BXBX NOVEL Chapter 106: A New Powerful Skill
"Since the condition for the additional reward has been met, I shall upgrade to level 40 right away!"
Focusing his attention, Jeremy proceeded with the level-up process.
[Congratulations to the player for reaching level 40. You have acquired a high-tier skill: Thunder of Retribution!]
The moment Jeremy reached level 40, his basic attributes saw varying degrees of enhancement. Without hesitation, he allocated the extra attribute points gained from the upgrade to his strength.
For Jeremy at this stage, ensuring his ability to endure longer in battles was paramount.
Only by doing so could he be prepared to face a myriad of dangerous foes.
Among these threats was the most formidable adversary lurking in the shadows, never revealing himself but always present in this dungeon—the ally of the Fool, known as [The Sun].
Having carefully planned the distribution of his basic attribute points, Jeremy eagerly began to examine the new skill he had acquired.
[Skill]: Thunder of Retribution
[Level]: lv1
[Tier]: High-tier Skill
[Description]: A lightning bolt composed entirely of shadow energy, which can be transformed into a weapon of retribution under the guidance of a powerful will.
Upon activation, the skill can temporarily paralyze all surrounding enemies. The duration of paralysis varies depending on the level of the enemies, with a minimum paralysis time of 0.5 seconds.
Jeremy found himself quite pleased with the newly acquired high-tier skill, Thunder of Retribution. His satisfaction, however, did not stem from its damage potential.
Even high-tier skills at level 1 do not typically offer significant damage output.
Rather, what Jeremy appreciated the most about this skill was undoubtedly the paralysis effect it provided.
In general, high-tier skills are typically ineffective against enemies whose ranks significantly exceed that of the player.
Moreover, more powerful beasts and deities are often immune to all control skills.
Therefore, when facing adversaries with a substantial power gap, a control skill that can disregard the opponent's rank becomes crucial.
"Although Thunder of Retribution can control formidable foes, the control duration is a mere 0.5 seconds. It seems that the timing of this skill's usage will be paramount."
Jeremy mused, simulating scenarios in his mind where Thunder of Retribution would be employed.
Given that the skill's level is not particularly high, Jeremy realized he would need to meticulously plan the timing of its activation.
Despite Thunder of Retribution lacking a directly stated cooldown, such a potent skill undoubtedly comes with a significant resource cost. This implies that Jeremy would be unable to use it frequently during combat.
Having examined the high-tier skill provided at level 40, Jeremy then shifted his focus to the additional skill reward granted by The Eye of Omniscience.
[Skill]: Pride of the Seven Sins
[Level]: lv1
[Tier]: Transcendent Skill
[Description]: The embodiment of sin, transcending all laws and appearances. Upon activation, this skill allows the user to ignore all rules for a set duration. However, once the skill's effect wears off, the user will be forcibly deducted 20% of their health.
Jeremy hadn't anticipated that the additional reward skill would turn out to be a transcendent skill. Moreover, this transcendent skill was part of the same series as his previously acquired transcendent skills, all belonging to the Seven Sins series.
Compared to the other Seven Sins skills he possessed, Pride leaned more towards countering traps set by enemies.
Both inside and outside of dungeons, Jeremy had encountered monsters capable of establishing various rules.
Some of these creatures could prohibit players from using weapons during combat, while others could prevent the use of life-restoration spells.
When battling such monsters, players had to exercise extreme caution, regardless of their level or strength.
However, with the Pride of the Seven Sins skill, Jeremy wouldn't need to be as cautious.
He realized that he could fully unleash its most prideful effect when encountering an enemy using a skill bound by rules.
Although the cost of using Pride of the Seven Sins was indeed steep, the ability to invalidate the opponent's rules made it invaluable to Jeremy.
Additionally, Pride of the Seven Sins had another crucial application.
It would prove immensely valuable when confronting the designers behind the apocalypse game.
Jeremy was already aware of the existence of deities behind the apocalypse game.
The Fool had inflicted a severe penalty on Jeremy with just a glance.
The Hanged Man could manipulate every aspect of the apocalypse game, creating one terrifying and bizarre instance after another.
The Magician had once exerted immense pressure on the class change goddess, Janna.
The Sun was currently weaving a conspiracy within the instance Jeremy was in.
Against such formidable deities, Jeremy knew that without skills to counter rule-based enemies, he stood no chance whatsoever.
Although he still did not fully understand the powers and abilities represented by The Sun.
Judging by the series of enemies he had encountered since entering the Sun instance, it was clear that this deity possessed exceptionally powerful mental control skills.
"No matter what, once I reach Nocturne City, I will inevitably face The Sun or his core subordinates. I must level up Pride of the Seven Sins before that happens," Jeremy resolved.
In fact, the moment Jeremy first heard the name Nocturne City, he had already sensed its tight connection with The Sun.
After all, only a place where the sun eternally shines would never see the arrival of night.
After familiarizing himself with the skills he had acquired, Jeremy took another look at his system panel.
[Name]: Jeremy
[Level]: lv40
[Class]: Blasphemer
[Titles]: Pioneer, World's First Kill, Light Chaser
[Abilities]: The Eye of Omniscience (SSS)
[Attributes]: Strength 6712, Spirit 12043, Stamina 8891, Agility 6001
[Damage]: Physical 214%, Magical 214%
[Special]: Critical Hit 33%, Attack Speed 26%, Explosion Rate 35%, Cooldown Reduction 40%
[Skills]: Unlawful Being lv10, Seven Sins - Wrath lv1, Seven Sins - Gluttony lv10, Seven Sins - Envy lv1, Seven Sins - Pride lv1, Abyssal Summon lv10, Thunder of Retribution lv1, Wind of Calamity lv10, Teleportation lv10, Plague Curse lv10, Judgement Sword lv10, Soul Roar lv10, Flames of Sin lv10, Disaster Blade lv10, Shadow Stride lv10...
Looking at the plethora of skills displayed on his data panel, Jeremy couldn't help but sigh.
"I already have enough skills at my disposal. The next step is to level them up. Without higher skill levels, their effectiveness in battle will be considerably limited."
After becoming proficient with his newly acquired skill, Jeremy returned to the convoy.
He planned to ask Heber how far they were from Nocturne City.
He needed to strategize on how much he could level up his skills before they arrived.
Just as Jeremy reached the convoy, Heber immediately approached him.
"So, have you regained your strength to its former glory?"
Heber asked with great concern.
Jeremy nodded and then shook his head, a gesture that left Heber utterly perplexed.
"Is it the same as before or different this time? Can you give me a straight answer, please?"
"My strength is almost back to what it was before," Jeremy explained, "but the difference is that I've acquired new skills. I believe I can perform even better in battle now."
Heber was thrilled by Jeremy's words.
"If that's the case, that's fantastic! With someone as powerful as you, we won't have to worry about anything once we reach Nocturne City."
However, Heber's comment made Jeremy slightly uneasy.
He could tell from Heber's tone that Nocturne City might not be as safe as he had assumed.
"Why? Is the situation in Nocturne City really that chaotic? As the main city of this region, shouldn't Nocturne City have a formidable defense force?"
Heber nodded, his expression tinged with a bit of resignation.
"You're right. Nocturne City is indeed the main city of this region, and it does have a formidable defensive force.
However, those defenses won't necessarily ensure our safety. In Nocturne City, we'll encounter many people who deliberately cause trouble. That's why we must rely on your strength."
While Jeremy felt a tinge of disappointment, he knew that to gather more energy crystals, he had to make the journey to Nocturne City.
"Since we're already discussing Nocturne City, could you tell me how far we are from it? It seems we should start making some preparations."
"We're about two days away from Nocturne City," Heber replied without hesitation.
He had traveled this trade route multiple times and was quite familiar with the timeline to reach Nocturne City.
"But you don't need to worry about the preparations. I've already taken care of everything. Although I lost a significant amount of valuable supplies back in Dawn City.
The remaining provisions should still allow us to live comfortably in Nocturne City for a while.
As long as you're willing to ensure my safety, I can provide you with enough funds to complete your plans,"
Heber promised Jeremy with a smile.