Vergil stood, his gaze now locked onto the translucent panel showing his Stats. The six hard-earned stat points blinked in the corner, a reminder of the blood he split to gain them. He clenched his jaw as he already knew exactly where they belonged.
"Constitution and mana," he muttered under his breath, grounding himself as his fingers drifted towards the values.
The confirm hit like a fire, then heat rippled through his veins as they spread throughout his body.
Constitution: 15 → 18
Mana Capacity: 12 → 15
He inhaled sharply, flexing his muscles, they felt as if invisible weights had been stripped away, as his bones thrumming with a surge of new strength.
He had realised that constitution was one of the most important stats. It allowed him to take more hits, but it also represented his stamina in a fight. Although his other stats were important. It was best for fights like these.
And mana, was just for insurance. Unlike others, he could boost it without relying on training.
'But it does seem wasteful to use it on mana. I should refrain from putting too many points.'
"This will certainly do.' he whispered, a thin grin tugging at his lips. "I think now I could beat 4 of those rats." Vergil joked.
[Ok, now we are getting ahead of ourselves]
The stat window folded into nothingness, only leaving behind a lattice of his skills, his eyes narrowed.
"Combination."
Hardened Hide + Endurance + Lesser Physical Resistance
"Come on…" he murmured. His voice now slipping into a low chant, a steady drumbeat of insistence for a good skill.
The screen pulsed.
[Combination has succeeded.]
Resilient Body (E)
Reinforces the user's physical body while granting resistance to both physical and blunt attacks and lessens fatigue over prolonged fighting.
Heat swelled in his chest, then bloomed out of his skin, tightening as though new layers formed beneath. He flexed his shoulders and felt it—the faint density, like stone under flesh.
"Nice," he said with a grin. "That's the kind of upgrade I need for close combat."
Quick Shot + Throwing
Vergil's smirk deepened. 'The compatibility between these two skills was amazing. Speed tied to accuracy and deadlier arrows.'
[Combination has succeeded.]
Rapid Precision (F+): Speeds up ranged attacks and throwing weapons, sharpening both aim and accuracy for the user.
The change was instant. His vision sharpening slightly. His focus tightening as though someone had wiped off grime from his lens. He clenched his fist imagining the new possibilities he could use with the bow.
"Perfect."
He cracked his knuckles again, satisfied, but his gaze slid lower. Three skills pulsed darker than the rest, primal in nature.
Feral Bite + Vile Bite + Venomous Fang
"All teeth," Vergil muttered, lips curling. "Let's make them nastier."
[Combination has succeeded.]
Ravenous Bite (E-): A savage bite that tears flesh, carrying venom and disease while inflicting lingering pain, difficult for weaker foes to resist.
Vergil let out a low whistle. "That's brutal. Anyone I bite won't be walking away." He rolled his jaw once, tongue brushing a canine. "Just hope they don't turn yellow."
Only two skills remained to merge. His eyes hovered, but for the first time, hesitation crept into his hand.
Mana Sensitivity + Mana Manipulation
Vergil frowned. These weren't throwaway skills. They were foundation stones thag he had only just received, slow to build but powerful if given enough time. If he merged them and it failed…
His fingers hovered. "Both grow alongside my mana organ. But if I fuse them… ah you know what, fuck it! I'll just have to kill and eat a mage if it fails."
His pulse quickened. Risk, reward. He exhaled through his nose and pressed the command.
"Please don't fail me."
The system pulsed.
[Combination has succeeded.]
"Yes!"
Mana Affinity (F+): Sharpens mana awareness and efficiency in spellcasting, improving perception of unnatural flows and disturbances.
Vergil sighed in relief. His ragged breathing becoming steady but he felt the changes instantly, like stepping into another world beyond his own. The air around him thrummed faintly, his sense of mana clearer than ever. It was like standing in silence only to realize there had always been an orchestra playing beneath it.
"This…" his voice hitched with restrained excitement, "…is huge." His grin returned, wolfish and unrestrained. "I guess I really was blessed."
The afterglow of success lingered until something pierced it.
A sound.
Screams.
Vergil froze. The warmth of mana drained from his chest, replaced by the cold spark of instinct. His Wild Instincts flared violently, a spike of warning like claws raking across his mind.His breath hitched, not from fear but out of a different emotion. Curiosity
His head snapped toward the source beyond the ridge, faint but undeniable.
Vergil moved without pause, his body carrying him forward.
Each step was low and fluid, his body slipping into a predatory rhythm as he scaled the incline. Pebbles scattered beneath his boots, but his movements made little noise. His breath slowed, every muscle working at its maximum
At the crest, he narrowed his eyes as he crouched to take a look.
The road below twisted like a scar across the land. A half-shield carriage sat broken in its path, with chaos surrounding it.
Six hounds prowled around it, their yellow eyes glowing like embers. One horse layed in a twitching heap, its throat now aragged ruin. The other one screamed, rearing wildly, foam streaking from its mouth to its muzzle. The driver slumped, an arrow jutting from his shoulder. His head lolled uselessly.
And before the carriage stood a man—lean, blade curved in his hand, arrogance etched into every step he took. Opposite him, a boy no older than fifteen staggered under the weight of a battered sword, his stance screaming desperation.
Vergil's gaze shiifted to the shuttered carriage. Movement. A woman's silhouette—still, rigid, her eyes sharp even through shadow. Not panic. Calculation.
The air stank of iron and wet fur as panic clung to the scene like smoke.
Vergil's lips twitched upward.
"What an interesting situation."