Sworded Affair

Chapter 150 : Awkward Timing

[50 EXP gained for making a wise choice.]

Fittingly enough, it was Emma's decision to take a different course that provided her the final bit of EXP needed to push her over the edge.

[Level up!

True Form: Level 15 Damned Apostle

Anima: 5000

EXP: 8025/10000

You may now maintain 2 summoned simulacrums simultaneously!

Due to significant exposure to an unstable space time rift, your selections for this level have been modified accordingly! Let's do the Time Warp again!

Warning! All selections below are ephemeral; you have 1 hour to make your selections before they are lost.

Select one from the following options:

Clockblocked: One With Everything cooldown reduced (1 hour >>> 10 minutes)

Timesnatch: Parallel Lives cooldown reduced (1 minute >>> 10 seconds)

Select one from the following options:

Time for a Hug: No Pal of Mine cooldown reduced (1 hour >>> 10 minutes)

Timely Retreat: Return cooldown reduced (1 Day >>> 1 Hour)

Select 0-2 of the following options:

Vacuum Decay: Sacrifice Weeping Scar, We're All Mad Here, It's About Time, 12 Candles

Angel of Extinction cooldown reduced (12 days > 12 hours).

Event Horizon: Sacrifice 4500 Base Anima, Arcanivore, 30x Meals, Ready to Eat, 10x Mineral Water, Leftovers (Home Made), 2x Stainless Steel Pot, 7x Candles, 5000 Thrones,

Divine Conduit (Anathema) >>> Hunger]

What the hell?

Emma had planned to grab another bird, continuing her original role with the convoy as high flying reconnaissance. The sudden glut of status updates derailed that plan entirely; instead, she accepted a seat in the van at the very back of the convoy, while the surviving Scavenger was brought into the front vehicle at gunpoint. She paid no attention to the radio, detailing what would be another fifteen minute drive to reach the church; her mind was fully focused on the ramifications of the most complex, and possibly the most important level up of her life.

There were four choices to be made, taking into account the compound structure of the final selection. Of them, the first three decisions, at least, came easily. Edith's uncharacteristic concern for her life was enough to convince Emma of the serious threats ahead, threats that she was already struggling to detect at the palace garden.

[Clockblocked selected!]

Accordingly, Emma prioritised a reduced cooldown on her lifesaving Trait, rather than a mobility tool that would require her to be aware and proactive in dodging.

[Time for a Hug selected!]

Likewise, getting her summons to respawn faster could mean the difference between life and death in an extended battle. Reducing the cooldown of Return, meanwhile, was barely considered. Given the potential consequences of failing to seal the spacetime gate, Emma couldn't see a situation where returning to Oxford and having to take the long way back would be beneficial; assuming she could even teleport from inside Blenheim Palace. Other boss fights had locked teleportation before, so she wasn't confident in that either.

Finally, while it hurt to lose Weeping Scar and We're All Mad Here, Emma regarded those as win-more abilities. Namely, they would only take effect if she was able to land blows on her opponents; and in those situations, she was now strong enough to be confident in coming out on top, debuffs or no debuffs. When also taking into account that her summons could fulfil a similar role of damage over time, and that she could now keep two of them active at the same time, their importance faded. It's About Time, meanwhile, seemed good given the challenge facing her; if not for the fact that it was being resisted or ignored at every turn. Having considered all of this, Emma ultimately decided to take the plunge, and drastically reduce the cooldown of her strongest Ability.

[Vaccum Decay selected!]

As for the candles to sacrifice, Emma tossed the five mundane ones alongside the same number of Black Candles, as the latter were now forbidden to use. A pair of Soothing Candles rounded up the numbers, and then she was done. Done with the easy decisions, that is. Because for as much thought as was put into all of the above, it paled in comparison with the final selection available to her.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

[Event Horizon: Sacrifice 4500 Base Anima, Arcanivore, 30x Meals, Ready to Eat, 10x Mineral Water, Leftovers (Home Made), 2x Stainless Steel Pot, 7x Candles, 5000 Thrones.

Divine Conduit (Anathema) >>> Hunger]

The previous sacrifice asked for a few ancillary abilities to upgrade Emma's trump card. This sacrifice, on the other hand, asked for her first and longest standing ability; the power to heal in combat. Something that had saved her life on too many occasions to count now. Really, when set against that; the loss of most of her base anima would only add insult to injury, and the resource cost was completely trivial in comparison. Yet that was what the System offered, for a single trait evolution without any details given.

"Why?" Because what else could she ask in the face of such absurdity?

[I don't like it either, to be blunt. The Divine Conduit, as I originally envisioned it, would have been saved until after your introduction at the Solstice, sometime to be unveiled at a critical time to firmly establish your legend amongst the masses. But, well, plans have changed, and you can't grow your legend if you're dead.]

"You want me to take it, then."

[Strictly speaking, a quest at this level should not be assigned to a single Practitioner, no matter how good they are at punching above their weight. The System does not assign impossible tasks, but this one is near the upper bound of what is considered achievable.]

The reply was the same as the original explanation given when the quest parameters changed. Emma would have thought it mocking, if she didn't know Edith well enough by now to know that wasn't her style.

"You don't think we'll win without taking it. Maybe not even with it."

No reply, this time, but that was fine. Emma had already made her decision, because if she couldn't trust her System and ancestor, the source of all her powers, then she was doomed anyway.

[Event Horizon selected.

Hunger

Divine Conduit (Anathema) consumes itself, massively upgrading your Abilities and Traits with the power of a God that will never be.

All anima costs removed.

Ephemera reassigned to Traits.

Null and Void reassigned to Traits

Null and Void evolves into Null Zone: While active, all incoming magic fails.

All Level restrictions removed.

Babble Fish evolves.]

—

Status Update

Practitioner Emma Knight

True Form: Level 15 Damned Apostle

Anima: 500

EXP: 8025/10000

Abilities

Summon Unholy Sword {Epitaph}

Toxovolia: Epitaph can transform into a Bow, firing arrows made of ambient anima.

No Pal of Mine: Capture the souls of the worthy, gaining a simulacrum of equal level to the User. Maximum 1 active per 10 levels, rounding up. 10 minute cooldown when simulacrum is defeated. Captured:

The Leech King, Sir Bearington, Earthbound Immortal, Antipode

Angel of Extinction (Cooldown: 12 hours): Summon an Angel within line of sight. The Angel is invulnerable and departs after 12 seconds, inflicting Instant Death to anyone who saw it.

Oversoul: Instantly possess the body of a living target.

Parallel Lives (Cooldown: 1 minute): Swap places with your active Summon.

Return (Cooldown: 24 Hours): Teleport Home. Cooldown resets when Home is in danger.

Traits

Wolf, Ram and Heart (TOGGLE: ON): When active, attacks are imbued with Death magic, significantly increasing damage and carrying a [Level]% chance of inflicting Instant Death.

Ephemera (TOGGLE: OFF): Become intangible while active.

Null Zone (TOGGLE: OFF): While active, all incoming magic fails.

One with Everything (Cooldown: 10 minutes): If Anima would be reduced to 0, stop at 1.

Babble Fish+: You are fluent in every language.

Rorschach's Blot: Attempts to observe you remotely produce inaccurate, nonsensical images to those bearing ill-intent towards you. You will be alerted when observation commences.

Home Is Where the Hearth Is - Experience gains are doubled for 1 hour after eating a home-cooked meal.

Inventory - Eden's Echo A ring containing fifty cubic metres of storage space, capable of instant transfer. Living beings are held in stasis and slowly heal. All sapient creatures are less likely to attack the wearer. This item is invisible except to the wearer, who cannot wear other jewellery. Currently contains:

50 Thrones

Victorian Gown (3-piece)

Browning Hi-Power (13/13)

Shovel

British Army Knife

Quests

It's the Green You Need

Objective: Raise the Potted Hydra until it blooms.

Objective: Convince the Hydra to give Saint a vial of its blood.

Bonus Objective: Form a summoning contract with the Hydra

Reward: A powerful ally from the Age of Myth, Saint's Divine Item

Bonus Reward: ???

Vae Victis

Objective: Deactivate the gateway beneath Blenheim Palace before it explodes.

Rewards: 25,000 Thrones, Commendation (Order of the Empire, First Class), Season Ticket (The Ghost Train), Residence Permit (Avalon)

Penalty for Failure: Death

Half-Demon Homunculus: Level 5 Chandler

HP: 100

MP: 100

EXP: 800/850

Appearance

Red hair, green eyes, plain complexion.

Clothing

Pink Leotard

Traits

I'm a Candle: A modern understanding of non-magical candles.

Noncombustible: High resistance to heat and fire from all sources.

Blood of the Enemy: Blood taken from those you slay may substitute for one reagent when making Candles. Candles made using this trait are Demonic.

Breath Control: You can hold your breath for (Level)*2 minutes without losing focus.

Candle Attributes

Black: Consumes nearby light, leaving impenetrable darkness.

Hallowed: Repels beings of evil alignment or intent.

Soothing: Emits a potent soporific that can put an elephant to sleep.