A translucent light screen slowly unfurled.
[You have slain a manticore, gaining 700 XP]
[You have slain a manticore, gaining 700 XP]
[Class level increased to Level 4]
Cassius could not help but feel a surge of excitement. In the progression system of Elezerg, increasing one's strength was extraordinarily difficult.
Yet for ordinary class-holders, every four levels almost always brought a qualitative leap, providing a tremendous boost in combat capability—a true milestone in the early stages.
[Selected Sorcerer level advancement]
[You may allocate 2 attribute points]
After brief consideration, Cassius assigned all the points to Charisma to enhance his spellcasting ability.
In the early stages, attribute points could only be applied to stats below 20, and a red dragon's innate Strength was far too high to qualify for the bonus.
[Charisma increased to 18]
[You have gained an additional feat: Combat Casting]
Combat Casting (General Feat):
Grants a bonus to Concentration checks when casting spells or using spell-like abilities while defending, grappled, or pinned.
[Due to your draconic heritage, you have gained an additional draconic feat: Maximize Breath]
Maximize Breath:
Once per day, the dragon can choose to unleash its breath weapon at maximum potency, dealing triple its original power, requiring a charge time of 25 to 45 seconds. The dragon must not have used its breath weapon in the preceding hour, and the energy expended in this attack leaves the dragon unable to use another breath weapon for at least two hours afterward.
[Due to your draconic heritage, you have gained an additional draconic feat: Target Breath]
Target Breath:
Once per day, the dragon can designate specific targets for its breath attack rather than producing the usual blanket area-of-effect. The dragon can also select up to ten individual creatures to target, striking them with short, concentrated bursts from its breath weapon.
[Acquired additional 2nd-level spells: Misty Step, Phantasmal Force]
Misty Step
2nd-level Conjuration
Briefly surrounded by silvery mist, you teleport up to 30 feet to an unoccupied space that you can see.
Phantasmal Force
2nd-level Illusion
You craft an illusion that takes root in the mind of a creature that you can see within range.
The target perceives the illusion as entirely real and can even take direct damage from it.
For instance, an illusion manifesting as fire, an acid pool, or molten lava can burn the target.
[Acquired additional 1st-level spells: Sleep, Shield]
Several spells imprinted themselves upon Cassius's mind.
His spellcasting ability had developed further, and the projection of his will onto reality grew all the more solid.
Cassius had no doubt that with his current spellcasting prowess alone, he could run circles around his former wyrmling self.
His status panel unfolded before him after a long absence.
Red Dragon - Cassius
Name: Cassius Claudew Noricxius
Template: NPC (9 years, 115 days, and 7 hours until server launch)
Category: Large Dragon, Lawful Neutral
Race: Young Red Dragon
AC: 22 (Natural Armor, Gilded Scales)
Base Attributes:
STR: 23
DEX: 11
CON: 20
INT: 12
WIS: 12
CHA: 18
Skill Proficiencies: Arcana +4, Deception +4, Persuasion +4, Dominion +8, Stealth +6, Perception +8, Hunting +4, Fugitive +4, Knowledge (Future) +4
Damage Immunities: Fire
Senses: Blindsight 10 ft., Darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 16
Languages: Draconic
Actions: Bite, Claw, Tail Slap, Fly, Enhanced Breath Weapon (Fire)
Special Abilities: Maximize Breath (Fire), Target Breath (Fire), Gilded Carapace, Bloodline Boon
Feats: Gilded Scales, Maximize Breath, Target Breath, Combat Casting, Extraordinary Aura, Fugitive
Combat Equipment: Amulet of Spell Immunity, Ring of Nimble Wizard Movement, Staff of the Scorcher, Amulet of Speak with Dead, Lava Spitter, Ring of Blade Warding, Amulet of Silent Steps, Owlbear Perception Mask
Equipped Spells:
1/day: Globe of Invulnerability, Speak with Dead, Expeditious Retreat
2/day: Owlbear Perception, Burning Hands
3/day: Scorching Ray, Blade Ward
Class Level: Sorcerer 4
Caster Level: 4
Spells:
Cantrips: Mage Hand, Minor Illusion, True Strike, Prestidigitation, Message
1st Level: Fog Cloud, Charm Person, Magic Missile, Shield, Thunderwave, Witch Bolt
2nd Level: Enhance Ability, Misty Step, Phantasmal Force, Invisibility, Scorching Ray
3rd Level: None
Challenge Rating: 11 (7,600 XP)
Evaluation: "A red dragon sorcerer blessed with extraordinary talent and an unrelenting pursuit of power—how terrifying. Dragon sorcerers are typically driven by a hunger far stronger than that for mere wealth or power. They seek mastery over themselves and the magic simmering within them. Braving every hardship, they pursue arcane and perilous lore, seeking firsthand contact with the most undisturbed mysteries."
"Once a Challenge Rating reaches ten or higher, it comes with a unique title.
"So that means I count as a minor boss now," Cassius mused inwardly.
Even so, he needed to keep increasing his strength.
According to rumors, the Cassius of his past life had been clad in heavy red-and-black armor after forging a pact with a demon, his eyes blazing with the raging fires of vengeance from the Abyss.
In a mere ten years, his Challenge Rating had shattered the level twenty barrier, turning him into a bonafide world boss, a bane of players, and a novice's nightmare that sent countless pro gamers to bitter defeat beneath his claws.
Cassius now seemed substantially stronger, yet he remained vast leagues away from that tier of power.
"Where exactly is that rumored 'Demon in the Mountains'?
"Deep in the Anstica Mountains?
"Or the Carpathian Mountains to the north?"
Cassius had no way of knowing, but he was far from ready to go searching for it.
He knew his strength fell short, and as a veteran player, he understood the nature of abyssal demons all too well.
From Version 1.0 to Version 4.0, from the Anzeta Magic Tide to the Darkmoon Cataclysm, nearly every main storyline quest revolved around invasions from the Abyss.
Demons were purely chaotic evil, utterly devoid of morality and wildly unpredictable. They were devoted solely to wrecking and destroying all things—the spawn of cosmic chaotic consciousness, as certain scholars claimed.
One second a demon might share a jovial drink with you, and the next it would mince you into sausage meat to go with the wine. Compared to demons, even the devils of the Nine Hells seemed downright genial.
Consequently, he deduced that the Cassius of his past life must have paid an unfathomable price.
"Still, I'll have to investigate eventually.
"Even if it really is a demon, I'll tear a chunk of flesh from it," Cassius muttered to himself.
With that, he launched into the air from the cliff top.
The manticores' lair still burned, though the flames were slowly subsiding, reducing the enormous nest to blackened cinders.
Mingled within the ashes were heaps of charred remains, already burnt beyond recognition as to whether they belonged to the manticores or to their unfortunate prey.
Chapter 18