[Skill Acquired: The Neverending Nightmare]
> Grade: SSS
Suitable Affinity: Spirit
Description: Unleash a curse that transcends reality. Those caught within your ability are trapped in an endless cycle of their deepest fears, reliving them until you see fit. As their sanity breaks and their souls erode, their pain feeds you, restoring your power and deepening your control over their dream. Only those who confront and conquer their terror, or shatter the boundaries of the dream realm, may escape your nightmare.
>Costs & Risks: (Chances are decreased if the user is of the same affinity as the skill.)
• Moral Corruption: Each use stains the user's morality, increasing the chance of earning an Evil Title and travelling further down a darkened morality path.
• Absolute Soul Drain: Upon activation, all of the user's mana reserves are consumed; recovery is only possible by devouring the fear and pain of the afflicted.
• Abyssal Mutation: 0.1% chance of transcending mortality and becoming an Evil God; A being forever exiled to the Spirit Realm, ruling over nightmares for eternity.
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After reviewing the first skill, Enoch began to grasp the true extent of his new powers.
The strength of the ability he had acquired from the God of Nightmares was almost beyond comprehension. It seemed to be the very same ability the god had used to torment the mightiest warriors of history.
However, its costs and risks were dangerously high. Especially since he did not possess an affinity to Spirit.
A 0.1% chance of becoming an evil god… I can't think of many worse outcomes.
He moved on to the next skill, one far less catastrophic but still powerful.
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[Skill Acquired: Shadow Step]
> Grade: A
Suitable Affinity: Spirit
Description: Hide your true form within a living shadow, increasing movement speed by 500% and allowing the user to phase through physical matter. The user cannot interact physically with other physical bodies when in this state.
>Costs & Risks:
• Sunburn: After use, the user must avoid sunlight for one minute. Exposure will cause intense burning pain throughout the body, halving movement speed.
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"I see," Enoch murmured. "So this must be the ability Hvadis used to enter my room and attack me…"
A grin touched his lips. His immoral class grew more appealing with every passing moment.
He turned his focus to the final skill. He was pleased to find it was a power more suited for combat.
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[Skill Acquired: Kurohono]
> Grade: A
Suitable Affinity: Fire
Description: Command black flames belonging to an ancient god. These flames burn eternally unless countered by an ability of the opposite affinity. Their power increases with the mana infused.
>Costs & Risks:
• Mana Burn: If used when your mana core nears depletion, the black flames will consume part of your core, permanently reducing the total mana you can store.
---
This ability made Enoch smile. Its risk was dangerous, yes, but easy enough to manage. He has just had to keep a close eye on his mana reserve.
More importantly, the name stirred something deep within his newly burdened mind. The memories of the God of Nightmares began to flicker, but he chose to suppress them for now, focusing instead on the next category.
Passive Effects.
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[Passive Effect Acquired: Dreamborne Will]
> Your mind and soul are partially merged with the Spirit Realm. Sleep is no longer required for recovery. Resistance to mental and illusion-type attacks increases by 50%. However, entities within the Spirit Realm may hear your thoughts more easily.
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[Passive Effect Acquired: Abyssal Instinct]
> Your senses sharpen when exposed to fear, hatred, or despair. When near dying or terrified allies and enemies, your physical and magical strength increase by 50%.
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Abyssal Instinct… Enoch found this one particularly intriguing, in a disturbing way.
He wondered if he could, perhaps, manipulate his comrades into believing they were on the brink of death, just to trigger the boost it offered.
The thought was sinister. As it passed through his mind, he felt his morality darken further.
He also took note of Dreamborne Will. Its description concerned him, as it made his thoughts more easily heard within the Spirit Realm. He didn't fully understand what that place truly was, but the name alone suggested danger.
Next, Enoch focused on his new affinity: Fire.
There was little written about it, but the benefits were obvious. Skills attuned to Fire would demand less cost and risk, and yield greater efficiency.
Kurohono's Flame will work even better now.
Finally, he turned to the part that filled him with the most unease: his new Title.
Titles could be viewed by others who had Awakened. If it hinted at anything dark or forbidden, it could expose him completely.
With a deep breath, he examined it.
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[Title Acquired: Keeper of the Veiled Dream]
> Grade: S
Description: Granted to one who has glimpsed the boundary between dream and reality. You may walk consciously within the Dreamworld, your identity concealed from all you encounter.
Passive Effects: None
Hidden Condition: When entering the Dreamworld, this title will evolve into [The Nightmare's Heir], revealing your true nature as the successor to the God of Nightmares, and granting a range of passive effects within the Dreamworld.
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"…Perfect," Enoch whispered.
The title worked perfectly. His parents already knew he would be reading from the Book of Nightmares to study its secrets, so none would find anything too strange about it.
He could claim that his power to absorb knowledge from relics and texts had earned him a title connected to the god said to be sealed within the book.
With the powers of the God of Nightmares, Enoch would be near invincible within the Dreamworld, which was a realm where most others were drastically weakened.
Still, it was a place of mystery to him. As he had only just awakened, he'd only ever experienced it through childish dreams and nightmares, long forgotten upon waking.
It was rumoured that the Spirit Realm lay beyond the Dreamworld. Perhaps, in time, he could communicate with higher beings that dwelled there.
I'll need to explore the Dreamworld soon…
With that thought, Enoch turned his attention to the final gift left behind by the god he had consumed.
The magical item.
Once Awakened, every being gained access to their Soul Space: a private pocket within the Spirit Realm capable of holding an infinite number of magical items recognised by the True Creator.
Even now, Enoch could sense something waiting there, though he had no clue what it would be.
He reached his hand into the air before him, piercing the veil between realms.
Something cold and soft brushed against the back of his wrist. It felt like his hand was being tickled by clouds.
With nerves, Enoch pulled it through the divide and watched as the object manifested before him.
What he saw left him speechless.
Perched atop his hand was a small eagle, it's feathers pure white like snow, and his eyes a vivid blood-red. It cocked its head, staring at him curiously.
"What the…"
[Magical Item Acquired: Angelbird]
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