Book 4: Chapter 13: Class IV and a Surprise

Book 4: Chapter 13: Class IV and a Surprise

Scarlet

I smile up at the ceiling as I enjoy the water in the bath for several minutes before eventually taking a deep breath.

[You have completed all the requirements to reach Class IV. Would you like to ascend?]

Yes, I would, I state out loud in response to the System, my voice echoing through the bath chamber after I let out the breath.

[Confirmation received. Ascension to Class IV will now begin.]

Several seconds pass in silence before I feel the extreme pain from the past ascensions return. But this time is different. I can tell almost immediately that it is.

Instead of the absolute burning pain across my body, this one feels more like that of a papercut. But all over. A simple, sharp, stabbing pain everywhere that has me instantly screaming out loud.

And I already know why its so different. Its because this ascension is directly changing my reality itself. My soul as humans used to call it in old-world Earth.

A process that is making me want to tear my own skin apart just to feel something else, because not only does it hurt, but its fucking uncomfortable. Like I have an itch everywhere on my body and dont at the same time.

But I dont do anything. I just stay stiffly underwater.

Because I know better than to scratch myself at this time. All thatll do is end up tearing apart my skin and further extending the process of the ascension to repair that damage.

The stabbing pain and discomfort continues for who knows how long as I scream my voice hoarse, only to vanish out of nowhere. Then I hear cracking sounds along with the feeling of severe discomfort and some minor pain all over my body, causing me to look down just to find my bones shifting back and forth between my beast form and my lycan form on their own with no usage of the skill. Which surprises me a little.

Not to mention the fact that judging by its appearance, it should hurt quite a bit. But its just uncomfortable with only some pain instead.

Strange.

The discomfort grows more when I feel my face elongating into that of the muzzle I have in my beast form, only to turn back. Then to do it again and turn back again.

Please make this stop.

As if responding to my thoughts, everything stops. And I briefly wonder if the System actually listened to me, or rather the universe since ascension isnt actually the Systems doing.

Only for a flash of pain to echo throughout my body as the shifting suddenly starts again, but this time joined with my size growing larger. And larger. And larger, only stopping when I reach about three meters in height, at which point I feel my entire form shifting along with it.

Then everything just resets, and I end up back in my lycan form while panting heavily, unable to move as my head rests on the edge of the bath, some of the water having overflowed thanks to my increase in size.

That was weird.

It looks like youre probably going to get a major upgrade to your beast form skill this time, Tar comments. And yeah, the Class IV ascension focuses more on the reality than your physical body. So the pain is more spiritual in form than physical, with a lot more discomfort than the others rather than actual pain.

[REDACTED] has obtained an etched skill slot through reaching Class IV under the age of twenty years old!

May their achievement ring out throughout the known universe!

And another one follows right after it, making me wonder if Im the only one with four etched skill slots without a single mythic skill.

Warning! This is a universal notification!

[REDACTED] has obtained an etched skill slot through reaching Class IV within a single year of initiating into the System!

May their achievement ring out throughout the known universe!

Yeah, that was kind of to be expected. I only barely made that mark though, for the within a year thing. Since Im pretty sure itll have been a year since I was initiated within a few days. But then again, the days between Tartarus and Earth are confusing to line up. Something I learned during my lessons with Gramps over the last week.

And its a good thing I ascended before going to Earth, because I wouldnt be surprised if the redaction on my name is cleared when I head back since the redaction on my full name was taken away when I went to Tartarus in the first place.

Although there isnt a notification about Predators upgrade getting any progress, meaning reaching Class IV wasnt one of the requirements.

But it apparently was a requirement for a different possible mythic skill considering the notification that replaces the universal one.

System Notice

User has completed FIVE out of SEVEN of the necessary achievements in order to obtain a Title-Bearing [REDACTED] Skill.

The achievements they have completed include the following:

Reach Class IV while under twenty years old.

Defeat a being one hundred and fifty levels above you without any assistance.

Reach Class IV within a year of having been initiated into the System.

By being the descendant of the Demon King who is the original etcher of the skill Blood Domain or having obtained an inferior version of the skill yourself.

By having both blood magic and null magic or being descendant from a user with them that has etched their skills.

Complete the final two achievements in order to attain the Title-Bearing [REDACTED] Skill.

Or not a mythic skill?

Huh?