3. Poison

Beth left the room shortly after. Vernox returned back to talking to his heavenly guide who's name was Ariel.

When he played Fantasy life on earth he doesn't remembers being this weak. He had tons of skills, artifacts, weapons and a whole lot of wives. It seems like he has to start from scratch in this world.

'At least I have something like a system, and a guide. Combined with the knowledge I have of the game, I shall rise to the top in this world' Vernox thought as he browsed through his system.

Seeing a skill bar he tapped it and when it opened, his brows furrowed in confusion.

=====

[- Swordmanship (Secondary level); B rank: You have mastered the primary and secondary level of swordsmanship.

- Rune master; A rank: Mastery over enhancing runes.

- Demon transformation; Unranked: Transform into your full dragon kin form or partially transform. The stronger you are, the more powerful your demon form is.

- Consumes 25 soul energy per second.

- All stats will be increased by 50% to except Intelligent. Intelligence will be decreased per minute. ]

=====

Vernox looked at the screen dumbfounded. Was he really transmigrated as a useless demon?

"What am I supposed to do with such stats?" He complained while trying to reason his current skills.

According to the system, he's at the basic level of soul specialist. The people of this world get power by evolving their souls. By tapping into their souls they are able to use natural and unnatural forces to combat.

The energy is called soul energy and the people that are able to use such energy are called 'Recessers'.

Recessers are held highly in this world. Common people may consider them as gods, some consider them deities. But they are just people gifted in using an art called magic.

Magic spells can be casted by using the soul energy in one's body. Information on soul energy and the way to use it were in Vernox's memories now.

"Why are you thinking about it too much? It's a new world, gotta live a better life here!" He said as he stood up energetically.

First of all, if he wants to be recognised in this world he needs power.

"The place that demon's train in is Hell. They also call it the demon sacred lands. I can't go there currently as I never liked crowds."

Indeed it was true. Vernox, in his past life as John never liked people much. They made him feel uncomfortable. Instead of making friends he stayed indoors playing games and now, he is inside a game... How exciting!!

"I'll try to increase my power before I venture out into the world," he said as he proceeded to sit cross legged on the floor.

The floor felt cold on his butt but he payed no heed to it as he recalled the way that the Recessers grow their strength.

From his memories, it resembled the cultivation that he read about but it was slightly different.

Soul energy was the essence of all living things in this world. The soul of a creature was it's core. Creatures in this world, when they begin absorbing soul energy to evolve they normally have a soul crystal inside their body somewhere.

"Sigh..."

Vernox took a deep breath as a spiral wave of energy formed in front of him, connecting to his abdomen and it begun to swirl.

He opened his eyes slightly while still focusing and saw the horizontal tornado connected to his stomach.

"The soul vortex." He mumbled.

It felt like an extra limb for him. He moved it left and right with his mind and was fascinated. You can't find things like this on the earth he comes from!

The soul vortex was the storage of the soul energy of Recessers. When the Recesser's soul energy reaches a specific level, the energy accumulated will nourish both the soul and the body, thus making one's power grow by leaps and bounds.

Closing his eyes and focusing on his soul vortex he began gathering energy from his surroundings.

Visible streaks of white light flowed like water from the air into his soul vortex. And so he continued.

This is the basic method of gathering energy from the surroundings.

This method was extremely slow. From his memories he learned a little bit about soul energy including how the soul vortex absorbs it. It is just like a tornado for soul energy only and that the soul energy is not later thrown but stored.

Using his knowledge in his past life he put two in two together and formulated a faster way to absorb energy.

"It will definitely work." Vernox said as he begun using his new technique.

He just had to support the soul vortex using his own soul energy to increase the speed of absorbtion. He didn't waste time as he begun using the technique.

He felt a little sting in his vortex which he considered a limb now but he shrugged it off.

Vernox was feeling his power rising exponentially as the energy spread around his body, strengthening his muscles and bones.

*Crack*

"Arghh."

All of a sudden he felt a sharp pain in his soul and it affected his real body. The pain he felt right now was nothing like physical pain. Veins popped up on his head as he bore the pain with so much willpower.

...

After a few minutes the pain subsided and he was able to move again.

"What was that?" He couldn't help but say as he held his head.

The system screen suddenly popped up in front of him and he had no choice but to look at it this time.

=====

[You cannot use the said technique as your soul has been poisoned.]

[Identifying the poison...]

[Name: Trash making poison

Description: Attacks the soul of the victim, therefore slowing down the person's soul energy absorption speed, making them trash.]

=====

Vernox stared at the screen in a daze. Things just keeps getting funnier to him. He was now in the body of trash.

"Is transmigration always this way. I'm supposed to be given an advantage in this world but all I have been experiencing is disadvantages." He said half angry.

How was he supposed to grow stronger if he can't absorb soul energy properly? Seeing that there was still something written on the screen he looked back to it.

=====

[You can cure the illness by eating the 'Drupe of perfection'. It not only heals you of any sickness but also increases talent and gives a healthier and stronger body]

=====

It was like this system just dropped a bomb on his head. It seems like It doesn't know that the Drupe of perfection is an SSS grade treasure that players kill each other for.

To find it in this world was not going to be easy at all. With his knowledge, he can probably find one soon.

Just where.....

...

"Wait a minute! The demon castle had a place called the primal garden where rare herbs and trees grew!" He said joyfully as he remembered a secret place for the royal demon family only.

Maybe he will be able to get stronger after all.