His summoned creatures were dying too fast, and Reidar couldn't get enough mana back from Arcane Leech to bring them all back and share his skills in time.
The monster's killing rate was just too great. Half of his summoned army was already gone.
Then, a change. The constant, pinpoint assaults found a rhythm, focusing on the cracks in its armor where the purple geodes pulsed.
A volley of Aqua Sprite bolts struck a cluster of fissures, and for the first time, the beast staggered, a pained screech tearing from its throat. The collective pressure was finally finding purchase.
The monster kept fighting, tearing through another three hundred sprites in a wild, rolling charge that made the whole cave tremble.
But it was slowing down now, its furious roars fading into tired, heavy grunts. After some time, it took one last heavy step toward Reidar, its body covered in burns, deep cuts, and glowing cracks that leaked shimmering, crystal blood.
Then its front legs buckled. The massive body listed to one side and crashed to the stone floor with an earth-shaking thud. The red light in its eyes flickered and died.
The last of the Rift-Sprites continued their assault for a few more seconds before stopping having realized the monster died.
[Alpha Geode-Back Mauler defeated.]
—[QUEST: Bedrock of Havenwood Complete.]—
[Rewards issued: 20000 C.L.A.S.P. Points, 8000 Survival Points, Earth-Warden's Pauldrons.]
[You have enough C.L.A.S.P. Points to level up.]
[C.L.A.S.P. Points used.]
[LEVEL UP! You have reached Level 47.]
[You have gained 0.5 attribute points to distribute.]
[Skill Proficiency Increased: Summon Rift-Sprite Squad (+23.1%).]
[Summon Rift-Sprite Squad reached 100%.]
[You have gained 4567,5 C.L.A.S.P. Points.]
[You have earned 1370,25 survival points.]
[Loot gained: Mauler's Geode-Core Mallet, Cracked Geode Fragment.]
[THE FIRST KILLER title activated: Skill got from defeated foe.]
[New Skill gained: Stone-Skin.]
Reidar immediately checked it.
—[« Stone-Skin »]—
Tier: T3
Proficiency: 0.0%
Type: Active (Toggle)
Casting: Instant
[ Description ]
Reinforces the user's skin with a layer of earthen mana, drastically increasing physical resistance at the cost of mobility and mana.
[Core Attributes]
Effect: +40% Physical Damage Resistance
Mana Cost: 3 Mana per second (Upkeep)
Movement Speed: -20%
[Secondary Effects]
None.
[Acquisition Data]
Source: The First Killer title (Alpha Geode-Back Mauler)
Requirements: Level 36
—[«END»]—
<Great!>
The first killer title didn't activate much despite him killing around 400 creatures with the others. Maybe the fact he wasn't alone was the reason for that.
Regardless, it activated now, and with a very strong creature at that. He also got a nice skill as a result.
Unfortunately, Reidar didn't level up from the monster, most likely because he was in a party, and the experience was shared. Though he got some experience from the monsters Lena and the others were fighting, but it wasn't much to begin with.
<I wonder if they also got items, or the skill through my First Killer title.>
But he didn't think so. They might've gotten the items, but not the skill. That came from his special legendary title.
There was another notification, though, that was important.
[Skill Proficiency Increased: Summon Rift-Sprite Squad (+23.1%).]
That… That made an enormous difference.
Since his skill proficiency was already at eighty-nine percent, this boost pushed it all the way to a hundred. Sure enough, another notification popped up right away.
[Summon Rift-Sprite Squad reached 100%.]
[Summon Rift-Sprite squad's tier increased.]
[Summon Rift-Sprite squad skill has been upgraded to Summon Rift-Sprite Contubernium.]
—[« Summon Rift-Sprite Contubernium »]—
Tier: T2
Proficiency: 0.0%
Type: Active
Casting: Instant
Description
A more advanced summoning skill that tears a larger rift in reality, calling forth a Contubernium of ten Rift-Sprites of different elements to serve the caster. The available elements are: Wind, Water, Fire, Stone, Ice, Lightning
Core Attributes:
Mana Cost: 320 (Fixed Amount)
Spell Type: Batch Summon
Cooldown: 1.5 minutes
Summon Attributes
Summon Potency: 10 x Rift-Sprite (Caster Level)
Summon Type: Elemental
Duration: 45 minutes
Summon Abilities
Elemental Synergy: When two or more sprites of the same element in the contubernium attack the same target, their damage is increased by 10%.
Acquisition Data:
Source: Evolved from "Summon Rift-Sprite Squad" upon reaching 100% proficiency.
Requirements: Level 19
—[«END»]—
Reidar couldn't believe his own eyes. <That's what happens when I get to 100% proficiency!>
Though many things could still appear. For example, did all skills change to an upgraded form?
Did some of them simply get less cooldown, longer duration, or increased damage?
<There is only one way to know.> That would be to increase his proficiencies more.
Reidar dismissed the notifications, his attention snapping to the loot in his inventory. The Cracked Geode Fragment was a large, violet crystal shard that pulsed with a dull inner light. But the other item made him pause.
It was a massive two-handed mallet. The head was a single, polished chunk of dark amethyst geode. The haft was made of a strange, dark metal that seemed to drink the surrounding light. He reached out and gripped it. The System identified it immediately.
—[« Mauler's Geode-Core Mallet »]—
Rarity: Rare
Item Level (ILVL): 65 → Tier: 6
Type: Melee (Two-Handed)
Subtype: Bludgeon
Weight: 18kg
Damage: 90-155 (Bludgeoning + Earth)
Attack Speed: -15%
Special Properties:
Shattering Impact: Attacks ignore 20% of enemy physical resistance. (Scales with Tier)
Geode Resonance: On hit, 15% chance to release a shockwave that deals 50% weapon damage to nearby enemies. (Scales with Rarity)
Requirements: Level 65, S.H.I.E.L.D. ≥ 7
—[«END»]—
He stored the mallet in his inventory again; it was far beyond his ability to wield it, and he wasn't even that interested since he was going through the mage route.
He couldn't use the item even if he wanted to since it was too heavy for him.
Surely, though, he would need to change his equipment since he still got his level 25 one. He got many items during the time he spent in the wilderness, but nothing that was remotely as good as his current equipment.
The gear he'd scavenged from the creatures he killed was serviceable enough. At best, they offered modest boosts to his defenses or elemental resistances, but none of it enhanced the creatures he summoned. They remained reliant solely on his own growing power and the inherent strength of their bodies.
"Reidar?!"