Chapter 74 - Boots

[Lightning Boots]

[Lizards Boots]

"There are only two choices this time, which is a bit of a surprise. However, as far as I know, the number of options does not depend on the strength of skills. 

What's more, the names of these skills are similar. It's probably a natural progression for this skill." Wain muttered and opened the description of the first skill.

[Lightning Boots (Primary Chronicle Active Skill, Epic Rating)

When you use this skill, a large amount of Soul Essence accumulates at your feet, which gradually becomes dense, electrical discharges. In this way, you create something similar to lightning boots.

You become considerably faster, and every step you take is like a lightning bolt. You can instantly cover a distance of five meters several times in a row. 

However, this skill puts a severe strain on your body, especially your legs. If overloaded, the tissues on your legs can tear and begin to bleed]

[It is possible to develop the skill if the following conditions are met -

[Epic Rating Whole Soul with Lightning Attribute: 0/1 is required.]

'This is dangerous, but by the looks of it, a powerful skill, it's my style. Speed and power, that's all you need.' Thought Wain and opened the description of the second skill. He liked the description of Lightning Boots, but he wasn't going to make any hasty decisions.

[Lizard Boots (Primary Chronicle Active Skill, Epic Rating)

When you use this skill, Soul Essence transforms into lizard-like green boots. Lizards are nimble, fast, and agile creatures, so you'll get all those bonuses as well and even beyond.

Your speed will increase one and a half times, as well as the height of your jump.]

[It is possible to develop the skill if the following conditions are met -

[Required Epic Rating of Whole Soul creature from the lizard family: 0/1]

"This skill looks like the exact opposite of the last one. In this case, I'll be able to move very fast for quite a long time, since apparently, this skill doesn't put much strain on my body.'' Wain pondered.

He had two choices: power and danger or stability and efficiency. Wain seriously considered the former, but Lizard Boots was a beneficial and effective skill.

"Lizard Boots don't look as powerful as Lightning Boots, but I don't have to worry about my safety, and I'll always know what I can do with this skill," Wain muttered.

After a while, he smiled broadly and said, "To hell with safety, I need power!"

Wain decided to upgrade the skill to Lightning Boots at the last moment. The conditions for developing these skills were similar, so the main factor that influenced his decision was Wain's desire to have a powerful and crushing skill.

'To get Lizard Boots, I need the soul of a creature from the lizard family. That's rather curious. This is the first time I've encountered this wording of the condition. Hmm, but I need a soul with the lightning attribute to upgrade to Lightning Boots. Hell, it would be nice if a thunderstorm came.' Wain thought.

Wain also needed a soul with two attributes at once: darkness and lightning. Moreover, this soul had to be Epic Rating and Whole. When Wain got this soul, his additional soul would increase its Rating, and he would become many times stronger.

'The bottom line is that I need two souls, each with the Lightning attribute in them. I urgently need to find a place where lightning or electric monsters dwell. But I can't think of anything. At the moment, the element of lightning is the most problematic to obtain.' Wain thought.

If he needed a soul with the attribute of fire or water, he would have no problem getting them. Something to set fire to was easy, and monsters with the water attribute could be found in the sewers or the sea.

'Lightning and darkness, I choose the hardest options. However, when some time has passed since the beginning of the apocalypse, I will be able to find out from informants where certain monsters live.' Thought Wain and headed toward the woods.

He spent some time thinking and choosing how to improve the skill, but the main objective was to join Gisle's group for now. Wain wanted to see what Clovis was capable of and how useful his craft soul was.

...

After a couple of minutes, Wain reached Gisle's makeshift camp. Wain was spotted by the guards watching the area while Gisle and the others were discussing something. 

They looked at him warily, but they let him into the camp after a closer look. Like most people at the university, they knew what Wain had done and how Gisle felt about him.

"You weren't lying. You did sleep for a long time, though we're only in the preparation phase for now." Said Gisle.

Wain nodded, "I see the elite squad is assembled."

He looked at Teresa, Zero, the mutant girls, Grut, Lea, Rita, and even Agnes. But, Wain was already familiar with all of them, except for the one person sitting next to Gisle.

It was Clovis. He was a tall guy with short blue hair and green eyes. He wore plain clothes and steampunk glasses. 

He also had a short axe in his hand with a white blade with various patterns on it. Clovis liked that kind of peculiar style.

Gisle nodded and pointed at Clovis, saying, "Here, he's the second man with the craft profession. Clovis, this is Wain. He is the strongest man I have ever seen."

Clovis smiled, stood up, and happily shook Wain's hand. He was a pretty positive and outgoing man.

"Hi! Nice to meet you. I'm Clovis, although you already know that. I take it you want to see the power of my soul in action?"

"Sure, can you cut down that tree over there?" Said Wain pointing to a tree a few feet away.

The Gisle group didn't make it deep into the woods. They set up a small camp at the entrance and, after a little discussion, were about to move on, deeper into the woods.

"I'll make it to the top." Said Clovis and approached a tree.

Then he put his axe out in front of him, and his aura intensified. 

It seemed as if the silhouette of a woodcutter, who for hundreds of years had been chopping down trees at a level beyond human reach, appeared above him.

Staring at the aura emanating from Clovis'a's body, Wain wondered.

'When souls appeared in my world, many theories on their origins were immediately advanced. However, I can't call any of them likely to be true. Perhaps the souls we have received are the souls of beings from other worlds who died long ago.'

'Given that there are zones of the World of Darkness, this world, and my world, I do not rule out the possibility that other worlds exist. Maybe there are only a few, perhaps millions, and perhaps this world is the last. The black mist destroyed my world, and the same could have happened to the other worlds.'

'But, I don't like that option. Frankly, I don't want to admit that my and other people's power comes from other beings, in which case, whether a person will rule the world or obey depends on their luck. Of course, there are other factors, but luck would be the most important of them all in this theory.'

'There is another possibility. The souls that people received at the beginning of the apocalypse are our inner demons. 

These demons are the quintessential essence of our emotions, desires, power, and a thousand other aspects. These demons have emerged in us over the years of our lives, and Soul Essence has given us a chance to awaken them.'

Wain decided this would be the best option of all. Moreover, his theory also answered a fundamental question: Why were humans the only ones without souls?

If humans had inner demons that personified themselves instead of souls, then everything would be all right. Of course, in that case, humans still didn't have souls, but they had something capable of replacing them without any problem.

When Clovis' aura reached its limit, white energy headed toward the axe in his hands, and he made two smooth, vertical swings. 

He didn't even touch wood in front of him, but a second later, that wood turned into dozens of perfect planks. They were perfect for building.

Then Clovis turned around, smiled, and said, "Done."

"Not bad." Wain said briefly, "How many times in a row can you do something like that?"

Clovis scratched the back of his head and said, "I think eight times, maybe ten, after which I'll need a little rest."

'Impressive, I could chop that tree too, but not in two strokes, and I wouldn't be able to turn the chopped pieces into perfect logs. His soul is definitely aimed at chopping trees.' Thought Wain.

"I see. Gisle said that you can control the logs you carve, is that right?" Asked Wain.

Clovis nodded, "Yeah, it's no problem, but I'll also spend some energy on it. I'll do it now."

Then his aura began to intensify again, and a woodcutter's silhouette appeared above him. Clovis's eyes were covered in white energy like a veil, and the shape of a small structure began to line up behind him.

It was like a large 3D drawing, with which one could quickly build something because one could see in what place which piece had to be put.

Then a white glow began to emanate from the wooden logs, and they rose into the air. 

Clovis had to control the whole process and guide each piece himself. He waved his hand, and lots of blocks flew into the drawing.

So, after a minute, Clovis built a small structure resembling a tiny house.