Chapter 148-150

Chapter 148

King Baalrek observes the behavior of the young Infernal Princess with attention, his gaze fixed not only on her movements but on the flickers of emotion that pass across her face.

The group of Jacob Cloud, Iskara Drazhal, and the others has met the first monsters, but the creatures, just at the Advanced Platinum Rank, have been easily dispatched.

King Baalrek wishes he still had a chin to gently scratch it while he examines Jacob Cloud’s actions. 

He’s a smart kid, but he’s clueless around women. His instincts for politics can be as sharp as one imagines them, but then he clearly has 

King Baalrek observes the behavior of the young Infernal Princess with attention. 

The group of Jacob Cloud, Iskara Drazhal, and the others has met the first monsters, but the creatures, just at the Advanced Platinum Rank, have been easily dispatched.

King Baalrek wishes he still had a chin to gently scratch it while he examines Jacob Cloud’s actions. 

He’s a smart kid, but he’s clueless around women. His instincts for politics can be as sharp as one imagines them, but then he clearly has trouble with basic things.

The Infernal King is actually unsure whether his contribution here would help Jacob Cloud or not. Sometimes, he thinks, it's just better to let the wheel of fate spin on its own.

Every time he interferes, he risks pulling at threads that should not be touched, and he knows too well how the world punishes meddling hands.

Interventions might damage his Karma, King Baalrek ponders. 

So, he observes as Jacob wipes sweat off his forehead after engaging some Shadow Spiders. 

*

"They're pretty tough for Platinum Ranked monsters," Orrivane says with a casual remark. 

"Elites," Nimirea comments laconically. "And we're here for Shadow Mimics, Jacob?" 

Jacob nods toward the half-Elf. 

"Shadow Mimics, plural?" Iskara asks. 

"That's what your aunt said," Jacob comments. "She mentioned that the Dungeon has Shadow Mimics at Intermediate Diamond Rank--as strong as the Dungeon Boss. And with this being an Elite Dungeon... I imagine they're going to be pretty strong."

Everyone looks at Jacob because he’s the Guide. 

He’s the one who asked them to come. 

Well, aside from Nimirea, who sort of forces herself into the group. But everyone else, they come because of Jacob. 

Even Iskara has come here because of Jacob. She doesn’t show it, but her steps always stay near his. It’s easy to think that, at least for her, it’s about her aunt, Veythra. But truth be told, even her royal aunt has less sway on her than Jacob. Not that she would ever publicly admit to that.

A new monster appears. 

A Shadow Steel Spider, level 380. 

Jacob is still wielding Black Flame, his strongest sword, while black and red veins snake around his skin. Then he steps forward using the first step of Mephistus. The shadows in the Long Shadows Grotto—the same ones that make everything pitch black—make the ground uneven. 

However, both of Jacob’s skills activate in response: Quake Balance and Greater Fault Line Instinct.

Quake Balance makes Jacob much harder to trip, and it even applies to the oily consistency of the shadows that cover the cavern. The Shadow Steel Spiders have very sharp extremities that allow them to anchor themselves in the shadows and not slip. 

It’s harder for the group to display their full combat potential while trying not to trip. Yet Jacob can locate the most unstable parts of the shadows thanks to Greater Fault Line Instinct, and Quake Balance gives him a much higher threshold for equilibrium and balance than everybody else there.

He activates Web of Withering, anchoring the Shadow Steel Spider to the ground. Before the monster can do anything, Jacob pierces its carapace with his black sword and kills it.

They resume walking, and Jacob takes care of the weaker monsters since he needs the levels.

Nimirea voices some thoughts. 

“How come you’re only this strong?” she asks.

“Excuse me?” Jacob replies.

“I don’t mean this to offend or humiliate you. But you’re part of the Ten Champions—the Generation of Legends. The Trial, I heard, was a display of pure strength, no?”

“Well,” Jacob says, “I don’t exactly pass the Trial in a straightforward way. I’m not that strong, admittedly,” he continues. “But I’m very…” He pauses, looking for a word. 

“Resourceful,” Orrivane suggests. 

“I like resourceful,” Jacob nods.

Nimirea keeps looking at Jacob as they continue, and soon she can’t help but ask another question. 

“What kind of Skill lets you see so easily through the grotto?”

“Trade secret,” Jacob replies, not missing a beat.

“Interesting,” Nimirea says, almost with a cryptic look on her face.

“Is it?” Jacob replies. “I don’t think there’s anything that interesting.”

“It’s even interesting that you try to sell yourself short, Jacob Cloud,” Nimirea says.

“It’s not that I sell myself short,” Jacob replies, looking around with the Grimoire still active. “It’s just that every Champion is impressive. There’s nothing interesting in a Champion who’s not that strong. If anything, it’s surprising I’m the only one like that.” 

“I suppose that is a good point,” Nimirea mutters. 

The group moves forward through the black grotto with more shadows gathering all around. Distinguishing shadows and terrain is almost impossible. They can do that for barely a few feet in front of them, but that’s about it. Beyond that range, it’s impossible to tell what’s what. 

And it’s not just the terrain that feels weird. The air itself seems to become… oily. 

There’s a faint sound of dripping water that unnerves the group. 

Even though they’re Champions and Champion-adjacent in terms of power, this is still an Elite Dungeon where they expect to meet Shadow Mimics. 

Jacob, who has faced a Shadow Mimic before, knows just how strong they can be. And, this time, the Shadow Mimics are going to be stronger than him. 

They’ll most certainly copy either Orrivane or Iskara, Jacob thinks. And in both cases, we’ll have to swarm the Mimic and kill it as fast as possible. Hopefully, they won’t come at us more than once at the time. 

Suddenly, the sound of the dripping water seems to become rhythmic—but in an unnatural way. Then, it picks up speed. 

Jacob lowers his sword slightly, sensing something off.

The shadows around them begin to shift. At first, it’s small—a ripple, like the surface of water when a drop falls in. Then, from the walls and floor, the darkness thickens and slides toward the center of the chamber. It gathers into pools of black fog, swirling and pressing together until they start to take shape.

“Stay close!” Jacob shouts, already able to see what’s happening thanks to the Grimoire. “There’s ten of them! Be ready to fight with all you’ve got! All of it!” 

Ten silhouettes rise from the ground. They are tall, slim, and familiar. The fog thins just enough for faces to show.

Iskara’s faces.

Each shadow wears her form—her red skin, her hair, her armor, her posture—but their eyes are blank, empty holes where light should be. The air chills as the last of them finishes forming, and all ten turn their heads in perfect sync toward the real Iskara.

Their bodies move like smoke. When one takes a step, its legs dissolve for a second before reforming. 

“These bastards are evolved forms!” Nimirea hisses.

“They’re what?!” Jacob has never heard of that but immediately analyzes one more in depth with the Grimoire. 

[Analysis Completed.]

[Deep Shadow Mimic - Lv. 520]

[Deep Shadow Mimic: a monster that has been nourished by an environment rich in shadows and that has developed several abilities independent on his capacity to copy their opponents.] 

Their movements are smooth, too smooth, like puppets pulled by invisible strings. The faint gleam of black steel flashes in their hands as long claws, much longer than Iskara’s, take shape from the shadows.

For a moment, no one breathes. 

The grotto itself seems to tighten, as though the stone is holding its breath too. 

Then the first mimic tilts its head. The others follow. Ten copies of the same motion. Ten perfect echoes of one person.

A sound runs through the dark, a whisper made of metal and smoke, like the air tearing open. The mimics spread out, circling the group. 

Their feet don’t make a sound when they touch the shadowed floor.

Chapter 149

To say that the situation looks desperate would be the understatement of the century. With so many Shadow Mimics in front of them, it would be a miracle if they managed to survive more than five minutes. 

Jacob exhales, forcing calm into his voice as his eyes gleam with some deep understanding.

He’s clearly had an idea—or at least he’s seeing something only he can see. 

“Listen to me,” he says. “I’ve got a way to kill the Mimics, but I need ten minutes. That’s all—ten minutes.”

The others glance at him, uncertain, but his tone leaves no room for argument.

“Buy me that time and I’ll handle the rest,” Jacob adds.

The Mimics twitch in the dark, their empty eyes gleaming.

 “Whatever happens, just keep me safe. Ten minutes—just hold.”

Orrivane and Iskara exchange a glance, a silent understanding passing between them. There’s no time to argue, no room for restraint. The Mimics are already moving, their shadowy claws gleaming like liquid obsidian. Using their Rainbow Skills here means exposing everything—to Lancelot, to Nimirea, to anyone watching—but dying with secrets gains them nothing. Iskara exhales, crimson eyes flaring as the air around her trembles with Mana. 

Orrivane’s expression hardens, his hand tightening, reality beginning to fold around him. 

They both nod once. 

The Shadow Mimics can’t copy the Rainbow Skills. 

The Mimics begin to change. Their shapes grow denser, their muscles tightening like coiled steel. The air vibrates around them. Each breath they take spreads heat and pressure through the cavern. Their skin darkens, glowing faintly with red veins of light. The ground cracks under their feet as their aura swells higher and higher. Jacob can feel it pressing against his chest like a storm wind. They are feeding on Iskara’s power, copying her every buff, every surge. The shadows twist around them, and their strength climbs until it settles—a burning, suffocating presence at Advanced Diamond Rank.

Nimirea eyes go wide.

“That’s why they copied me,” Iskara hisses. “They’re using buffs. They’re even stronger. This is…”

She turns toward Jacob, but he has already sat down and is meditating.

Whatever he’s doing, he better make this work. 

When she turns back toward the Deep Shadow Mimics, however, there’s not much fear to be found upon her face. In fact, there’s essentially none. 

Now, her eyes start changing color.

“Eliskar, the buffs.” 

“Yes, Your Highness.” 

The giant Infernal starts chanting in ancient language as Iskara’s own aura climbs higher and higher. 

Inside Jacob Cloud’s soul, someone nods to himself, satisfied.

I suspected her Squires were trained for this. It makes sense. I never did that when I owned Lucifer’s Veins because I only obtained the Rainbow Skill later in life. If I had been groomed with it from my younger years, training Squires who would be able to increase my power like this would have made a big difference.

King Baalrek smiles at himself as he looks at the Golden Sight: Iskara’s eyes have turned fully gold, with no distinction between iris, pupil, or any of the features of the cornea. This is the sign of complete mastery of Lucifer’s Veins. It’s a Rainbow Skill that requires some practice and a ritual to master. Without him, the Skill might have poisoned the girl. 

Well, without me AND the boy, I suppose.

King Baalrek sees Iskara’s aura rising until she hist the very Peak of Diamond Rank, but he can feel that the way she wields the power is unstable.

She still cannot fully control the power of someone at Peak Diamond Rank. She’s not strong enough to deal with those Deep Shadow Mimics.

Even though Shadow Mimics, Deep or not, can copy an entire person’s Skillset, they cannot copy Rainbow Skills. Rainbow Skills transcend Rank and reason, and therefore are impossible to replicate. That’s why there’s only one per kind at the time. 

Iskara’s body shifts as her power rises. Her skin glows faintly, and her hair lifts in the heated air. The light in her eyes grows stronger until it fills them completely. The ground shakes softly under her feet.

The Mimics launch themselves forward all at once. Their movements are fast, sharp, and perfectly in sync. The first reaches her, but Iskara meets it head-on. Her fist goes through its chest, the explosion of Mana tearing the mimic apart. Yet, the creatures bounces off the ground, looks at its caved in chest and simply knits it back with the shadows that surround it. 

The others don’t stop. They attack from every side, cutting through the air with speed that forces her to move faster than she ever has.

She sidesteps a swipe aimed at her throat and drives her knee into the mimic’s chest, breaking it apart in a burst of golden light. Another comes from behind; she spins, grabs its arm, and tears it off before crushing its head with her palm.

Two more rush from the sides. She releases a shockwave of power that blow away three Deep Shadow Mimics at once. They reform almost instantly, but she doesn’t give them time to attack again. She closes the distance and slashes her claws across their chests, the impact strong enough to send them crashing into the cavern wall.

Lancelot stares, wide-eyed. “She’s winning!”

Nimirea shakes her head. “No. Look closer.”

King Baalrek watches quietly from inside Jacob’s soul. 

She’s pushing too much power at once, he thinks. Her body can’t hold it. 

The Mimics close in again, their strikes landing one after another. Iskara blocks two, but a third slips through, cutting across her shoulder. Another blow hits her ribs, forcing the air from her lungs. The golden light around her dims as several more Mimics crash into her at once, their claws starting to tear through her defenses.

The Mimics change targets. Half of them keep pressing Iskara, while the others turn toward the rest of the group. Their movements are jerky but coordinated, like a single will guiding all of them.

They do look like Iskara, but twisted.

The resemblance makes the scene even harder to watch.

Lancelot and Nimirea step back, trying to find space to fight. The shadows spread faster, filling every corner of the cavern.

Orrivane raises his hand. “Stay behind me.”

A black field expands in front of him. One of the Mimics lunges straight into it, and the moment its arm crosses the barrier, it dissolves. The rest of its body halts, smoke rising from the missing limb.

The relief lasts a second. The mimic reforms the arm with the same liquid shadows and charges again.

Orrivane tightens his stance and fires a burst of Void Magic. The attack tears through two mimics, slowing them but not destroying them. He pulls his hand back and summons another Event Horizon, catching one more in the trap.

Even with Void Magic, he can’t hold them off. Their buffs make them stronger, faster, and more coordinated than before. They begin to close the distance, forcing him to retreat.

“I didn’t know two Champions had Rainbow Skills,” Nimirea suddenly says with a sigh. 

“Well, now you know!” Orrivane says, shouting and defending himself. “It doesn’t really matter if we’re all going to die, anyway!” 

“Let me return the favor,” Nimirea says, stepping in front of Orrivane and slapping her hands together. 

This can’t be, King Baalrek thinks. Another one? And THIS ONE?! What kind of Karma is influencing the world? The Generation of Legends? That’s not enough! Where do all these Rainbow Skills come from?!

Water bursts from Nimirea’s palms, spreading across the ground in a wide circle. The liquid is dark and heavy, more like oil than water. The moment it touches the shadows, the Mimics begin to slow down.

“Devouring Ocean Eating the Heavens,” Nimirea declares. 

Inside Jacob’s soul, King Baalrek’s voice is calm but sharp.

Devouring Ocean Eating the Heavens. It drains Mana from anything within its reach. Every drop of water becomes a mouth. Anything caught in it is slowly emptied of energy.

The Mimics step into the water. Their auras flicker, their movements losing precision. Nimirea’s eyes narrow as she keeps the field expanding. The cavern floor darkens as more water flows from her hands.

In ten minutes, she can drain anyone dry, Baalrek continues. She absorbs the Mana herself, storing it in her veins. If she can last that long, she could end this fight alone.

But there’s a problem, he adds. The Skill isn’t selective. Anything that touches the Devouring Ocean feeds it—including her allies. If she loses focus or pushes too far, it won’t matter who the Mana belongs to.

Nimirea works hard to steer the Skill away from her allies as they move, and then raises a hand. 

“Abyssal Ocean Cannon.” 

A terrifying jet of water impacts a Deep Shadow Mimic almost point blank, destroying its entire body and killing it on the spot. Nimirea sags slightly after that attack.

“What the hell is that?!” Orrivane says, using Event Horizon to defend from a blow and make sure no one attacks Jacob. “That’s the most Mana I’ve ever seen poured in one attack! How many of those can you even use at once?!” 

Nimirea smiles as her Mana is fed again through Devouring Ocean Eating the Heavens. 

Nimirea steadies her hands. The water thickens and rises around two Mimics. Their auras flicker hard. She pulls. Their steps slow to a crawl.

Iskara reads the opening. She jumps in and rips one apart before it can reform. The Devouring Ocean holds the pieces a moment longer. It stays dead.

Orrivane times a Void burst through the second. The blast tears it in half and the Ocean pulls the scraps under. It vanishes. Two down.

Lancelot rushes in with a shout. He lands a blow on a third. It barely staggers. A backhand sends him skidding. He coughs and crawls back, shaking.

Iskara is bleeding from shoulder, ribs, and thigh. Cuts line her arms. Her breathing is heavy. She still stands between the Mimics and Jacob.

Orrivane’s barriers form slower. The edges shake. One Event Horizon flashes too late and only eats a claw tip. The full strike still lands on his crossed arms and forces him back with exposed bone coming from his forearms. 

Nimirea still launches devastating attacks, but her face is pale. Her arms shake each time she pulls more Mana. The drain from Devouring Ocean Eating the Heavens keeps feeding her, but her body strains under it.

King Baalrek speaks inside Jacob’s soul. She can refill her Mana, but the body pays the price. This much output is slowly destroying her muscle and bone. It is impressive she is still upright.

A Mimic slips past a late barrier and clips Iskara’s side. She staggers. She blows it away it a second later, but her stance is off. Her eyes dim for an instant.

Another Mimic drives through Orrivane’s weakened field and pierces his side. He gasps, clutching the wound. 

Nimirea fires a short jet to stop a charge. It works, but her legs shake. She drops to one knee and grips the ground to stay steady.

Iskara takes one step, then another. Her legs give out. She falls to the ground, blood running down her arm, eyes still gold but faint.

“Your Highness!” Eliskar is about to run toward her when a hand stops him. 

“I’ve got this.” 

Without anyone noticing, Jacob has risen. 

“Sorry, my Skill was too low-leveled to work on them. I had to pull off some last minute training. But this should be easy.” 

The Deep Shadow Mimics look at Jacob with their empty eyes and two jump at him. 

“You drew too much from Iskara’s power. You’re tethered to all these buffs.” 

As the two Deep Shadow Mimics are about to hit him, he simply says, “Hellish Reversal.” 

Both disappear in clouds of ash. 

Then he turns toward the other ones and takes a deep breath. 

“Hellish Reversal.” 

Hellish Reversal, the same Skill he used against Azrakel, inverts the buffs. However, the Grimoire had told him that the Skill was too low leveled to affect the Deep Shadow Mimics. Now, however, with the Mimics having drunk way too deep from Iskara’s power, the effect of Hellish Reversal is simply devastating. It dissolves their very core before they can do anything.

However, the shadows from the mimics that had been still standing slowly reach Jacob, who’s wary of such an effect and ready to fight.

But, against all odds, he simply hears a notification. 

[Your Skill has evolved.] 

He feels a tremor in his hand. 

Chapter 150

No one speaks at first. They just stare at Jacob. The cavern is quiet except for breathing and the slow pull of Nimirea’s water as she lets it fade. The ash from the destroyed Deep Shadom Mimics’ bodies still hangs in the air, settling slowly over the broken ground.

Orrivane presses a hand to his side. Iskara sits up with help, gold fading from her eyes. Lancelot looks from the ash to Jacob and back again.

Lancelot blinks a few times, his mouth opening and closing. “Did he just—” he starts, but the words don’t come.

Nimirea wipes blood from her chin, still breathing hard. “He killed them,” she says quietly. “All of them. Just like that.”

Orrivane shakes his head, his tone sharp but uncertain. “No. That shouldn’t be possible. I saw it. They just… vanished. Their cores dissolved.”

Iskara looks at Jacob for a long moment. “That Skill,” she says, her voice low. “What did you do?” 

“I leveled it up,” Jacob says. “As I said, it was too weak to affect these Elite Monsters. Apparently, whatever threshold the Skill had, it wasn’t enough. Their protection to my Skill was even stronger than Azrakel’s.” 

Iskara nods slowly. 

The others fall silent again. The dust finishes settling, covering the cavern floor in a thin gray film.

The shadows seem to have completely receded and the cavern is now illuminated by the Light Skill that Jacob’s just cast. 

* 

They leave the Dungeon not long after. No one argues about it. Their wounds are deep, their Mana is low, and their thoughts are scattered. The air outside feels colder than before, the light harsher.

At their camp, no one talks for a while. Orrivane sits by the fire with his arm wrapped tight. Nimirea cleans her hands again and again, as if trying to wash away what she saw. Lancelot stares at the flames, still pale.

Iskara looks at Jacob across the fire. 

It shouldn’t have been possible, she keeps thinking. Why does he always have the right solution for the right moment? What kind of insane power is this? Did my eyes play me? Are we going all insane? How’s Jacob doing this?

Iskara keeps watching Jacob from across the fire. He looks calm, his expression unreadable as always. She thinks about her parents, about the endless lessons on duty and obedience. None of that mattered today. All their rules, all their talk about honor and bloodlines—none of it saved them. Jacob did. He said he needed ten minutes, and he won.

It was not luck nor coincidence. 

Every time, he finds a way. 

Every time, he delivers. 

Her parents want her to spy on him, to tell them about his secrets, to ruin his future in case he got too many Skills—in case he got something too valuable. 

But she knows better now. 

Jacob is the winning bet. 

For once, it’s not even about siding with him because he’s a fellow Champion or an ally. This isn’t some weird kind of sentimental choice—not at all.

Jacob is the key to her people rising again, to her own power, to her own freedom. 

And this time, she doesn’t care what her family thinks. She’s tired of their games and their endless caution. She wants to win, and he’s the one who will lead her there.

She decides, quietly but completely. She’ll follow him—whatever the cost, whatever it takes. 

One doesn’t get lucky so many times in a row.

Whatever Karmic fate he’s destined for, that’s where the real magic is going to happen. No more politics. If I have to die for it while trying to become the greatest—I will. 

*

Name: Jacob Cloud

Class: Infernal Architect – Lv. 194 → 200

Core Skills:

Hellbane’s Sword – Lv. 100 (Platinum – Offensive)

Flame Slash – Lv. 100 (Gold – Offensive)

Flame Shield – Lv. 100 (Gold – Defensive)

Flame Armor – Lv. 100 (Gold – Defensive)

Infernal Veins – Lv. 100 (Platinum – Constitution)

The Grimoire Extraordinaire (Rainbow – Support)

Class Skills:

Furnace Core (Passive) – Lv. 100

Flameform Blueprint (Active) – Lv. 100

Infernal Thread (Passive) – Lv. 100

Ember Keystone (Active) – Lv. 68 → 79

Architect’s Insight (Passive) – Lv. 100

Hellspire (Active) – Lv. 100

Ignition Array (Active) – Lv. 79 → 91

Attributes:

Strength (STR): 369 → 375

Dexterity (DEX): 500 → 512

Endurance (END): 267 → 273

Vitality (VIT): 500 → 512

Intelligence (INT): 1000 → 1024

Spirit (SPI): 1000 → 1024

Wisdom (WIS): 701 → 719

Charisma (CHA): 18 → 18

Luck (LCK): 10 → 10

Unassigned Points: +30 Free Attributes

Other Skills:

Minor Cookery – Lv. 34 (Iron)

Greater Night Vision – Lv. 100 (Gold)

Light – Lv. 79 → 90 (Bronze)

Expert Pickaxe Mastery – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Greater Mineral Sense – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Mana Well – Lv. 100 (Gold)

Vibrational Hyperawareness – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Heavenly Intuition – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Platinum Grip – Lv. 88 → 94 (Platinum)

Expert Endurance – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Expert Strength – Lv. 90 → 94 (Platinum)

Infernal Wings of Ash – Lv. 100 (Gold)

Web of Withering – Lv. 100 (Gold)

Dark Blade – Lv. 94 → 100 (Gold) [Waiting for Evolution] 

Diavolo Draw – Lv. 91 → 94 (Gold)

Black Flame – Lv. 44 → 53 (Fusion Skill – Platinum)

Blood of the Ancients – Lv. 79 → 86 (Platinum)

Tribulation of the Damned – Lv. 44 → 53 (Platinum)

First Step of Mephistus – Lv. 39 → 47 (Platinum)

Sigil of Baal – Lv. 34 → 43 (Platinum)

Hellish Reversal – Lv. 20 → 53 (Diamond)

Greater Fire Resistance – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Shard Dominion – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Greater Striking Rhythm – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Quake Balance – Lv. 100 (Gold)

Greater Fault Line Instinct – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Even with [Heavenly Intuition], I cut it too close this time. The Skill gave me the insight I needed, but not the time. Leveling up [Hellish Reversal] inside the Dungeon was reckless. If I had failed to raise it before the Mimics hit, we’d all be dead. That’s the truth. I could feel the Skill barely responding when I cast it, like it was hanging by a thread.

I can’t keep gambling like this. My Skills are strong, but I’m spreading myself too thin. Every time I learn something new, something else falls behind. I know I’ve advanced faster than most, but it’s not enough. It’s never enough. The enemies keep scaling, and I can’t rely on improvising every time.

[Dark Blade has reached its evolutionary threshold.]

[Evolve into: Shadow Blade (Diamond – Offensive)?]

[Level 1 Effect: Inflicts Shadow Poison upon impact. 

Shadow Poison increases the Mana consumption of affected targets by 5% per stack, up to a maximum of 25%. 

Duration: 20 seconds.]

I stare at it for a few seconds. It’s a clear step forward—finally a proper affliction Skill, something that can wear enemies down.

Inside my soul, King Baalrek speaks first. 

Take it, Jacob Cloud. This is what you need for your Affliction Specialist Class. It’s the right kind of Skill. And once you merge it with [Hellbane’s Sword], it’ll make the resulting weapon far more dangerous.

More Skills to level up, I complain. 

You have the ONE Rainbow Skill that is perfect for that. Stop complaining.

“Fine,” I mutter. “It’s just a lot, you know? Now, let’s evolve it.”

I summon the Dark Blade and stare at it while accepting the notification’s prompt. 

The blade in my hand darkens until it turns completely black. The edge shifts color, swallowing the light instead of reflecting it. I feel the change spreading through my Mana circuits, sharper, heavier, harder to control but stronger.

[Dark Blade → Shadow Blade (Platinum – Offensive)]

I look at everyone still nursing their wounds and resting.

Let’s see how much progress I can make before entering the Dungeon again.

Name: Jacob Cloud

Class: Infernal Architect – Lv. 200

Core Skills:

Hellbane’s Sword – Lv. 100 (Platinum – Offensive)

Flame Slash – Lv. 100 (Gold – Offensive)

Flame Shield – Lv. 100 (Gold – Defensive)

Flame Armor – Lv. 100 (Gold – Defensive)

Infernal Veins – Lv. 100 (Platinum – Constitution)

The Grimoire Extraordinaire (Rainbow – Support)

Class Skills:

Furnace Core (Passive) – Lv. 100

Flameform Blueprint (Active) – Lv. 100

Infernal Thread (Passive) – Lv. 100

Ember Keystone (Active) – Lv. 68 → 79

Architect’s Insight (Passive) – Lv. 100

Hellspire (Active) – Lv. 100

Ignition Array (Active) – Lv. 79 → 91

Attributes:

Strength (STR): 375

Dexterity (DEX): 512

Endurance (END): 273

Vitality (VIT): 512

Intelligence (INT): 1024

Spirit (SPI): 1024

Wisdom (WIS): 719

Charisma (CHA): 18 

Luck (LCK): 10

Unassigned Points: +30 Free Attributes

Other Skills:

Minor Cookery – Lv. 34 (Iron)

Greater Night Vision – Lv. 100 (Gold)

Light – Lv. 90 → 100 (Bronze)

Expert Pickaxe Mastery – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Greater Mineral Sense – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Mana Well – Lv. 100 (Gold)

Vibrational Hyperawareness – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Heavenly Intuition – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Platinum Grip – Lv. 94 → 100 (Platinum)

Expert Endurance – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Expert Strength – Lv. 94 → 100 (Platinum)

Infernal Wings of Ash – Lv. 100 (Gold)

Web of Withering – Lv. 100 (Gold)

Shadow Blade – Lv. 1 → 76 (Platinum) 

Diavolo Draw – Lv. 94 → 100 (Gold)

Black Flame – Lv. 53 → 83 (Fusion Skill – Platinum)

Blood of the Ancients – Lv. 86 → 100 (Platinum)

Tribulation of the Damned – Lv. 53 → 100 (Platinum)

First Step of Mephistus – Lv. 47 → 77 (Platinum)

Sigil of Baal – Lv. 43 → 75 (Platinum)

Hellish Reversal – Lv. 53 → 80 (Diamond)

Greater Fire Resistance – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Shard Dominion – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Greater Striking Rhythm – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

Quake Balance – Lv. 100 (Gold)

Greater Fault Line Instinct – Lv. 100 (Platinum)

It took three days for Nimirea and Orrivane to heal their wounds. 

And so I went together with Iskara in order to clean up the rest of the monsters. Thanks to Hellish Reversal I could kill all the Deep Shadow Mimics without any trouble. 

There is no more advancing in Class Level for now. I've reached the maximum that I can do with my Gold Rank Class. 

Now, all that is left to do is to learn the remaining Skills, max them out and then finally evolve Infernal Architect into a Platinum Ranked Class. 

Now, there’s only the Boss Room left.

As we walk toward the last room, the conversation that I had been expecting for a while finally happens. 

“So,” he says, “we’ve all seen each other’s Rainbow Skills now. Might as well admit it officially.”

Nimirea shrugs. 

“There’s nothing to admit. Everyone saw mine fill half the cavern. ‘Devouring Ocean Eating the Heavens’ isn’t exactly subtle as far as Skill names go.”

“It fits your character,” Iskara says with a raised eyebrow.

“Excuse me?” Nimirea narrows her eyes. 

“Let’s not get distracted. We should share the details in case we need to use them. Also, Nimirea, you’re at Champion level. We should petition the Headmaster for you to join us.” 

Nimirea shakes her head. 

“That’s bad Karma. You guys are the Generation of Legends. I have my own battle to take care of. We might still end up fighting together, but who knows, let’s see what happens. This is just the first year of the Academy and I’m already behind on coursework.”

“True,” Orrivane deflates. 

“As far as my Skill goes. Devouring Ocean Eating the Heavens saps enemies of their Mana as long as the water is touching them. The rate depletes roughly 10% of Mana each minute, relative to the total. It’s a fixed percentage, meaning in ten minutes, I would deplete anybody’s reserves.” 

“That’s…” Orrivane’s eyes go wide. “Now I see why you have such expensive Skills. You built your Class around your Rainbow Skill.” 

“Who hasn’t?” Nimirea frowns and looks at Iskara.

“Jacob and Orrivane already know my Skill. I can stack as many buffs as I can control with no side effects,” Iskara says. “And yes, I’ve built my Class around my Rainbow Skill.”

“I couldn’t,” Orrivane frowns. “My family… let’s just say I couldn’t. But Event Horizon is an absolute barrier that swallows everything. Hard to pair it with something.” 

“I could get ideas for you,” I say. “It’s actually interesting to think about something like that.” 

“No,” Orrivane says, “you shouldn’t worry about that. You should, instead, tell us what your Rainbow Skill is.” 

“Huh?” I look innocently around. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” 

“You leveled up a what, Diamond Skill you said? In… ten minutes? How many levels was that?” 

“Huh?” I play dumb. “What? Sorry, I couldn’t hear.” 

“It’s clear that your Skill helps you level up other Skills. Now, that excludes Offensive and Defensive Skills. So, either Support or Constitution. What is it?” 

“No idea what you’re talking about,” I repeat. 

They all stare at me. 

“Listen, if, allegedly, I had a Rainbow Skill, I still would rather not reveal it. It’s dangerous because let’s say a Cultist manages to get that information out of you. It’s always better to be careful. And that’s if I have a Rainbow Skill.” 

“You’re such a bore,” Nimirea tches. 

“Well, you’re not. Your Rainbow Skill is the most fascinating I’ve seen so far. It has several conditions: touch, Mana capacity, and, I suppose, how fast you can discharge the Mana, but it’s the most fascinating Skill.” 

“Oh, is it, now?” Iskara says, looking narrowly at me.

“Yeah?” I frown. “I mean, yours is cool too, of course.”

“Oh, thank you so much,” Iskara’s eyes flicker with Mana.

“What? Err, you’re welcome?” 

You should be studied. I’ve never seen such idiocy. Maybe you should start using the Grimoire on your social skills. Try and see if it works. It might save your life in the future.