Unranked ascension a lit.., p.12
Unranked Ascension: A LitRPG Adventure, page 12
“Of course! I’ll do it immediately,” Patrick replied, accepting the dagger from Lucius.
Patrick laid the dagger down on the desk in front of him before mixing a new batch of magical blood and ink. Lucius watched as Patrick dipped his pen in the concoction before beginning to draw the new inscription on the knife. The familiar golden fireflies of magical light moved through the air toward the blade. This time, the lights formed a larger cloud and moved faster than the last time Lucius had watched Patrick work, most likely a result of Patrick’s ability growing stronger. The magical lights take on the mysterious energy of the inscription as they gathered around the blade. Once Patrick had finished writing, it was completely covered in shining light. This time, instead of simply disappearing, the lights gathered together and sank into the inscription Patrick had drawn before dissipating in a bright flash. When Lucius picked up the dagger, he could see that the inscription wasn’t just drawn on the blade—it had been engraved in the metal, as if someone had used a chisel to carve it out.
“That’s new,” Lucius commented as he examined Patrick’s handiwork.
“Yes. When my talent reached level 5, my inscriptions took on this more impressive form.” Patrick explained with a smile.
“Thank you for this. It feels good to know I have a way to fight back if I ever come face-to-face with that monster again,” Lucius said, releasing a soft sigh below his breath. “I’ve decided to make myself useful and go out scouting in the area around us. Let the others know I’m gone. I don’t know how long I’ll take. If things go smoothly, it shouldn’t be more than a day or two,” he added.
“Very well. I intended to organize the others into guard shifts, so someone is always keeping watch. I will take the opportunity to do that while you are away. We can’t be complacent,” Patrick said. Lucius agreed. They had to be on guard—they were still vulnerable and surrounded by creatures of the abyss on all sides. It was only a matter of time before the farm came under attack.
Lucius tucked the upgraded dagger into his boot and waved to Patrick as he left, heading back down the stairs. He began gathering supplies for his mission. He strapped on his sheath and sword and stuffed a few meals’ worth of food in his backpack, leaving it mostly empty since he intended to forage for supplies while he was out. He passed Mary on his way to the door, telling her what he’d told Patrick. The busy woman nodded along to his words before quickly waving goodbye and returning to cleaning the wounded leg of the young woman in front of her.
Lucius stepped out the front door and looked around, trying to decide which direction to go. There was a tall grain silo at the edge of the farm that would offer a good view of the surrounding area, so Lucius made his way up the tall building, until he had reached the peak. Looking out, Lucius could see various farmhouses like the one they’d chosen, as well as a pack of Abyss creatures roaming the countryside. The pack consisted of pig-like creatures with porcupine-like quills on their backs, but overall, they didn’t look too strong. They were larger than humans but not nearly as large as the giant turtle creature he had slain.
That’s weird... His attention was quickly drawn to a strange sight that Lucius could not identify. Off in the distance was a puddle of water floating in the air above a field. It rippled and swirled in a large circle as it floated in the same spot. As Lucius watched the bizarre anomaly, intrigued, he saw a large snake, like the one he had seen in the barn the previous night slither out of it. It was a portal!
Dimensional anomaly detected.
Warning: Increasingly powerful Abyss creatures will descend into your world from unsealed anomalies!
Chapter 25
Hammer of Creation
For the first time, Lucius was able to see exactly how the Abyss was invading his world. Anomalies like the one in front of him were portals into the Abyssal realm. According to the system, they would become more and more dangerous the longer they stayed open. To prevent that, humans like him were tasked by the system with sealing them, and the sooner, the better. It made sense that the system wanted these things closed, but what Lucius didn’t understand was how it expected him to do that. He was good at fighting, not well-versed in interdimensional gateway magic.
These things are bad news. I understand that, but I don’t know what you think I can do about it.
Anomalies are conjured and maintained magically by a group of sentient Abyss beings known as rift summoners. The simplest way to close an anomaly is to travel through it into the Abyssal realm and slay the summoner that has opened the anomaly. The portal will begin to collapse once the summoner is slain. You must return swiftly to avoid becoming trapped in the Abyss. Failure to do so will result in almost certain death at the hands of the summoner’s allies.
Sounds simple—just go into hell and fight the magic-wielding demon that lives there… How do you know that is even something I’m capable of? What if this Rift Summoner is way out of my league?
Rift summoners conjure anomalies in order to siphon magical energy from your world. They use this stolen energy to empower themselves over time. The more powerful a summoner becomes, the larger an anomaly they are capable of conjuring. Therefore, an anomaly’s size can be used to indicate the power of its summoner.
A small portal means it’s a weak summoner. Got it. Even if I can kill the summoner, though, there are probably anomalies like this all over the world—me closing one is like trying to put out a forest fire with a bottle of eye drops! It won’t stop the Abyss creatures from coming, so why shouldn’t I just take my friends and hide?”
Sentient beings of this realm inherit the sacred duty of resisting the Abyss. Every member of your race shares this responsibility.
“That sounds noble and everything, but my only responsibility right now is to survive. Sacred duty doesn’t help my blood stay inside my body.”
Extensive rewards are bestowed upon those who take part in the successful sealing of an anomaly.
“What kind of rewards are we talking about exactly?”
Insufficient data.
Right… Lucius had a lot to think about. The scouting mission hadn’t even begun, and yet he had already spotted a ticking time bomb right outside their new home. It would be dangerous for them to stay here if that anomaly remained open. But what would he face on the other side of the swirling mass. He needed more information before he made a decision. Well, I wanted to go scouting. I guess it’s all the same if I scout around the farm or scout out the evil nightmare dimension that’s slowly consuming our reality.
Lucius climbed down from the silo and made his way toward the portal. Making sure to keep his Guise of the Thief activated every step of the way since he couldn’t be sure that some eldritch horror wouldn’t suddenly spawn from the portal ahead of him. It took around 20 minutes to reach the location of the anomaly while moving so cautiously, but the time passed quickly, and Lucius finally came face-to-face with the thing that had caused so much death and destruction in his world. He found it depressing but ironic that something so beautiful as the hypnotic, floating pool of magic was in fact a portal to the deadly Abyss realm.
Now that I think about it, I don’t actually know anything about the environment on the other side of this thing. Maybe it isn’t all fire and brimstone like I’m thinking, but it also feels unlikely that I’m going to step through into a rainbow-strewn fantasy land.”
The portal emitted a strong magical energy. It reminded him of the first Abyss creature that he had witnessed—the monstrous, shadowy being that had fought Twixy’s master in the vision shared with all of humanity. It was hard to describe exactly what made it feel that way, but it was as if the magical energy of the anomaly possessed a similar rotten flavor as the monster, only much weaker.
Lucius tried to gauge how dangerous it would be to go through the portal, but Sense Danger wasn’t giving him any warnings to go by. He guessed that the distance between him and the world on the other side—or maybe even the portal itself—was interfering with the talent’s ability to detect imminent peril.
I guess I just have to hold my nose and dive in, he lamented. Lucius debated whether to head back to the farm first and discuss his decision to scout the anomaly with his companions before choosing to leap into danger, but nothing they could say would change the fact that the anomaly needed to be closed. He felt that Jack might also insist on coming with him. It’s safer if I scout it out alone first. Besides, the longer I wait, the more dangerous the anomaly becomes.
Taking a deep breath to settle his nerves, Lucius made sure his backpack was secure and that his sheath and sword was tightly fastened to his waist. He stepped up to the edge of the anomaly, peering into the glasslike, swirling surface and gathering his courage. As he summoned his willpower and slowly reached out his hand toward the portal a set of teeth the size of kitchen knives suddenly materialized into the air before him, just a few inches from his exposed fingers. The sudden change caused him to jump in fright as he swiftly pulled his hand back.
Losing his balance from the worst jump-scare of his life, Lucius fell and rolled hastily between two large rocks in a clumsy attempt to hide. Gazing up from his hiding spot, Lucius watched as a massive reptile materialized and descended from the portal. The horrid creature looked like some mad scientist’s unnatural creation, like someone had spliced the DNA from a gorilla and a velociraptor. It had a classic reptilian head, jaws, and teeth, but its body was humanoid with two heavily muscled arms and legs. Worst of all, it was enormous, towering at least ten feet above Lucius. The monster could almost certainly reach up its arms and touch the canopy of the trees around it if it wanted. Dark red scales that appeared almost black in the low light covered its body, and a thick, powerful spiked tail extended behind its reverse-jointed legs. It was the very definition of a nightmare.
A powerful blast of warning from Sense Danger rose up inside him, but even without the warning, Lucius knew that he stood no chance against the monster. Remaining perfectly still to avoid detection, he watched in relief as the creature slowly lumbered away from him in the opposite direction of the farm. Only after it disappeared from sight did Sense Danger’s warning fade.
Lucius felt a lingering embarrassment, the way he fell to the ground so clumsily from the jump-scare sent a flush of red to cover his cheeks. His embarrassment turned into a growing ire that he directed toward the portal beside him, dusting the dirt and leaves from his clothing as he stared at the floating pool of liquid with furrowed brows.
Laugh while you can, portal!
He didn’t let himself hesitate this time, for fear that another creature would come through and startle him. Taking in a deep breath, he rushed forward and leaped, sending his body soaring into the anomaly.
Jack’s upgraded strength was a tremendous aid in the task he was currently absorbed in. He had never realized how important strength and endurance were in the art of blacksmithing. Holding the red-hot metal before him with large tongs, he struck down heavily again and again, folding it over repeatedly and beating the impurities out of it, just as Paul had shown him. Unlike Paul, though, something special happened the first time Jack wielded the smith’s hammer.
He had always loved working with his hands, especially when he had the freedom to create something exactly the way he wanted. The prospect of forging his own weapons and armor excited him so much that he drifted into a meditative trance from his intense focus as he hammered the metal. Fantasizing about pouring his heart and soul into the crafting process, Jack envisioned himself creating something powerful and elegant that would make him and his friends much stronger. He was so lost in the tantalizing spell of creation that he failed to notice the golden specks of light materializing in the air around him.
Jack was startled when he finally saw the lights as they began moving toward the metal on the anvil in front of him. The sound of striking metal paused for a moment as he stared in wonder. He had seen a similar phenomenon happen when Patrick inscribed something, so was able to deduce that something comparable might be happening now. He noticed that the golden lights began dimming as soon as he stopped focusing his thoughts, so Jack quickly regained his concentration. As the young man refocused on the process of creation, the lights regained their bright glow, and even more appear around him, slowly moving toward the metal.
Jack carefully maintained his focus, working the metal with steady precision for what felt like a long time. Gradually, the metal was completely consumed by the magical lights. With one last, powerful blow, the lights fused with the material and disappeared. At the same time, a system message flashed across Jack’s field of vision:
Congratulations! You have developed a unique aspect, Hammer of Creation.
Chapter 26
First Creation
Jack’s eyes opened wide in surprise as he watched the words appear.
An aspect?
He was expecting to unlock some talent related to crafting like he had done before. An aspect was different, as the system informed him. It was formed by powerful magic that transformed the person who unlocked it, something much different than a simple talent. Jack looked down at the metal he had been working on. It was still red-hot, but he could already tell something had changed. The metal had a magical sheen that could be seen even through the molten glow. He concentrated on it, triggering a description from the system.
Iron: Raw, Quality [Enhanced]
This is common iron. Its quality has been elevated from [crude] to [enhanced] through the unique aspect Hammer of Creation. Weapons crafted from materials of [enhanced] quality or higher will receive at least 1 additional attribute.
Awesome! What are the different grades of items, is that something you can tell me?”
Item quality in the known universe has been sorted into nine distinct categories. The category of each individual item is determined based on various attributes, including magical energy, potential, and rarity. These categories are Crude, Common, Enhanced, Magical, Rare, Extraordinary, Legendary, Epic, and Artifact.
Jack took a moment to let the information sink in before quickly turning his attention back to his new aspect. He was eager to check the details of his magical upgrade. Focusing his attention on the name Hammer of Creation he prompted the system to explain the aspect.
Aspect: Hammer of Creation
You have always possessed a love for the act of creation, but your father’s pathological cost cutting meant your materials were of the poorest quality. Seeing your hard work so often going to waste when the poor materials failed has instilled in you a powerful desire for something better.
Hammer of Creation:
1. Blessing of the Creator!
Materials you work with are affected by the deep yearning in your soul, magically improving their quality.
2. Eye of the Craftsman
You have an innate sense for the quality of any material you gaze upon, as well as an idea of their potential uses.
3. Is it Warm in Here?
While forging, you gain immunity to burns.
He hadn’t noticed until now that he no longer felt stifled by the heat around him. Laying down his hammer, he cautiously moved his hand over the red-hot metal on the anvil in front of him. He could still feel the heat, but it was different than it should be, like a gentle warmth rather than a scalding heat. He moved his finger right up close to the metal, but it still felt the same, so feeling confident he wrapped his fingers around the Iron and lifted it up in front of his eyes. “This is incredible.” He whispered, carefully returning the metal to the anvil. He didn’t want to push his luck. The aspect gave him immunity while forging, but he wasn’t sure exactly what qualified as forging and what did not. It was better to be careful.
“I wonder if I can improve the same material twice,” Jack thought aloud. He decided to give it a try and went back to hammering the metal in front of him. Focusing on the metal in the same way he had before, he quickly became excited when he saw the familiar golden fireflies start to materialize. it’s working! He kept going until the first of the lights made its way to the metal. At that point, he could tell that something was wrong. No matter how hard he focused, he could not get the magic to enter the material. It felt like he was trying to stuff clothes into a suitcase that was already overfilled.
Damn... I can’t do it.
Jack lowered his hammer and pondered for a moment. I feel like the material can be further improved, but I just don’t know how. I wonder if there’s a way to enhance the power of my aspect even further, he thought. My aspect uses magic to enhance the materials, so maybe increasing my magic attribute will help. Jack still had a few attribute points left over from the last time he leveled up, so he decided to put one in the Magic Power attribute as an experiment. As soon as he added the point, he felt as if warm butterflies were flying around inside him. From the base of his spine, they spread upwards and outwards into his chest then up his neck and into his head. It wasn’t an unpleasant feeling, but Jack got goosebumps from the way the magical warmth felt alive.
Once the feeling stopped, he picked his hammer up and tried once more to upgrade the metal. He watched as the golden lights materialize and noticed that they were slightly larger and just a bit faster as well. He held his breath as the first of the magical orbs reached the iron, which absorbed it without any issue. Unfortunately, Jack watched as the subsequent lights refused to enter the metal. Only the first had been absorbed.
I’m on the right track. Raising my Magic Power made a small difference.
He decided that he would focus on raising his magic attribute in the future, to take advantage of his new aspect.
