Can't I Cultivate Myself?

[You heard the echo of death.]

"Hmm?"

A new message suddenly popped up on the Game Interface.

[Following the rules of the Order of Old Days, an unfathomable power is descending. The shadow swaying beneath the candlelight is made up of countless devoured souls.]

[You looked toward the ancient mansion. Desire stirred within you. You chose—]

[1. Pray to the God of Death.]

[2. Take a look first.]

[3. A devout Believer is never affected by Evil Charm. Call upon the Name of Janus!]

Class-Change Relic

"Death?"

Ryan froze for a moment. Why was it another echo? He remembered that the one at the church had been some kind of "Time and Space" echo.

[As a devout Believer of the Gate of Janus, you called upon the Name of Janus in your heart.]

[You awakened from death's bewilderment.]

[You learned the skill "Purification."]

[Purification lv1 (0/100): Dispels mental effects caused by control-type spells. It can also be used to refresh the mind. Cooldown: 60 seconds.]

Ryan noticed that an icon in the status bar at the upper left of the character screen flashed several times before disappearing.

That was where character statuses were marked. Both buffs and debuffs would appear there, which meant that "Lin Qi" had just been affected by a mental spell.

He suddenly recalled that, when the character had been created, there had been a prompt saying that "Lin Qi" could sense a world ordinary people could not perceive. In other words, her intuition talent was quite exceptional. Perhaps that was why she often heard echoes.

Put in the terms of novels and anime, she was the protagonist in the eyes of ordinary people.

"She actually learned a skill. Looks like every appearance of an echo triggers a special event."

Ryan had originally planned to have "Lin Qi" go inside and take a look, but he soon noticed Deke hiding in the alley over there, watching the mansion without any intention of entering.

If "Lin Qi" went in, Deke would definitely spot her.

Unless he took Deke out?

Ryan considered it for a while before abandoning the idea.

There was definitely some sort of ritual being held inside. "Lin Qi" had not even undergone her first class change yet. Going in without knowing what was happening would be far too risky.

Ryan had "Lin Qi" hide with her dagger in hand.

There had been no movement inside the mansion. At 9:22, the entire mansion on the Game Interface gradually became shrouded in some kind of dark power. Pitch Black Power flickered in the night like flames, making it seem as though countless souls were struggling.

The ritual had begun.

What the Game Interface displayed was "Lin Qi's" perspective. A normal person probably would not have been able to see this scene.

Ryan noticed that a debuff had appeared in "Lin Qi's" status bar. Its effect was slowed Magic Circulation... but it did not matter. "Lin Qi" could not use magic anyway.

The entire ritual lasted more than ten minutes before ending. Several minutes later, a person wearing a Black Hood emerged from the mansion.

"How did it go?"

Deke stepped forward to meet them.

"It succeeded. This is what Lord Adler wanted."

The Black Clothed person handed something to Deke.

The distance was too great for "Lin Qi" to see clearly.

"Great! With this, the chances of success for this plan will be even higher."

"Don't celebrate too soon. Relics aren't that easy to use. Very few people can endure them."

"You don't need to worry about that. We already have our Chosen One. You people, on the other hand, should be careful during this period. Things are tense, so don't let yourselves be discovered."

"The God of Death will protect us."

After their brief exchange, the Black Clothed person returned to the mansion, while Deke hurried out of Heiding Street with the item.

After thinking for a moment, Ryan had "Lin Qi" follow Deke.

The Nun moved stealthily through the night.

They continued until they were about to leave Heiding Street.

Deke: "Who's there?"

On the screen, Deke suddenly spun around. A streak of silver flashed as "Lin Qi," with Swiftness activated, viciously drove her dagger toward his chest.

At the critical moment, Deke leaped backward, moving far faster than an ordinary person.

"A Transcendent?"

If Deke was a Transcendent, this would be troublesome.

But unexpectedly, after dodging the attack, Deke had no intention of fighting back. Instead, he turned and fled.

That told Ryan that this guy definitely was not a Transcendent, or at least had not reached the point where he could use Transcendent Power.

"Lin Qi" immediately gave chase. Swiftness still had a few seconds of effect remaining, and she was faster than Deke. Just as she was about to catch up, Deke suddenly turned and swung his arm, slashing at "Lin Qi" with the short blade in his hand.

"Lin Qi" slid low and leaned back, her dagger cutting across Deke's thigh and leaving a wound.

Pfft!

"Being faster really is nice."

Deke was not a Transcendent. His body had merely been strengthened. After "Lin Qi" stabbed him twice, he collapsed to the ground without any strength left to resist.

Deke: "It's you! That Nun! Why are you trying to kill me?!"

On the screen, "Lin Qi" walked up to Deke with her dagger in hand and stared down at her coldly.

Lin Qi: "Black Ding Street No. 228. A Heretics ritual. What are you trying to do?"

[Deke's gaze flickered. You decided to bestow the Goddess's grace.]

"Lin Qi" crouched down and drove her dagger into Deke's other thigh.

Lin Qi: "The God of Death will not mind letting you die."

Deke: "I'll talk! I'll talk!"

Deke: "We were conducting a ritual, praying to the God of Death for a relic to obtain Transcendent Power."

Lin Qi: "Where is the Magic Potion?"

Deke: "The Magic Potion is... is... in Lord Adler's hands..."

[After your interrogation, you obtained a clue regarding the Magic Potion.]

["May Janus forgive your sins."]

The cold Nun left those words behind, then slit Deke's throat with her dagger.

[You obtained the relic "Soul Eater's Certificate."]

[Soul Eater's Certificate]

[Quality: First Tier]

[Usage Requirements: Constitution 8, Spirit 11, Magic 7]

"So it really is this."

It matched the walkthrough information Ryan had read. But that had been obtained after the game's plot began. In theory, the Soul Eater's Certificate should have been used during this period. Why was it still around when the game began?

In the game, changing classes required a "relic" and a "Magic Potion," as well as reaching level ten. A class change could be performed every ten levels, and once the initial ability was selected, it could not be changed.

In other words, whatever class one chose at level ten would determine the subsequent path. Every class change after each ten levels would count as an "advancement." Under normal circumstances, it was impossible to switch to another class.

Relics were manifestations of abilities, while Magic Potions served as catalysts for those abilities.

So-called relics were explained by the game as "objects left in the mortal world by gods." This world had experienced several changes of era. In the Old Days, there had once been many unspeakable and great Deities, but for various reasons, they had vanished without a trace. By the time the game began, the era was officially known as the "Golden Dawn."

It was an era of New Life after darkness.

However, civilization was developing toward steam and machinery. The ancient gods no longer possessed their former glory, and most Church Factions concealed their tracks, remaining active within the Inner World.

That was also why Transcendents were so rare.

After all, there were few Transcendent forces to begin with. Moreover, becoming a Transcendent required aptitude in addition to relics and Magic Potions.

Magic Potions were catalysts, guiding their users to obtain the power within relics. Those without aptitude would be eroded by the relic during the process.

"You can't change classes without a Magic Potion."

"And the Soul Eater doesn't seem all that great either."

Ryan considered whether to have "Lin Qi" change into a Soul Eater. This class was not actually powerful in the game and belonged to the Normal Profession category, but that was the game. Obtaining a Hidden Profession now would not be easy.

As for himself, he would absolutely never change classes. If the words "Soul Eater" got out, the League of Fire would have him tied to a cross and roasted over flames by tomorrow.

And considering the danger of relics, Ryan had no intention of taking that risk unless success was guaranteed.

With an Alt Account available for trial and error, who would be stupid enough to gamble with their main account?

After putting away the Class-Change Relic, "Lin Qi" dragged Deke's corpse toward Black Ding Street No. 228.

You Can Gain Experience from Killing People?

The gloomy mansion was silent in the front courtyard. "Lin Qi" observed from outside for a while, then climbed over the wall after confirming no one was there.

"It hasn't burned down yet. I wonder whether those people are still inside."

Black Ding Street No. 228 had been burned down in the game, so something else was definitely going to happen here.

The person who had met with Deke earlier should still be inside. People like that were called Singers in the Inner World, a professional title for those who conducted rituals. Singers communicated with Deities through rituals, praying for power or relics.

They were called Singers because ritual chants had to be recited during the ceremony, and not many people knew how to do that.

Every Religious Force had Singers. Their beliefs differed, but their title was the same.

The Singers this time came from the Hand of Darkness. The Deity they believed in was Death.

A Singer could be a Transcendent or not. Deke did not know the specific circumstances of that group. He had merely been responsible for bringing back the Soul Eater's Class-Change Relic.

But judging by how sneakily they had acted, Ryan guessed they could not be very strong. At most, they were at Sam's level. With a revolver in hand, he still felt confident.

As for why he had come back...

Come on, when playing a game, who would not explore a new map?

What if there was a Treasure Chest?

"At worst, I die."

"Lin Qi" gripped her dagger and carefully moved inward. She soon reached a window, observed for a while, then climbed inside through it.

[You sensed the aura of death.]

After the message appeared, an eerie laugh suddenly rang out from the screen, startling Ryan.

As faint shadows drifted through the room, he saw a new message in the game prompt.

[Spirit Binder lv8]

The thing looked like a mass of black shadow, occasionally condensing into a ghostly face howling in agony. No need for words—"Lin Qi" rushed in and attacked.

The Spirit Binder was fast but had low defense. However, it had skills. When attacking, it released sound waves that inflicted an abnormal mental state on "Lin Qi."

"Purification!"

"Lin Qi" raised her hand, and the divine light of Purification instantly cleared the abnormality.

Ryan discovered that after Purification was cast, "Lin Qi" could become immune to the Spirit Binder's subsequent mental effects for a certain period. That time was enough for him to take it down.

[Your level has increased to lv9.]

[Constitution +0.3]

[Spirit +0.4]