[Skill: Bloodthirsty Acquisition – Activated]
You drink the blood of your targets…
Analyzing…
The blood flowed, abundant, noble, pure. Fifty knights' bodies littered the ground, massacred by the wave of death Alex had unleashed. Their blood intermingled, forming a scarlet river where every drop pulsed with a fragment of holy light.
Alex drank it without restraint.
[You greatly absorb your target's mana.]
You have absorbed Celestial Mana.
Detecting soul engravings… Special skills identified: 15/50
Extraction in progress…
[Skill acquired: Sacred Blade]
Description: A sword of divine energy, cutting through darkness, summonable at will.
[Skill acquired: Mana Wall]
Description: An invisible wall that absorbs and blocks magical and physical attacks.
[Skill acquired: Celestial Strike]
Description: A vertical attack from the heavens, focused and devastating.
[Skill acquired: King's Judgment]
Description: Detects the intentions and wrongdoings of an enemy. Power bonus against "criminals."
[Skill acquired: Unyielding Oath]
Description: As long as you remain standing, your defense drastically increases. Immune to temporary curses.
[Skill acquired: Guardian's Aura]
Description: Creates a protective field around nearby allies, reducing received damage.
[Skill acquired: Cutting Exorcism]
Description: Each weapon strike is imbued with anti-demonic and anti-necrotic power.
[Skill acquired: Celestial Punishment]
Description: Launches a spear of pure light at a target, dealing massive damage.
[Skill acquired: Awakening of the Ironclad]
Description: Strengthens skin, bones, and muscles, granting increased natural resistance.
[Skill acquired: Noble Blood Pact]
Description: Allows sacrificing a portion of HP to temporarily strengthen an ally or a summon.
[Skill acquired: Commanding Shout]
Description: Staggers or pushes back enemies in range. Boosts ally morale and stats.
[Skill acquired: Blade of Final Judgment]
Description: An ultimate skill — a two-handed purifying attack that reaps all in its path.
[Skill acquired: Crusader's Fury]
Description: Enter a "controlled berserk state." Increased speed and strength. Immune to fear.
[Skill acquired: Glory Line]
Description: Draws an invisible boundary that enemies struggle to cross. Ideal for defending a position.
[Skill acquired: Sanctuary]
Description: Creates a sacred zone where allies are slowly regenerated and protected from curses.
[Acquisition complete.]
Skills fused into wielder's arsenal.
Progression: +20 levels.
Current level: 55
Sacred constitution slightly increased.
Risk of spiritual rejection: Low
Alex slowly stood up, his gaze incandescent, almost insane.
Without hesitation, his fangs sank into the remains of the corpses, devouring relentlessly, indifferent to the fact that some knights had nothing special to offer.
A dizziness struck him.
[Skill: Bloodthirsty Acquisition – Activated]
You drink the blood of your targets…
Analyzing…
Streams of information poured into his mind like uncontrollable waves. He dropped to his knees, panting.
[You acquire your targets' knowledge: Swordsmanship.]
[You acquire vast knowledge in Swordsmanship.]
[Swordsmanship reaches level 25.]
"Hh…!"
Images. Stances. Duels.
He saw them, felt them in his muscles, as if he had wielded a sword all his life.
[You acquire Archery.]
[You acquire vast knowledge in Archery.]
[Archery reaches level 10.]
Tension in his back, in his fingers. Flying targets, instinctive shots, rapid volleys…
[You acquire knowledge in Magic.]
[You acquire vast knowledge in Magic.]
[Magic reaches level 25.]
Magic circles, ancient chants, precise flows of mana, deadly, elegant.
[You acquire Spearmanship.]
[You acquire vast knowledge in Spearmanship.]
[Spearmanship reaches level 10.]
Spears piercing dragons. Rotational techniques, thunderous strikes.
[You absorb a massive amount of mana.]
[You absorb a massive amount of Celestial Mana.]
His body trembled.
"Gh…! What is… this?!"
A titanic energy was building inside him. His flesh stretched, his veins burned.
[System: Evolution possible.]
[You advance to the next stage.]
[You are transforming into: Ghoul.]
[Transformation time: 24:00]
"No… I can't…" murmured Alex, stumbling.
"Not now…"
But it was too late.
A sharp pain pierced his chest. His heart raced, his bones cracked. His skin grew paler. His breath turned ragged.
He looked up at the sky, one last time.
Then…
He collapsed.