7 Chapter 7: Skill-Testing
[Third Person's Point of View]
Augustus' command elicited a sea of text that filled his vision as a response.
[Info]
[The user can inquire any questions they may have, but only if the queries align with the information stored in the system and a match is found, the user will receive an answer in response.
Please state your question.]
Augustus's main curiosity was understanding the mechanics of this system.
"Does the system rely on potions for progression? And do I suffer from the same vulnerability as the Beyonders, losing control like the original?"
[Query accepted....searching for information in database....information found]
[The user does not need to consume a Potion in order to progress within the system. The system has its own ways of aiding advancement.
No. The system wants the user to know that it has a built-in safeguard against its user losing control, unlike the original novel]
Augustus gave a heavy exhale, feeling a sense of relief wash over him. He had resigned himself to the fact that he could lose control at any moment, but now that this weakness was gone, he felt much better.
Although his questions had been answered, the information given was insufficient. He realized that the true answers to his inquiries likely delved into sensitive topics that revealed the 'Truth' of the world. Therefore, he was content to wait for those answers to be revealed.
"My power has been labeled as 'D+', but what does that really mean? Is there a way for me to strengthen my demonic abilities through gaining higher ranks in the sequence?"
[Query accepted....searching for information in database....information found]
[For the ease of understanding of the user, demonic power is classified into quantity-matching the classifications used in the user's world. Here are its system denotations-
(Please Note the symbol '-' and '+' are used to signify low and high amounts of demonic power in their class. For example, a 'D-' Devil has Low-Low Class amount of demonic power while 'D+' has High-Low Class)
D - Low Class
C - Mid Class
B - High Class
A - Ultimate/God Class
S - Satans/God-King Class
SS - Super Devil Class
SSS - Strongest God-King Class
EX - Immeasurable
(Note - The amount of Demonic/Magical Power of a being is not the representation of their combat strength.)
As the user progresses in rank, their Demonic/Magical energy will increase in tandem.]
"Hmm...I see" nodded Augustus in understanding. This meant that he elevated from being a Low-Class Devil with an average level of demonic power to one who was about to enter the Mid-Class.
This event may have caused excitement to any other Devil, but to Augustus, it was the natural course of event.
'It's time to check out my gains', Augustus thought to himself as he decided to test out all of the new abilities he had acquired overnight.
"First ability - strong body", as he strolled through the library and out to the backyard, he mumbled to himself, intending to test his strength.
Since the moment the white light entered his chest, he has noticed a distinct change in himself.
Caught up in a whirlwind of shocking revelations, he pushed aside his feelings and decided to test them out at a more convenient time. That time was now, and it couldn't have been more perfect.
'Let's start', Augustus raced towards the massive boulder in the backyard, his fist clenched and ready to strike at its center.
Boom!
The loud explosion echoed through the backyard, followed by ear-splitting cracks as the boulder shattered into pieces. The sound was like a gunshot mixed with thunder, reverberating through the air.
Augustus couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of excitement as he gazed at the sight in front of him. He could feel his heart racing with adrenaline and a rush of joy coursing through his veins.
Before, Augustus could only break medium-sized boulders when using reinforcement magic on his body. But now, he could completely demolish large boulders using only his raw physical strength. And as an added bonus, he could still use reinforcement to enhance his power even further.
"Just by my raw strength alone, I am on the cusp of reaching High-Class. Adding reinforcement to that will allow me to go toe-to-toe with a newly minted High-Class Devil in close combat."
But he was aware that it wouldn't make a difference, as High-Class Devils were renowned for their mastery of magic and vast repertoire of spells. The likelihood of him surviving long enough to confront one up close was slim to none.
Next, to put his Keen Instincts to the test, he gathered a selection of knives and swords from his father's collection and placed them on the floor. Then, he blindfolded himself and inserted earplugs into his ears.
Augustus willed them to levitate, causing them to rise from the ground and hover at a distance of 15-20 meters above him.
'Let's hope I'll be standing all right by the end of this', Augustus mused as he stopped his magic.
It was like watching a masterful performance, the way Augustus moved with the grace and precision of a dancer, his body bending and flowing like water to avoid each weapon as it fell. The chaos was transformed into a beautiful, deadly dance, and Augustus was the star of the show.
As the final weapon fell, Augustus stopped, untied his blindfold, and removed his earplugs.
He was really satisfied with this ability. Combined with his Strong body skills and High-Grade Weapon Mastery will make him nigh-invincible in close combat against opponents who do not have a huge margin of demonic power difference with him.
Next, checking out his Weapon Mastery, he picked up a sword from the field of weapons in front of him.
As he pulled the sword from the ground by its handle, the world around him turned silent.
He was lost in a daydream, envisioning himself tirelessly practicing with the sword for years on end. He endured broken bones, sweat, and blood in his relentless pursuit of mastery over the bladed weapon. After countless hours of training, dueling, and battling opponents, he finally achieved a level of expertise that few could match.
The silver blades glinted in the moonlight, creating long, ethereal arcs as Augustus moved with precision and grace. Each strike and parry was like poetry in motion, the fluidity of his movements almost entrancing to watch.
As he sheathed his sword with a long sweeping motion, Augustus couldn't help but reflect on the immense power of his newly acquired skill. 'I never imagined it could be this strong', he thought to himself.
Augustus released his grip on the sword's handle and closed his eyes, taking a moment to reflect. After considering all aspects, he came to the realisation that the skill had granted him a permanent connection with the sword.
A grin broke out on his face as he proceeded to do the same with knives and spears lying around.
The three skills, while powerful on their own, became a nigh-cheat skillset for him when combined together. And that was not even considering the High-Grade Killing Mastery he couldn't test out, given the lack of targets.
Augustus concentrated on his mind to activate the penultimate skill, as a huge amount of knowledge came flooding into his mind, all engraving the skillset necessary for him to become the most notorious criminal in the Underworld.
'Finally the last'
Reluctantly moving on to the last skill, Augustus reluctantly activated the skill he least wanted to use.
He wished he could avoid using it indefinitely, but he realized the importance of testing its effects instead of being caught off guard by an unknown factor.
As soon as the skill was activated, Augustus' hesitant expression transformed into one of stoic coldness with a slight sneer on his face.
'Kill'
This was the main thought that invaded his mind as he endured the effects of the skill. A long list of other thoughts invaded his mind, to sate his desire, lust, and pride, but they were all shadowed by the overwhelming desire to kill.
He burned with a desire for vengeance against the individuals who took advantage of him and left him beaten and robbed. He also sought retribution against the hunters who failed to retrieve his parents' remains.
Augustus clenched his jaw and shut his eyes, entering a trance-like state. Gradually, the overwhelming emotions lessened in intensity, no longer threatening to consume him completely. They still lingered, but he had learned how to coexist with them without losing his sanity.
Feeling accustomed, he decided to stop the skill and introspect.
It had always been his intention to seek revenge for the injustices that the original Augustus had endured. However, as they say, even the most carefully laid plans can go awry...
With his current circumstances, seeking revenge would be much simpler than it would have been before. However, he couldn't act recklessly; he needed to strategize and use the situation to his advantage in order to move forward with his plan.
The Acting Method is the process of acting according to the sequence's name in order to fully digest the Beyonder potion. Though his abilities were not potion-based, his development would still follow a similar pattern.
Specifically, he needed to transition into a full-fledged criminal and commit acts that violated the law.
He suspected that the severity of his law-breaking would determine the extent of his progress.
As a twisted laughter erupted from his mouth, Augustus thought to himself, "It seems like I'll be swamped with work for the foreseeable future."
"Well then---"
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Here you go, the promised epis-ahem-chapter.
Author-san here!!!
I will be taking a break for vacation, so there won't be a new chapter until Monday----what? You guys want more chapters?
Urghh, okay let's make a deal.
We are currently sitting at 18 Powerstone for the week, make that 45 and I'll give you a chapter along with the power-scale bonus chapter on saturday.
Deal?
I know I am being shameless here, so you don't have to complete the target. Really.
And I'll get to enjoy my vacation in peace.
Oh, and Illustrations are up, so do check it out.
(Kuroka's pictures are currently having a problem. I have published the posts, but some people are saying they cannot see them. I have reached out to Webnovel's support team, and they are currently working on resolving the issue. Hopefully, it will be resolved soon.)
And as always, don't forget to leave a comment behind. Or a review if you like the story so far. Don't worry. I have major stuff planned for this one. Will be absolutely fun!!!!
See you guys on Monday, hopefully.
