CH935

“So, there’s my absent teacher,” Ben grinned as he went over to greet the yeti, seeing Falk for the first time in weeks. “How’ve you been all this time? Your poor grandstudent might not even remember your face with how long it’s been since you’ve stopped by. At what point will you have been absent enough that I get to start calling it my shop?”

“Never, ‘cause I wouldn’t sell it for the world.”

“You sure? I’m pretty rich now, give me a little bit longer, and I might be able to buy the planet if I really want.”

“Pfff, then you can do what you want when you do. And you been keeping well, boy? Between Sonya and Nare, I’ve been getting the impression I missed something big with you while I’ve been off working.”

“Mmh, you could say that. I’ll fill you in a bit after this, so for now, why don’t we get your job sorted out.”

“Ha, I’ll take it. Never dreamed I’d get it done this fast when I reached this point, feels more than a little weird knowing I’m already going to have to go back to a lower job.”

“Well, considering how much power you now have, I’m sure whatever you pick next is going to be pretty quick. For now though, keep your expectations in moderation. You’re definitely going to be finishing it faster than if I wasn’t with you but slower than the rest I just finished. I saved a hard job for last.”

Touching his crystal one last time revealed that taking trap user had given him access to a master job for it after, but he ignored it. It made it to the top of the list as for what he’d take the next time but in that moment he had a different goal, taking the last of his third tier options and with that firmly set he told the system exactly what he’d wanted.

Give me eldritch mind user.

<ACQUIRED JOB- ELDRITCH MIND USER LEVEL 0>

<DIVINE BONUSES GRANTED TO IMPROVING INTELLIGENCE>

<ALL MENTAL SKILLS WILL RECEIVE A MASSIVE GROWTH BONUS>

<MULTIVERSAL INCLINATION LEVEL INCREASED>

<MIND BREAK INCREASED>

Name: Ben Heph

Race: Human

Titles: Apostle of Myriad, The Forgotten One, Miracle Maker, Skill learner, Enemy of Eneth, Trial Defier, Trial Breaker, Godslayer, Monster, Madman, God killer, Threat, The Mad Apostle, Destined Holder of Connect, God of Destruction, Creator of Life, Awakener, Maniac, Brutal Blacksmith, Defier of Gods, Title Holder, Enemy of Olensia, Great Teacher, Student of Helori, Myriad’s Monster, Outsider Slayer, Demigod Slayer, Transgressor, Destined Holder of Mental Symbiosis, Destined God of Alien Thought Structure, Destined Holder of Soul Production, Job Holder, Destined Holder of Actualization, Enemy of Duna, Demon Slayer, World Slayer, Demigod of Growth and Gain, First Human God, First of the Faith

Jobs: Eldritch mind user (lv 0)

Previous Jobs: Apprentice craftsman, Craftsman, Priest, Enchanter, Mind user, Magic item maker, Magic weapon maker, High enchanter, Fractured mind user, Tree tamer, High craftsman, Apprentice mage, True mage, Tank, Heretic, Adventurer, Divine heretic, Kin, Master craftsman, Master enchanter, Scholar, Connected enchanter, Infernal craftsman, Marksman, Destruction mage, Material mage, High material mage, Profane enchanter, Master material mage, Impious creator, Mind master, Master adventurer, Otherworldly craftsman, Material creator, Master of all, Ritual enchanter, Holy craftsman, Cursed item maker, Actualizer, Summoned enchanter, Destructive craftsman, Soul mage, Freak mind user, Unholy thinker, Polymath, Alien mind, Soul user, Soul master, Evil soul user, Soul defiling gardener, High actualizer, World killer, Connect master, Abysmal connecter, Master of destiny, Hive brain, Divine enchanter, Inclination master, Slayer, Judge, Holy adversary, Title master, Beneficiary, Divine kin, Multiversal material mage, Expert, Body user, High tank, King of intelligence, Body master, Master tank, Primordial heretic, God defiling gardener, Master actualizer, Outsider, High marksman, Fallen actualizer, King of mana, King of stamina, King of vitality, Intelligence embodiment, Soul creator, Mind breaker, Total self, Degenerate body user, Demonic body user, Divine body user, Foul tank, Resistant tank, High destruction mage, Mortal realm actualizer, Beginner dancer, Assassin, Therapist, Trap user

Attributes:

• Vitality: 11056

• Vitality recovery rate:610/hr

• Mana: 30129

• Mana recovery rate: 3274/min

• Strength: 8849

• Agility: 3372

• Stamina: 18767

• Intelligence: 163,541

Affinities:

• Light: 3

• Life: 2

• Fire: 4

• Water: 3

• Air: 4

• Earth: 2

• Death: 3

• Dark: 1

• Space: 4

• Time: 5

Resistances:

• Light: 68

• Life: 72

• Fire: 75

• Water: 69

• Air: 66

• Earth: 81

• Death: 78

• Dark: 85

• Space: 63

• Time: 61
  

Blessed skills:

• Unending crafting lv9*

• Divine enchanting lv9*

• Eldritch mind lv0**
  

Passive skills: 

• Evil god of sacrilege lv2**

• Bind

• Integrated demonic body lv9

• Divine defense enhancement lv0*

• Perfect absorption resistance lv1*

• All affinity resistance enhancement lv9

• Bite enhancement lv9

• Piercing resistance lv9

• Artisan’s soul*

• Unnatural intelligence enhancement lv9*

• Blood regeneration lv9 

• Unending extraction enhancement lv2*

• Soul affinity lv9*

• Tier two modifier compatibility*

• Deep material sense lv3*

• Flavour enhancement lv6

• Balance enhancement lv8

• Soul expansion lv9

• Defiler of ambrosia

• Destruction affinity lv9*

• Evil affinity lv9*

• Soul resilience lv9

• Defense inclination lv7

• Vitality enhancement lv5

• Vitality recovery rate enhancement lv5

• False Ben

• Integrated divine body lv7

• Mythril blood

• Mana enhancement lv5

• Mana recovery rate enhancement lv5

• Strength enhancement lv4

• Stamina enhancement lv4

• Bludgeoning resistance lv3

• Agility enhancement lv2

• Flesh regeneration lv2

• Fracture resistance lv2

• Unnatural mortal realm actualization enhancement lv0*

• Multiversal inclination lv4

• Alien sense lv2

• Soul regeneration enhancement lv0

Active skills: 

• Stealth lv2

• Deep connection lv9*

• Cycling lv3

• Marksmanship lv9

• Material manipulation lv9*

• Swimming lv3

• Dance lv3

• Hive mind lv9*

• Rule bender lv1

• Aim lv9

• Esoteric actualization lv9*

• Soul source lv9*

• Condemnation lv9

• Mind break lv9*

• Realm access lv8

• Calming lv9

Blessings:

• Myriad’s Blessing

• Anailia’s Blessing

• Helori’s Blessing

• Galwax’s Blessing

• Elvat’s mana regeneration Blessing

• Eneth’s Blessing

• Earth Pantheon’s Blessing

• Life Pantheon’s Blessing

• Dark Pantheon’s Blessing

• Olensia’s Blessing

• Nare’s Blessing

• Yuzu’s mana regeneration Blessing

• Child of Chaos

• Oaun’s Blessing

• Phixth’s Blessing

• Passive Pantheon’s Blessing

• Duna’s Blessing

• Jagal’s Blessing

• Non-Affinitied Pantheon’s Blessing

• Crafting Pantheon’s Blessing

• Velmet’s Blessing

Trials:

• Trial of Anailia and Tolona

• Trial of the Dead God

• Earth Tower

• Life Tower

• Dark Tower

• Non-Affinitied Tower

• Craftsmans’ Tower

Levels to two skills I just leveled for different jobs? Those massive bonuses are sure putting in the work. And getting more divine bonuses too! Even if it’s just for my intelligence, it feels so freaking good that I barely mind that it didn’t give me any new skills.

<Considering the raw power of your current mind, I doubt there’s much room for any other mind skills that it wouldn’t already cover.>

Eh, you’re probably right and I’ll happily take what I got. Just look at my status, it’s so long and unwieldy, I freaking love it.

<Your previous job section is just a block of text at this point.>

Yeah, it’s great, and I still have more to do too. I have five more jobs I’m willing to spend helping people with now that this is all done. Maybe up to seven since I unlocked trap master and that should be giving me an advanced job so long as it’s a normal master option and beginner puppeteer should at least give me puppeteer as a job once it’s done so tell Phixth in case he wants to figure out what groups to set up for me later. I know I’ve already helped plenty of contenders in all of this, but it doesn’t hurt to help more.

<Not your path jobs then?>

Saving those for if anyone or thing worthwhile pops up that I can use them on since their bonuses aren’t exactly going to be crazy or lined up with attributes I really care about growing.

<And entrée?>

As far as I’m concerned, it doesn’t exist.

<Hmm, I’m not actually sure if there’s any contenders with second-tier jobs left after all of you’ve done, but at the very least I’ll let him know so he can start figuring it out. Considering the bomb you dropped on him before, the fact that you’re willing to keep doing this will make for a lovely point in your favour when word gets out that your disgusting, monstrous talent in leveling is continuing on with your worst skill.>

My worst skill is actually flavour enhancement and it’s not even close. Thanking reality as a whole that I didn’t get a new level to it.

<Ben, when one looks at all of your jobs, blessings, and other growth factors, you’re going to be close to leveling it and every other first tier skill you have whether you like it or not.>

Okay, ignoring you now in favour of talking to my teacher. Show’s over, so get back to work.

<Mmh, just don’t do anything too objectionable while I’m gone.>

Don’t worry, that at least is a few days away.

His god grumbling off, Ben focused back on his teacher, Falk already examining his card in curiosity.

“So, how long do you think before this is gonna be done, boy?”

“A few days, maybe over a week depending on how things go. I’ve got two real cheats for getting through a job, but one of them isn’t really going to work here because of the one I took. Still, that should be plenty fast.”

There wasn’t even a mind user put in Falk’s party because there’d be no point. Eldritch mind user as a job had to account for the nature of his mind and how much experience it would produce, meaning he was back to relying entirely on soul production for the experience it would give, even if things wouldn’t exactly be bad on that front either. Even without his jacket, he now had a mana pool over thirty thousand and a recovery rate that meant it wouldn’t need even ten minutes to get back if he were to empty it. As soon as the job was taken, he was making souls and making progress.

“More than I’d be able to do on my own,” his teacher nodded. “But with that sorted, you gonna finally tell me what else is goin’ on?”

“Mmh, sure. First though, let’s find a good place to sit down and talk.”

He didn’t want to be around for whenever Verbum would wake up, he didn’t even want to be in that same city if he could help it when he was still trying to push off the inevitable reveal even slightly longer, leaving them to go through the gate to Anailia instead, finding the closest cafe before taking food to a nearby park before Ben went on.

“Okay, so I need you to not look at me while I say this.”

“Why?”

“Because I’m afraid the shock is going to have you using your soul sight on me and frankly, I’ve got some reasons right now I don’t really want that happening.”

“Feels dramatic, but fine,” Falk agreed as he turned away, waiting for Ben to speak again.

“Since I’d seen you last, I reached the third tier for two skills. My eldritch mind and my sacrilege.”

“...”

“Falk?”

“Alright, I’ll admit it. You made a good call getting me to turn away,” his teacher said, turning back but rubbing at his eyes as he did. “Damn it all, boy, how?”

“Long story short, I connected to my god hoping that connect would awaken, but instead my mind and sacrilege took the brunt of it and things ended up like this. But it’s fine. Well, mostly fine because some gods were rather vocally unhappy about one of those awakenings, and that means my connect still isn’t growing, but that’s okay, I’m working on it.”

“Pfff, still not satisfied even as a double third-tier?”

“Considering how handy reaching that level is, I’m never going to stop trying for it. Especially for the attribute bonuses alone. Even with the two I’ve already gotten, one more awakening means growing by another quarter and I can’t stress enough how badly I want that.”

“Hmm, I suppose yours are probably pretty ridiculous as it is.”

“You don’t know the half of it,” he said as he hid everything but his attributes on his card and handed it over, hearing his teacher whistle as he looked.

“The hell are you doing with all of that intelligence at this point?”

“Being very, very clever. I’ve got high hopes of getting that above two hundred thousand before the next wave.”

“Why would you even want that?”

“Bragging rights? Also the slim hope that it might lead me to discovering some cool new mind skill that can only exist for people with over a hundred thousand of that attribute. I’d really take anything I can get. What about you? The gods working you to death?”

“I wouldn’t exactly put it like that.”

“Considering how much time I spend at the shop, I’d see you pass through if you were coming back at all.”

“It’s not like you don’t go off plenty. I know at least one time I got back out to Stonewall and you weren’t around.”

“Okay, true enough I guess, but in that case, you need any help?”

“Help?”

“Sure, my favourite teacher is out there being abused by the gods of the world, I can at least check if there’s anything I can do for you, be it lend a hand with your work or go up there and tell off the gods on your behalf. Just let me know.”

The offer got a small laugh from the yeti, Falk reaching out to pat Ben’s back as he answered. “Appreciate it, boy, but don’t worry about it. I might be keeping busy, but you’ve got your own work and life, no need for me to pile any more onto it.”

“Well, alright, but if you change your mind, then just let me know. Not to brag, but I think enough gods are unhappy enough about the whole ‘evil god of sacrilege’ thing that they haven’t even bothered asking me to work at all since I got it, at least not beyond helping people finish their jobs.”

“Back up, what’s that about evil gods?”

“The system’s naming sense for my highest skill, I wouldn’t mind it.”

“I think you probably should though.”

“Evil’s subjective, it’s fine. Anyway, if things do get too busy for you then send the word and I’ll come running.”

“Well, thanks. I appreciate the thought.”