Chapter 43: Upgrade
Amidst the shocked expressions of Jokyr and the others, Vincent finally heard the satisfying notification of gaining experience points as the defeated primals collapsed into shimmering particles, dropping several items.
Talent Activated!
+250,000 experience points!
+125,000…
Before anyone could react, Vincent blinked, reappearing near the remaining primals. With precise strikes, he cut through each one, leaving only the Poisonous Toad Leader alive.
Talent Activated!
+125,000 experience points!
+12…
Turning to Jokyr, he asked, “You wouldn’t mind if I took care of that toad, right?”
Since he had the ability, Vincent saw no reason to hold back on farming experience points. Keeping his strength hidden wouldn’t lead to growth; being cautious was one thing, but holding back was another.
He had no intention of slowing his progress—only a fool would do that. His plan to improve his cultivation rested on his assumption that the power gap within Tier 1, from 1-star to 5-stars, wasn’t substantial. Once he reached Tier 2, however, it would be a different story. So, he decided to push everything to its limit at peak Tier 1.
Since his experience points were capped at one million, he anticipated that future upgrades might demand over a million points.
Still frozen in shock, Jokyr replied subconsciously, “No…”
With a nod and a quick “thanks,” Vincent tightened his grip on his weapon and unleashed Duskedge Wave, slicing through Rossy’s thorny cage. His strike pierced the toad’s head and body, cutting it cleanly in half.
You have successfully killed a Poisonous Toad Leader!
+50 experience points!
Talent Activated!
+500,000 experience points!
In an instant, the toad disintegrated into particles of light, leaving behind a green orb and various materials, along with origin crystals on the ground.
The sight of his experience points maxing out was immensely satisfying.
“This is so fulfilling…” he thought, thoroughly pleased with his awakened talent.
He couldn’t wait to upgrade his abilities and equipment.
However, Clauny and the others hurried over, their eyes wide with curiosity.
“That was amazing, Shroud!” Clauny exclaimed, her long brown hair bouncing as she spoke.
“That’s…indeed amazing,” Rossy murmured, still visibly surprised beneath her mask as she absently twirled a lock of her curly red hair.
“Yeah, quite amazing…” Even Swordy couldn’t deny it.
Jokyr, meanwhile, wore an unreadable expression. He could no longer assume that Vincent was just another Tier 1; he himself was a peak Tier 1 and could have handled the Poisonous Toad Leader, but not without a struggle.
“There’s a lot of materials here… and even some uncommon items,” Clauny said, her eyes sparkling at the loot on the ground.
Vincent ignored the other items and focused on the green orb left by the toad leader. Picking it up, it transformed into a necklace with a distinctive emerald hue.
Name: Necklace of Resistance
Quality: Uncommon
Effects: Slightly increased poison resistance
The item didn’t specify the exact boost to poison resistance, but it was still valuable—and would be even better once he upgraded it. He’d have to test it out, though.
Looking at the others, he asked, “You guys wouldn’t mind if I took this item, right?”
Everyone turned to Jokyr, the party leader. Seeing the others waiting for his decision, Jokyr considered Vincent’s request. Since Vincent had taken down the toad, with initial assistance from Rossy and Clauny, Jokyr had no desire to contest it.
But he was taken aback by Vincent’s next words.
“I’m only taking the toad leader’s drop items. The rest is yours.”
“What? Are you sure? Some of this stuff would still fetch a decent price!”
Vincent shook his head; his storage space was limited, and for some reason, he hadn’t been able to upgrade the storage ring he’d received from Azhara. So he only took what he needed and what was mission-essential.
“It’s fine, I can’t carry it all anyway.”
“Are you sure?” Jokyr asked, still hesitating.
Meanwhile, Clauny had already started looting, clearly not needing any further encouragement.
“Stop hesitating and help me pick these up,” she called.
Imaginary lines of irritation appeared on Jokyr’s forehead as he shook his head in mild exasperation. “Apologies for Clauny,” he said.
“I have no idea where she gets this behavior.”
Vincent couldn’t help but smile wryly behind his mask, reminded of his younger sister, Marina, who had a similar knack for opportunism.
As they looted, Vincent considered which skills he should upgrade. Though he’d somewhat expected it, he still felt a pang of frustration upon discovering that it would cost a hefty 500,000 experience points to enhance his rare skills to epic quality.
Yet, he reminded himself that very few Tier 1s would possess an epic skill.
Now, he just had to decide which two skills to prioritize.
There was Flowing Origin Technique, which focused on his fundamentals; Blink of Origin, a movement ability crucial for survival; Venomstrike Lash, a potent debuff skill; and Flow of Origin Energy, a Tier 2 cultivation manual.
He ruled out his armaments for now since he couldn’t risk exposing his cheat-like talent.
There was also Basic Origin Meditation, which centered on cultivating mental attributes, though he saw no immediate need for it.
Why worry about which one to upgrade first? He could farm more experience points later… nothing’s going to change.
With that thought, he decided to upgrade his debuff and movement skills. His current strength was sufficient against any Tier 1 primal, and he had no intention of tackling Tier 2 just yet.
Well, for now…
While he might consider fighting above his level someday, he wanted more skills—and upgraded ones—before attempting anything that dangerous. He wasn’t about to risk his life when he had a safe route to growth.
You have successfully upgraded Venomstrike Lash!
You have successfully upgraded Blink of Origin!
Skill Name: Abyssal Venomlash
Quality: Epic
Effect: Releases a wave of venomous energy from the weapon, causing corrosive venom to envelop enemies within a 10-meter radius. The toxic aura inflicts severe poison damage over time, with each pulse amplifying the damage taken by 15%. Affected enemies suffer agonizing wounds, which lead to blood loss, impaired regeneration, and persistent bleeding. Additionally, Abyssal Venomlash has a 40% chance to destabilize targets, stunning or slowing their movement and attack speed by 30% for 5 seconds.
Skill Duration: 10 seconds
Range: 10 meters
Poison Duration: 20 seconds
Bleed Duration: 15 seconds
Stun/Slow Chance: 40%
Slow Effect: 30%
Cooldown: 60 seconds
Consumption: 250 Origin Energy
“It’s a ranged attack now…” he thought, before moving on to check the upgraded version of his movement skill.
Skill Name: One-Step Shift
Quality: Epic
Effect: Instantly shifts the user 50 meters in any direction, bypassing physical barriers and obstacles. During the shift, the user gains a brief period of heightened perception, allowing for precise control over positioning and navigation in challenging terrain. For 5 seconds after reappearing, movement speed is boosted by 40%, enhancing agility for quick repositioning or escape.
Range: 50 meters
Movement Speed Boost: 40% for 5 seconds
Cooldown: 15 seconds
Consumption: 500 (reduced to 75 at max proficiency)
“Damn, this is basically teleportation now.”
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