Adept

Luke continued through the halls with a relaxed pace, he'd long since gotten used to the interior of the old castle. Though he suspected it to really be a dungeon, the more he thought about that point he realized that his situation could be seen as an opportunity. The biggest issue was his lack of company, but Aerin would help with that, assuming the visions kept occurring.

There was also another factor though, one he continuously tried to push into the back of his mind. Boredom. Luke had been stuck in the castle for around a month by his guess, and all there was to do was fight, talk to Aerin, and continue exploring a series of similar looking rooms.

Overall, if not for his newfound joy of combat he would have long since lost himself to the dullness of his life. It was only the momentary spark of adrenaline he constantly got when his life was at risk that kept him sane.

As Luke opened a new door that he had not been through before, he found himself in a wide area. Activating his veil momentarily, he found himself in a tall dome ceiling room, with smooth flooring, a series of rotted pews, and an altar-like structure at one end of the room. The altar was a raised platform, with a stone railing surrounding it. On the raised structure in front of it was a podium, that looked like a stone built equivalent to the wooden platforms priests would preach behind in his own world. At the center of the altar, sat a near fourteen-foot solid gold hourglass.

Out of the everything Luke had seen within the castle; the hourglass was likely the most expensive item. Atop of that its surface was smooth, untouched by the long stretch of time that had effected the rest of this place.

Luke took a step forwards, then paused as he noted something out of the corner of his eye. Near the sides of the room were large pillars that reached up the roof, and resting behind one of the pillars to his right was a large pile of bones.

Unlike all the other bodies he'd found in the castle, which still wore loose leathery skin. The corpses at the corner were stripped clean of any flesh, and the bones left with a brown hue and a light coating of dust.

As Luke noted this, he began to head into the room at a far slower pace, making his movements lighter, and readying himself in case something attacked him.

His worries proved founded as, almost as soon as he deactivated his veil he heard a sound like wings flapping. A second later and a figure entered the very tip of his range, at a high speed.

In the split second before the creature reached him, his eyes told him what the creature was. As he leapt to the side, Luke realized he recognized the creature as the beast that had been hanging from the ceiling upon his first awakening in the dungeon.

It had the pale skin of a husk, with abnormally long limbs with thick curved black claws, and similarly dark, leathery wings. In a way the beast looked like a mix between a sloth, and a fruit bat, only far deadlier than both could ever be.

The flying creature missed Luke by inches, immediately tilting its long leathery wings back upwards to once again escape his range. Growling, Luke summoned his chain and immediately set it alight with red-fiery mana. Whipping his hand out, he sent his chain flying in the direction of the creature only to completely miss as the beast disappeared out of his range once more.

Not wanting to waste energy by activating his veil, which would also limit his perception dangerously. Luke could only weight for the creature to make another strike at him before he could make another attempt at attacking.

That left him alone in the darkness, surrounded by broken pews, and the echoing sound of flapping wings.

Summoning both his chains and leaving them coiled around his wrist with a piece of them in his hand for him to swing. Luke waited with held breath, as he heard the creature flying all throughout the room.

Then suddenly, for a split second the sound of the flapping stopped and was followed by a thin whistling sound.

A second later, the creature's diving form entered his range from directly over his head. Mana-stepping away, Luke just managed to miss the creatures supernaturally fast form, and immediately turned around to counter strike.

Whipping his chain in the beast's direction, the metal links just managed to clip the creatures' long legs and leaving a black gash on its skin. To his surprise the creature actually let out a howl of pain, before quickly vanishing once more.

'Its not a husk', Luke noted in surprise.

For a moment, Luke was tempted to remove his blindfold but quickly decided against it. He didn't want to form a dependence on the dark, soul-destroying power of the Daranthian. Deciding he would save his eyes for only the most desperate of situations, he grit his teeth and prepared for another counter strike.

'I need to wrap my chain around the beast, so that I can pull it down. Assuming I'm stronger than it of course', Luke noted.

A half-second later the creature was in his range once more, this time striking from his front. Whipping his left chain out, he tried to control his strength as he willed the chain to wrap around a part of the creature.

To his satisfaction, the chain managed to wrap around center of the creatures left wing. Without so much as a pause, Luke swung with his other chain and wrapped it too around the creature, the second chain wrapping around the section of wing where it attached to its back.

Stepping to the side, he allowed the creature to swing past him, turning with the momentum. Using all his strength and yanked the creature back towards him, all the while his red-hot chains melted the creatures dehydrated skin.

The beast wailed with pain, the sound high pitch and screeching, like nails on a chalkboard. Still Luke didn't falter. Pulling the beast to the ground and placing a foot on its back, he leaned his body back as he pulled his chains with all his might.

His intention had been to try pulling the creatures wings off, but instead he only managed to severely cut into the leather wings. The result was the same, as the creature tried desperately to flap its wings and was unable. The creature began to angrily claw out at its sides, trying desperately to reach where Luke stood on its back.

Raising a foot, he held it over the creature's head and then activated mana step and stomped down on its skull. It only took one stomp, and the creatures head exploded in gore that covered Luke's lower leg.

Congratulations, you have slain a Tombstone Harpy. Your soul is being tempered.

Soul tempering until next rank: [1040/1000]

Would you like to start the rank evolution process: Yes, or No?

Smiling with satisfaction, Luke paused only an instant before selecting the yes with his mind. Since his past experience told him he would be able to retain his consciousness during a ranking process.

 Luke felt his body grown uncomfortably hot, as his muscles strengthened and his body grew lighter, more durable, and overall filled with more power. The mana in his body surged, growing deeper and more abundant.

The process was a quick one, painless, and when it was over Luke couldn't help but smile.

Luke's first noticeable change was that his omniscience range had grown to near fifteen meters. More than that, his skin was tougher, and smoother than ever before, making him possess far greater natural defense. His arms were covered in slim, non-bulky muscle that possessed supernatural power.

Pleased, Luke opened the system to look over his changes.

"Congratulations, you have reached the rank of Adept"

Lucian Kell Infernus

Titles: Scion of the Infernus clan.

One who see all and nothing.

Race: Demon Adept

Stage: lesser

Rank: Adept

Soul tempering until next rank: [40/10,000]

Bloodline: Infernus

Primary Affinity: Chained: Since you're awakening you have been in chains, at first this was your weakness. Now you have turned it into your strength, thanks to your desperation and will to survive your magic has now taken the shape of that strength. You are now soul bound to your chains; you are theirs just as they are yours. You are now, and forever chained.

Primary Affinity abilities:

Soul chains: You have been soul branded by the chains you were once imprisoned in. These chains have been tempered through your spilt blood, and the magic coursing inside of you. These chains reflect your strength and will grow as you do. Summon these chains at your will, for they are as much a part of you as your very soul. Adept: Your ability to control your chains grow as you rank, you are now able to imbue your chains with the natural aspect of your soul with far more efficiency. You may now control the form of your chains, allowing them to grow heavier or lighter at your command.

Inner chains: Your connection with your chains has grown, as has the chains around your soul. Summon the chains within your soul to do your bidding, as your soul grows so will the size and durability of these chains, as well as your ability to control them.

Secondary Affinity: Mana manipulator: You're desire to exceed your limits formed your second affinity. The man in your body has heard your rage and moved with your will. Now as you grow your manipulation over your own mana will exceed the norm, allowing your mana to move far more efficiently. Adept: you are no longer a novice to this ability; the efficiency and effectiveness of your mana manipulation has grown as you have.

Mana manipulation: your mana moves to your will, empowering your body to new heights at your command. The movement of your mana is far more efficient and therefore more powerful than before you possessed this affinity. Mana manipulation will grow as your soul grows, reaching new levels of strength and efficiency. Adept: You may now manipulate mana into greater strength and efficiency, as to greater quantity.

Eyes: Crimson

Abilities:

Unholy observation: Your eyes are the symbols of your bloodline, and your connection to those that have fallen. They are sightless, and yet they see more of the world than any regular eyes could.

Bloodline powers:

Noble Demon blood: As a high demon of one of the most powerful bloodlines, you now have the physical aspects to stand at the top of your lines. These aspects will only grow with your rank.

Flames of the Infernus clan: Hellfire is of the height of the true elements, and one of the most dangerous. As a scion of the Infernus clan the essence of these flames course through your very blood, no lesser heat may harm you.

Sightless: Your eyes are far more powerful than your body can withstand, for what they perceive you cannot. Until you reach the strength to withstand your eyesight, you will be cursed to see nothing in the way normal eyes might. Do not fear this sightlessness, for you have been gifted with the ability to truly see.

Omniscience: [Error! System Break] All seeing eyes: Your Omniscience [Error! System Break!] transcends time. [Error! Error! Error!]

Master: None

Luke was more than pleased with what he saw, there might not have been any new, and impressive abilities, but the improved efficiency would no doubt help him tremendously.

The biggest change was the appearance of the inner chain ability, which said he could summon chains from inside himself.

Frowning, Luke turned inwards the same way he would when sensing his own mana. To his surprise, he quickly found the inner chain he was searching for. Rather than being a physical chain, it was actually closer to an energy coursing around inside him, and possessed the same feeling as when he summoned his chains.

Focusing on the feeling, he thought for a second before mentally pulling it out of himself. The process was instant, as he felt the chain suddenly vanish from inside him and felt its presence next to him. Next to him a chain appeared from seemingly nowhere and felt to the ground next to him in a clatter of metal.

The chain was around a meter in length, and the width of his thumb, making it entirely unimpressive. What was interesting about it though was that at its final link there was a long smooth spear tip with a deadly point.

Curious, Luke unsummoned the chain with a mental command and then mainly out of curiosity summoned it again. As he did this, he willed the chain to shoot out like a bullet into the area in front of him. To his delight the chain flashed out, and struck the stone floor with a loud clang, with the spear tip actually penetrating the stone.

'It's a projectile!', Luke noted happily.

After playing with the chain a little longer, he found that aiming with it was surprisingly easy with his omniscience skill. Atop of that the knowledge required to use the skill almost seemed to have been ingrained into him, making him pick it up quickly.

Once finished practicing with his new chain-spear as he dubbed it, Luke went about testing his other improvements as well. Like before his chain grew in length, and when he tried swinging it, the metal moved with ease. Atop of that, aiming it became far easier as well, with Luke practicing a few strikes on the rotted pews around him. Perhaps the largest change with the chains however was that when he moved his mana into them, they glowed with a far deeper red. When he struck a pew with the chains, he was pleased to find that the red chain actually managed to half-crush, half-cut through the wood.

The next matter he tested was his mana manipulation skill, which had also made great improvements. Mana-step was easier than ever, and he found he could activate it with just a single thought, his body going through the process on its own. The range at which it took him greatly improved as well, by a whole five feet. It could also be used to greater efficiency, meaning he could use two in quick succession without immediately getting out of breath. If push came to shove, he was almost certain he could use it five times without pause without passing out from exhaustion. The number was higher of course, if he took a second to breathe after each usage.

Mana manipulator also now allowed him to empower both his legs, and one of his arms. Though when doing so each limb would be less empowered than if he just empowered a singular body part, that still left him with a lot more ways he could go about combat.

Overall, while the changes were huge and were overall just a boost to his previous abilities as a novice. Luke felt as though his combat power had been raised dramatically, and couldn't be more pleased.