Skill Selection

Qin Wanshu smiled, a sharp glint flashing in her eyes.

"You killed the old king, which means you must take its place."

Ruminas frowned. She had no interest in ruling or being a king, but she didn't immediately object.

"So… what do I have to do?"

"Build a force, establish authority," Qin Wanshu stepped closer, her gaze seeming to pierce through Ruminas's thoughts. "You may not want to, but if you don't, someone else will come and replace you."

Ruminas fell silent, pondering. She had no desire for power struggles, but she also didn't want to be trampled by others.

"You don't need to overthink it," Qin Wanshu said slowly. "Think of it simply—once you're strong enough, no one but you can decide your fate."

Ruminas looked down at her hands, once human but now those of a monster.

"Alright, then I'll give it a try…"

"That's the Yue Fang I've been hoping for," Qin Wanshu laughed.

"Don't call me that," Ruminas shot her a glare, though her tone was less rigid than before.

"Alright, alright~" Qin Wanshu shrugged. "So, where do we start? Oh, right—to rule them, you first need to understand your own strength."

"What do you mean?" Ruminas asked.

"The notifications from earlier, tell me about them," Qin Wanshu said.

Ruminas wasn't entirely sure what she meant but recounted everything anyway. Since it had just happened, she could still clearly recall the details of the notifications.

"Then now you need to choose your class and skills. But first, use all those free stat points to boost your strength—you need to get even stronger," Qin Wanshu instructed.

Ruminas followed her advice.

"Good, now let's see what those classes offer. Click on each one to check their details," Qin Wanshu said.

Ruminas reopened the notification panel, where three classes were displayed. She selected each one in turn to view their specifics.

[Dark Witch: Upon selection, +10 Strength, +10 Intelligence, +20 Magic Power. Grants the skill Shadow Envelopment [A], greatly enhancing the ability to use and resist magic-related attacks.]

[Cold-Blooded Carnivore: Upon selection, +10 Endurance, +10 Agility, +20 HP. Grants the skill Blood Recovery [A], greatly enhancing the ability to finish off opponents and regenerate.]

[Elite Assassin: Upon selection, +10 Strength, +10 Agility, +10 Intelligence, +10 Luck. An evolution of the Assassin class; upon selection, upgrades the skill Finishing Blow to rank A.]

[Note: Changing classes will also alter the skills associated with the class.]

Ruminas read out the details of the three classes to Qin Wanshu.

Qin Wanshu's expression turned serious as she considered the options.

"Go with Cold-Blooded Carnivore," Qin Wanshu advised.

"Why?" Ruminas asked.

"Your current offensive power isn't lacking, so it's better to bolster other aspects, especially recovery and durability for longer fights," Qin Wanshu explained.

Ruminas thought it over and found the reasoning sound, so she selected the class Qin Wanshu recommended.

[Class changed to "Cold-Blooded Carnivore"]

[Acquired skill Blood Recovery [A]]

[Blood Recovery [A]: Allows the user to regenerate by absorbing the blood of opponents, with no limit to the recovery potential. Grants +10 HP, +5 Defense, +5 Agility upon acquisition.]

"A simple but incredibly useful skill," Qin Wanshu remarked.

Ruminas didn't respond; instead, she turned her attention to another skill she had recently acquired.

[Blood Sacrifice [S]: Allows the placement of a "Blood Oath" mark on any target. When the user suffers injury or life-threatening danger, all damage can be transferred to the target bearing the "Blood Oath" mark, after which the mark dissipates. Up to five "Blood Oath" marks can be placed, with each mark requiring ten days to recharge after use. Grants +10 Endurance, +5 Defense, +5 Intelligence upon acquisition.]

"A very useful skill…" Ruminas thought to herself.

Qin Wanshu studied the details of the Blood Sacrifice [S] skill, a flicker of delight in her eyes.

"This skill is incredibly powerful," she said slowly. "If used cleverly, you could become nearly invincible for a time."

Ruminas nodded silently. If she could place the mark on others, any injury or danger could be shifted to them. This not only ensured her survival but could also turn her enemies into living shields.

"The issue is…" Qin Wanshu tilted her head in thought. "Can you place the mark on any target, or are there other limitations? You'll need to investigate that."

"Want to test it?" Ruminas suggested.

Qin Wanshu shrugged. "Sure, try placing the mark on me."

Ruminas raised her hand, focusing on the Blood Sacrifice skill. A blood-red energy flickered, and she felt the mark beginning to form. But the moment it was about to settle on Qin Wanshu, an invisible barrier emerged, causing the mark to dissipate instantly.

"Hmm?" Ruminas frowned.

Qin Wanshu chuckled softly. "It seems this skill can't affect me. Either I'm far stronger than you, or I'm beyond its effective range."

Ruminas fell silent, then turned to a nearby monster. She attempted to place the mark on it—and this time, it worked.

The monster flinched but otherwise showed no change.

"It looks like you can only impose the mark on those weaker than you," Qin Wanshu observed. "Still, it's a formidable skill. If you have a loyal group of subordinates, they could take damage for you."

Ruminas considered this and nodded

"There's still one more skill to choose," Ruminas said.

The two skills mentioned were Black Magic [S] and Malevolent Thought [S], both of equal rank. Even their names suggested they were far from ordinary.

Ruminas selected each skill to view their details.

[Black Magic [S]: An advanced form of dark sorcery, allowing the user to access forbidden magical forms. Enables the absorption of magic power from surrounding living beings, enhancing the potency of all dark magic. When cast, it can inflict a prolonged life-drain effect on targets. Grants +10 Magic Power, +5 Strength, +5 Intelligence upon selection.]

[Malevolent Thought [S]: A skill focused on manipulating the fear and will of others. When activated, it instills terrifying illusions in opponents, stripping them of self-control. The effect's intensity depends on the mental strength disparity between the user and target. Additionally, the user can amplify hatred and despair in others' minds, turning them into obedient puppets, and absorb that hatred to boost their own power. Grants +10 Defense, +5 Intelligence, +5 Luck upon selection.]

"Wow, both have unique abilities, but I much prefer the manipulation aspect," Qin Wanshu said. "It pairs perfectly with Blood Sacrifice—you can control them and then place marks more easily."

"Alright," Ruminas agreed, selecting it immediately.

"Looks like we're all set, huh?" Qin Wanshu asked.

Ruminas nodded.

"Then next, let's test your new skills and the combat potential of this new body," Qin Wanshu said.

"Not necessary…" Ruminas replied, but she was ultimately dragged outside by Qin Wanshu.

The monsters outside were going about their business, but upon seeing the two, they immediately stopped and bowed.

"So? Want to pick an opponent from this lot or somewhere else?" Qin Wanshu asked.

Ruminas sighed, but she did want to verify her strength. Beyond her skills, there was still much about this body she hadn't explored.

"Hmm, none of them here are up to the task of challenging you," Qin Wanshu said after scanning the area.

"Then let's find someone elsewhere," Ruminas replied.

"Naturally, but you don't need to bother yourself with that," Qin Wanshu said, pointing at a random nearby monster. "Any strong enemies nearby? Lead us to them."

The targeted monster bristled with displeasure. Though it didn't fully understand Qin Wanshu's words, it disliked being ordered around by another creature. Among the monsters, it was considered strong, so it snorted and remained seated.

Suddenly, Ruminas's eyes narrowed, locking onto it with a surge of killing intent that instantly quelled its defiance. It leapt up and began leading the way.

"Hehe, see that? Don't be rude to me, or you'll end up as dinner," Qin Wanshu said cheerfully. She and Ruminas then left the lair, heading toward an unnamed monster yet to be encountered.