Chapter 413

Options and decisions swirled through Arthur’s mind as he stared at the words hanging before him. He weighed them all, seeing options bifurcating in his mind the things that he could do and should do opening up to him. A shrug of his shoulders reset the backpack on his shoulder sagain, the straps digging in a little with the large volume of stolen material resting there and the rather threadbare status of it. Multiple uses of thick sewing cord had helped keep the staps in one piece, but they were still rather damaged.

At least, patting his belt, his store of monster cores were fine. While he had been diligent even before he got his harvesting knife, the addition of it had sped up the number of monsters he’d targeted and killed, if nothing else to make full use of the knife and pay back a little.

Of course, he was still in the negative; but that might not – would not – last forever. Investing in the future was the way to go, or so he told himself at least.

“Apply upgrade for healing characteristic, please,” Arthur said out-loud once he had made his decisions. He wanted to go with the Aspect first, because the healing portion of it was the most interesting aspect and the one most likely to make a difference for the entire Clan. He also wanted it upgraded because he hoped, by upgrading it, it could pull the increase in his own healing technique through.

It was a small hope, really; but it was one he felt cost him little to attempt.

Searing pain, along his Clan crest. He felt portions of it change, the parts that signified his aspect. He wondered if there were people who specialized in reading Clan crests, who kept notes of the changes and the variations and could tell all the choices he made just by glancing at it.

It felt like something that someone out there would do. Arthur hoped he never met them.

Pain, then a slight shudder parsing itself through, his body reacting to a flood of energy and a speeding up of basic processes. It was minor, not incredibly significant, except for the fact that his Accelerated Healing technique was always running, taking care of minor issues that cropped up and so, even a miniscule ramping up of it was noticeable.

 

Upgraded Aspect: Guardianship

● Modest increase in effectiveness of healing cultivation techniques.

 

Arthur waited for a slow count of ten after dismissing that notification but to his intense disappointment, no additional notices appeared. He let out a sigh, raised his hand to tap the seal upgrade and then let it fall. He shook his head after a moment, muttered to himself about being an idiot, opened his mouth to call out his choice and then, after a moment, shut it again.

He tried, twice more, before he ran a hand through his hair.

“I really want the flame technique…” Arthur complained, to no one but himself. He really, really did. Even if, with a Yin Body, fire and flame techniques were difficult to study, harder to utilize. He’d even tried, levels below when the insects and wasps and the like had appeared.

It wasn’t for him, he knew it. But still, a man wanted what he wanted.

The difference though, between a grownup and a child is that the grownup knows want should not dictate action.

“Confirm Regeneration Trait increase,” Arthur said, out loud.

Then, he sat back and waited. This time around, the flood was not physical, not energy coming in to interact with his body but mental. A push against his mind that he allowed in, such that he allowed it to flow within as it offered him further details.

He stood there, mind numb, jaw a little wide as he stared into space, information flowing in faster than ever as he tried to digest it all. Some of it quickly became second nature, details that he did not need to consider but were aiding him overall.

Others, well…

“That’s how you regenerate body parts!?” Arthur said, reaching out to rub the nub of the top of his ear. Thankfully, he was not someone who wore glasses or it would have been awkward. Those words were the only interjection he let himself have, before he turned back to focusing on the information streaming in.

It took quite a while, such that even his feet were aching a little, standing there unseeing as more information – enough to give him understanding of something that humans weren’t supposed to be able to do and shore up assorted weaknesses in his variations – had finished.

After which, finally, it was gone and he had a chance to stretch, rotating ankles and hips and knees a little. Only when he was more comfortable did he look at the board, see what had changed.

 

Variant Skill Upgrade: Accelerated Healing – Refined Energy (Grade IVc) -> (Grade IVd)

Passively increases base Tower healing rates by 99.9%.

Active use of technique increases base Tower healing rate by 311.8%.

Healing may now be directed.

Variant technique increases resistance against toxins and poisons by 49% (P)/ 139%(A)

Variant technique increases resistance against elemental effects by 18% (P)

Variant technique allows regeneration of minor loss limbs and body parts at 0.2% (P)

May not replace lost major limbs or body parts or other major permanent injuries.

Active Cost: 0.1 Refined Energy per ten minutes

 

Arthur eyes narrowed. He had the knowledge, the understanding of what it took to replace a full limb.. He even inderstood why it was considered a major change and why it was not possible at this level. It required greater knowledge and a tapping in of Tower knowledge that he did not have at this time.

It was even more amusing to him that he had zero chance to make such changes actively. He had to wait, letting the Tower deal with the changes on a passive basis, allowing the Tower to regrow his bits.

Of course, there was still some questions about what might be considered active or passive. For example, a broken spine – small bits, but big damage. Was that minor or major? He couldn’t tell, not right now. Nor was he, frankly, willing to test it himself.

Anyway, he had something else to look at before he speculated for no reason.

 

Upgraded Sigil: The Flame Phoenix

Sigil Bonus (Clan Head): Accelerated Healing – Refined Energy (Grade IVd)

Sigil Bonus (Clan): Cultivation Exercise – Accelerated Healing – Refined Energy (Grade IId)

 

“Yes!” Arthur pumped the air and then even did a little happy dance. So he was right! The Seal needed to upgrade to pass on his benefits. It was still a decent amount behind, two grades compared to the one that began; but he now understood what needed to happen.

In time, he assumed, he might even be able to bring it back to the original level. Maybe, even better?

Before he could speculate further, he felt a shudder run through him, the information on the screens before him disappearing.

Leaving Arthur once more in a simple blank expanse. Moments later, giant glowing numbers appeared.

 

10

9

8

…

 

“Ready or not, I guess I’m coming out, eh?” Arthur said, realizing that the Tower was done with him. Time to exit.

Time to get back to the real world and handle all the problems that came with it.

Before he could say anything else, the countdown ended and he disappeared, leaving a plain, white expanse once more. Bereft of Climber or Tower presence.