CHAPTER 31-GAINS
A shimmering crystal tumbled from the blackened remains of the Tier 4 skeleton boss, its surface larger and more radiant than any Maximus had seen before. It pulsed faintly with an eerie, dark glow. Nearby, one of his clones — currently gathering the scattered crystals from the battlefield — noticed it first. Without hesitation, it walked over and picked it up, the faint sound of crystals clinking in its hands as it approached Maximus.
Still lost in thought, Maximus was silently reflecting on his gains when his clone came to a stop before him, extending its hand. He glanced at the object resting in its palm.
"Hmm?" His golden eyes narrowed. "This one's... bigger than the others."
He snatched it from the clone's grasp, holding it up to the dim light. The crystal felt heavier — more potent. As he examined it, a familiar sound echoed in his mind.
Ding!
Maximus raised an eyebrow. "A high-grade crystal...?" He clicked his tongue in disbelief. "The hell? I got this from just a Tier 4 boss?"
He glanced at the other four Tier 3 bosses he had slain earlier. "Only two middle-grade crystals from four of them... but a high-grade from this one?"
He rolled the crystal between his fingers, feeling the dense energy within. "Interesting... I'll copy it later."
But there was something else he hadn't finished. His gaze shifted to the fallen corpses of the bosses — or what remained of them. The skeleton's remains were nothing but charred fragments of ash, smoke still curling from the scorched ground where it once stood.
"Tsk... no body left to devour," he muttered with a sigh. "I really overdid it this time."
With no physical matter to consume from the skeleton, he turned his attention to the other four bosses. He approached them one by one, crouching near each body. The air buzzed faintly as he activated his soul absorption and Origin Devourer Physique, drawing out the faint glow of their lingering souls.
Ding!
[+1 Soul Points]
[+4 Vitality]
"Hm... 0.25 soul points each from Tier 3 bosses, huh?" Maximus rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Same as before."
But the moment he reflected on the sheer number of souls he had devoured, his expression stiffened.
"The hell..." he whispered. "I've devoured so many souls... when I was asleep?"
The realization sent a shiver down his spine. He took a deep breath, calming himself.
"...Forget it," he muttered. "I'll think about it later."
He glanced at the next notification.
[+4 Vitality]
"One vitality point from each boss... not bad," he smirked. "Bit by bit, my body's getting stronger."
As the surge of strength settled into his muscles, he grinned. "Now... let's see what I got."
Maximus raised his hand. "STATUS WINDOW."
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[STATUS WINDOW]
Name: Maximus Omniclone
Level: 4
EXP: 158,750 / 200,000
Health: 544 / 544 (Health scales with Vitality)
Mana: 2,725 / 2,725
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[ATTRIBUTES]
Strength: 51
Agility: 42
Vitality: 50 (+4)
Endurance: 39
Intelligence: 35
Perception: 24
Soul: 50.3 (+1.5)
Unallocated Points: 10
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[TALENTS]
Copy Everything (???)
Metal Reinforcement (C)
Fire Magic (B)
Runner (D)
Soul Absorption (A)
Berserk Rage (A)
Strengthened Body (B) [UPGRADED]
Camouflage (C)
Mutant's Reflex (B)
Demonic Will (A)
Ironhide Defense (B)
Iron Grip (E) (Increases grip strength significantly.)
[NEW TALENTS]
Dark Magic (B-Rank) — Increases damage of dark-related abilities. Enhances understanding and affinity with dark magic.
Heavy Smash (D-Rank) — Empowers the next melee attack, increasing impact force significantly.
Staggering Roar (E-Rank) — Releases a guttural roar that briefly staggers nearby enemies.
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[BLOODLINE]
Origin Devourer Physique (???)
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[SKILLS]
Low Regeneration (E): Gradual recovery of minor wounds over time.
Aura Blade (B): Infuse weapons or limbs with energy to increase cutting power and sharpness.
Mana Outer Skin (E): Forms a mana barrier that protects the skin from liquid substances like blood.
[New Skills]
Linguistic Mastery (C-Rank): Grants the ability to understand and communicate in most known languages with minimal effort. Useful for deciphering ancient texts and negotiating with different species.
Darkbolt (D-Rank): Fires a concentrated bolt of dark energy that deals moderate magic damage. Effective in mid-range combat.
Shadow Veil (D-Rank): Envelops the user in a thin shroud of darkness, slightly reducing visibility to enemies and dampening incoming magic damage. Useful for quick retreats.
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[TITLES]
Boss Slayer
Demon Slayer
Irregular
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[SHOP]
---
[INVENTORY]
Crimson Coat (Destroyed)
Ring of Mana
Swift Boots
Health Potions ×189
Mana Potions ×158
Low-Grade Crystals ×706
Middle-Grade Crystals ×2
High-Grade Crystal ×1
Food & Water Supplies (3 Days' Worth)
---
Maximus exhaled slowly, flexing his fingers. "As expected... my body feels stronger," he muttered, clenching his fists. "And my soul... when it reached 50, I felt something changing. Like it's evolving."
He recalled the sensation when he finished devouring their souls — the way Soul Absorption pulsed within him, as if it too was improving. "As expected of a soul-related ability... it's far from ordinary."
His gaze shifted to the talents. "Three new ones this time. Dark Magic from the skeleton... increasing my dark abilities and affinity. Heavy Smash... boosts my melee power. And Staggering Roar... a simple but useful ability to disrupt opponents."
Satisfied, he moved to the skills. "Linguistic Mastery?" He clicked on it.
The description appeared.
[Linguistic Mastery (C-Rank)]
Description: Grants the ability to understand and communicate in most known languages with minimal effort. Useful for deciphering ancient texts and negotiating with different species.
MP Cost: 20 MP/min (Active when translating or speaking unfamiliar languages)
Maximus chuckled softly. "Convenient... especially with the creatures I've seen. Feels like this world... or rather, this universe... is far bigger than I thought."
He shook his head. "No point thinking too far ahead. I'll deal with it when the time comes."
As he took a deep breath, he glanced at the corpses scattered around the battlefield I didn't devoured the low tier monster because this bloodline of mine don't like it what an appetite.All the crystals had been collected, leaving nothing but blood-soaked earth.
Sighing, he looked at his clones, standing side by side. "Tomorrow marks the third day of the apocalypse..."
He clenched his fists. "I've come far... from an ordinary human to this. So much has changed."
My body is full of energy but my mental is drained now
Despite the exhaustion weighing on his mind, a strange happiness filled him. "A good night's sleep... that's all I need."
With that, he leapt over the rubble, his golden eyes glowing faintly in the dim light. "Let's find a hotel."