausted," Leon replied, as Millie nodded her small head and then left. After some time, she returned with a glass of water.

Leon looked at her and nodded, "Thank you." He drank the water, and as he stood up, some of his mana had regenerated, making him no longer feel nauseated.

"Now, time to see what I gained," Leon mumbled as he looked at Cherry.

Cherry nodded, and several notifications appeared in front of him.

[Dark Pact Successful]

[Host has formed a Dark Pact with a Lesser Cthulhu]

[Host gained Active Skill: Aether Magic]

[Title: Child of Aether]

[Passive Skill: Aether Soul Protection]

"Cherry, explain all these abilities," Leon said, as he had never heard of Aether or even Cthulhu.

Unknown to him, Cthulhu was one of the higher races found on the floors above 100, distinguished by their power and talents. Only the most exceptional beings were allowed there. However, due to humans being inherently weak, only a few geniuses could acquire powerful classes of abilities. The Supreme Earth Alliance, the single governing body of Earth, had restricted such information from the masses and only allowed it for those who fell under the category of genius.

The motive behind this restriction remained unknown.

[Right away] Cherry nodded as detailed information of all his gain was given to him.

[Dark Pact Successful]

You have successfully formed a binding pact with a summoned being. This pact allows you to summon and command the Lesser Cthulhu with no danger of betrayal or hostility. The being is now bound to you. Without summoning him, Host can still use few of his randomly gained abilities.

[Host has formed a Dark Pact with a Lesser Cthulhu]

Lesser Cthulhu: A creature of eldritch origin, lesser in power than the original entity but still highly dangerous. Known for its mind-bending abilities and immense physical strength, the Lesser Cthulhu can manipulate reality to a small degree and use powerful psychic attacks and has Aether magic but not mostly used by this creatures.

Abilities of the Summon:

Mind Shatter: Temporarily disables an enemy by distorting their perception of reality, causing confusion and mental fatigue.

Space Shattering Tentacle Strike: Launches a physical attack with dark energy-infused tentacles.

Reality Warp: Creates a small, temporary distortion in space, bending reality in a localized area.

[Host gained Active Skill: Aether Magic]

Aether Magic: A rare and powerful form of magic that draws from the fabric of the universe itself, allowing manipulation of both physical and metaphysical elements. This magic can be used for offense, defense, and support.

Basic Aether Spells:

Aether Bolt: Fires a bolt of pure aether energy, dealing significant damage to enemies.

Aether Shield: Creates a barrier of aether energy that absorbs incoming damage.

Aether Shift: Temporarily phase through space, allowing you to avoid attacks or reposition yourself in battle.

Aether Manipulation: Basic control over the environment, bending energy in subtle ways to alter reality.

[Title: Child of Aether]

Effect: Your connection to the Aether realm is strengthened, increasing the power of all aether-related spells by 1000%. Additionally, you gain enhanced attunement to cosmic energies, making it easier to learn or master aether and eldritch magic.

Other Effects:

Increases magic resistance by 50%.

+1000% increase in mana regeneration rate.

Grants respect (or fear) from beings who recognize your connection to Aether.

[Passive Skill: Aether Soul Protection]

Aether Soul Protection: A passive ability that shields your soul from direct attacks, making you immune to soul-draining or corrupting magic. The protection also reduces the effectiveness of mind control or possession attempts.

Additional Benefits:

Reduces mental fatigue when using magic.

Reduces damage taken from psychic and soul attacks by 50%.

Automatically triggers a healing effect when your health drops below 20%, stabilizing your condition.

"Wow, all of them are so powerful!" Leon mumbled, looking at the incredible abilities he had gained. "Damn, the Dark Pact with Origin Conjurer sure makes it OP."

"Wait, wasn't the Charity system based on good karma? How the hell did I get a class like Warlock?" Leon asked, pondering.

[It's the user who is evil; no power is inherently evil,] Cherry replied, and Leon nodded.

"Yes, there were cases of serial killers using holy magic or paladin classes. That bastard loved to bash innocent people's heads in with his mace in the name of God, while there was also a dark mage who loved children and—Well, the point is you are right, I should forget all those previous knowledge of mine and focus on this world mindset" Leon mumbled to himself as in this world everyone is treated equally regardless of class, though there is still distinctions based on one geniuses or their ability to awaken a powerful class.

"hmm, Luna will return tonight and then I would be able to go out and hunt and increase my level" Leon thought to himself as he turned his gaze to last skill of his usable skill right now.

"Summon Familiar. If the description is right, I can summon a powerful servant for myself," Leon thought to himself as he remembered the powerful woman who used to visit the orphanage where he spent his entire childhood.

"Here I am thinking about that woman, and I still get chills," he mused as he recalled her. She was so powerful that just looking at her made Leon feel compelled to kneel before her overwhelming presence.

"But... she was a witch, a Blood Witch to be precise. The director spoke about it to everyone," Leon mumbled to himself as he remembered her act too. "According to the director, that was actually not a cat but a disguise for her powerful servant, a familiar, lest it scare the children," Leon thought.