Can't run

The ground was cold and wet as Aster rose up from the ocean.

There was a huge cliff in front of him reaching the ominous black clouds that covered the sky.

There was no sound except the dark water hitting rocks.

'Ominous… Something is clearly up with this island. Did I make a mistake coming here?'

'Anyway, there's no way I'm climbing that cliff for sure. I should go around it.'

[Level: 26]

[Exp: 2,551/2,600]

'I wonder if my face will be healed once I level up. I should be on the lookout for any potential exp.'

For the next 30 minutes, Aster continued to walk by the shore. The serene sound of the waves helped him calm down and check his current system screen.

-[Host Name: [Benefactor of Gaia], Aster Gaelcius]

-[Level: 26 ] [Exp:2,551/2,600]

-[Race: Human(Earthling)]

-[Class]:[Elemental mage: Fire(Initial), Earth(Initial), Water(Initial)10/100, Wind(Beginner)49/300], [Weapon user: Swordsman(Beginner)1/300, Spearman(Initiate)99/100], [Close combat: Warrior(Beginner)48/300, Assassin(Beginner)17/300, Berserker(Initiate)0/100, Tank(Initiate)0/100], [Illusion mage(Initiate)], [Charmer(Beginner)]

-[Titles]:[Benefactor of Gaia]

-[Personal traits]:[Earthling], [Gaia], [Sloth], [Soul striker], [Malleable soul membrane]

[Hp:603/990] [Energy:1,075/1,470] [Mana:1,200/1,200]

-[Attributes]

[Strength: 105] [Agility: 116]

[Endurance:147] [Vitality:99]

[Mana:120] [Intelligence:105]

[Dexterity:150] [Stealth: 53]

[Charm: 44]

[Physical attack: 210, Defense(External): 152(+50), Defense(Internal): 99(+50), Magic attack: 1050, Magic defense: 525]

-[Pseudo attributes]

[Comprehension: 3.32]

[Spirit: 1.19]

[Elemental affinity: None]

[Available attribute points:0]

[Available skill points:11]

[Techniques]:[Mana recovery meditation(Advanced)4/100%], [Basic body strengthening(Advanced)43/100%], [Iron skin cultivation technique(Intermediate)64/100], [Blood circulation technique(Intermediate)33/500], [Basic breathing technique(Intermediate)6/100], [Magic aura net(Initiate)67/100]

[Unique skills]:[Overwrite], [Erase], [Inscribe], [Rewrite], [True sight Lv 1]

[Passive skills]:[Magic aura sensitivity [EX] Lv 10], [Magic aura manipulation [EX] Lv 10], [Fortitude Lv 10], [Regeneration [EX] Lv 6], [Focus Lv 7], [Hasten thought Lv 3], [Parallel thought Lv 1], [Enhanced reflex Lv 10], [Adrenaline Lv 5], [Stealth Lv 7], [Weapon mastery Lv 1], [Enhanced strength Lv 1], [Enhanced Agility Lv 1], [Enhanced endurance Lv 1], [Enhanced Vitality Lv 1], [Magic aura Lv 1], [Charm Lv 6]

[Abilities: [Two handed weapon mastery(Intermediate)169/500], [One handed weapon mastery(Intermediate)499/500], [Blunt weapon mastery(Intermediate)310/500], [Dual wielding mastery(Intermediate) 455/500], [Sword mastery(Intermediate) 487/500], [Spear mastery(Intermediate) 499/500], [Dagger mastery(Advanced) 29/999], [Wind manipulation(Beginner)99/100], [Lesser Illusion magic Lv 1], [Fire manipulation(Initiate)0/100]

[Active skills]:[Sprint Lv 10], [Intimidate Lv 4], [Strengthen Lv 10], [Detect Lv 10], [Conceal Lv 10], [Great strike Lv 2], [Sword dance Lv 5], [Taunt Lv 1], [Battle cry Lv 4], [Berserk [EX] Lv 1], [Bloodlust [EX] Lv 1], [Enhanced vision Lv 1], [Earth wall Lv 1], [Earth spike Lv 1], [Earth Boulder Lv 1], [Water slash Lv 1], [Water bullet Lv 1], [Water Current control Lv 1], [Hypnotism gaze Lv 1]

[Resistance skills]:[Pain immunity Lv 7], [Toxin immunity Lv 9], [Bleed nullification Lv 7], [Fracture resistance Lv 7], [Acid resistance Lv 7], [Depressant resistance Lv 8], [Paralysis resistance Lv 8], [Stimulant resistance Lv 7], [Pierce attack resistance Lv 8], [Blunt attack resistance Lv 5], [Charm resistance Lv 8], [Curse resistance Lv 6], [Heat resistance Lv 3], [Parasite resistance Lv 1]

[Status: Normal, injured, cursed, recovering]

'The parasite sucked my vitality out of me. That's just cruel. And the level of parallel thought and hasten thought regressed back too. It seems their level is tied to the level of my comprehension. For every 1 point in comprehension, hasten thought levels up and for every 2.5, parallel thought increases.'

'But what was that parasite exactly? It was a blob of flesh like that Titan. How did I get it?

…

Ahh, I got whipped to the face that one time. That must have been it.'

'This just sucks doesn't it? One mistake and you get a blob of flesh attached to your face.'

'At least my resistances are increasing and leveling up quite nicely. If I remember correctly, resistance skills have a different level of progression than other skills. They have 2 stages, the first is resistance to certain attack type or status effects and the other is immunity or nullification of that thing. Resistance skills go from Lv 1 to Level 10 and the resistance towards that thing increases by 5% every level. The highest resistance a resistance level skill can give is 50%. Immunity also increases by 5% and caps at 100% at level 10.

They are also harder to level up than other skills excluding unique ones I think.'

He stopped walking as he spotted something that looked like an alligator resting on the ground. It had yellow stripes on its back which is a clear sign it is venomous.

[[Dash] activated]

[[Whirlwind activated]

BOOM

He crossed dozens of meters within a second and the alligator reached his firing range.

[[Gale cutter] has been activated]

[[Water slash] has been activated]

Multitudes of wind and water slashes made their way towards the monster to which it responded by jumping up really high.

[[Wind spear] has been activated]

[[Earth spike] has been activated]

A sharp pointed stone rose up from beneath the airborne lizard and a spear created from a vortex of wind appeared from above.

SWOOOSH.

[You have killed an Advanced Standard Lv 39 Shoregator]

[+391 exp gained]

[You have leveled up]

[The presence of a curse prevented complete recovery]

[+3 attribute points]

[+3 skill points]

[You have obtained Advanced soul fragment×1]

Aster immediately touched his face and was met with a sharp pain.

'It's still disfigured, damn it.'

'That demon Carl probably put that curse on me, didn't he? With that 'you can't join anybody else other than my family' bullshit and all.'

'The curse gradually consumes my hp, mana and energy but to think it can reduce the recovery of a level up. That goes to show my system is not all high and mighty, I can't depend on it that much.'

'I wonder if there's a way to strengthen the system? It became like this by absorbing the excess mana from the cosmic storm so maybe I should try dumping more mana into it? Where would I even find that much energy if a fricking interstellar storm isn't enough?'

'Let's say I succeed in empowering it with more energy. Would that fix it? Will I get a consistent daily quest? That certainly would help a ton.'

'Too many questions. I guess you wouldn't be kind enough to answer me? Heh, I expected that much.'

'I should give you a proper name someday now that I accepted you as a living thing, specifically my child. System just sounds weird now.'

PUFF!

Aster twisted his upper body and caught the dart coming from behind.

'Ohohoho, I almost didn't notice you because of your abysmal mana and aura concentration. Now that I know intelligent life exists here, how do I communicate? It's not like I'm capable of speech now.'

His left eye radiated pale blue light with occasional yellow pulse. That combined with his bloody pitch black clothes, the display of multiple elemental magic along with his speed and skeletal face, gave him an eerie vibe yet a badass look.

'What is that thing? Is it a wraith? An undead? Is it one of those fleshy bastards?'

The culprit who blew that dart towards Aster gulped. She felt like the hollow blue eye was piercing right through her very being.

'I need to escape!'

She turned her back and ran from the rock she was hiding behind.

'I need to ask for help from the Elder! That thing is dangerous.'

She was confident in her ability to run… that was until she heard someone breathing behind her.