The Ultimate Skill System: Absorb, Upgrade, Create, Transfer-Chapter 19 - : Assassin

Keiran stood amidst the dense forest, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and the faint metallic tang of blood. The head of the Aethermantis lay discarded at his feet, its lifeless eyes staring blankly at the canopy above.

The creature's body, still pinned to the tree by its own momentum, twitched faintly as if resisting the finality of death. Keiran stepped closer, his feet crunching softly against the forest floor.

He placed a hand on the Aethermantis's carapace, feeling the faint hum of energy still lingering within its form. The texture was smooth yet ridged, like polished stone, and it radiated a faint warmth despite the creature's demise.

With a deep breath, Keiran activated his Divine Inheritance. A soft, golden glow emanated from his palm, spreading across the Aethermantis's body like liquid light.

The creature's essence began to dissolve into a shimmering mist, swirling in the air before being drawn into Keiran's body.

He felt a surge of power coursing through him, a familiar sensation that always accompanied the absorption of a strong foe's abilities.

[You have received 7 Skills.]

[Common Skills:]

[Phantom Strike (Active): The Aethermantis rapidly dashes forward, delivering a razor-sharp slash with its forelimbs. This attack deals moderate damage and slightly reduces the target's perception of the user for a short duration.]

[Ghost Cloak (Active): The Aethermantis turns fully invisible for a short duration. Any attack or sudden movement immediately breaks the effect. While invisible, enemies cannot see it, but they may still detect it through sound or other senses. Mana Cost: 1.]

[Silent Predator (Passive): The Aethermantis' natural movements are eerily quiet. It generates significantly less noise while moving, making it harder for enemies to detect it through sound.]

[Uncommon Skills:]

[Spectral Rend (Active): The Aethermantis slashes through the air with aether-infused claws, creating an invisible blade that travels forward. The attack phases through armor and leaves a lingering distortion, reducing the target's ability to perceive invisibility for a short time. Mana Cost: 5.]

[Wraithbound Reflexes (Passive): The Aethermantis' body instinctively reacts to danger, enhancing its reflexes while invisible. If an enemy attacks it while unseen, the Aethermantis automatically evades the first strike and gains a brief burst of speed, allowing it to reposition or counterattack.]

[Rare Skills:]

[Abyssal Execution (Active): The Aethermantis disappears into the void, becoming completely undetectable by low-rank detection skills. After a short delay, it reappears behind its target and delivers a critical strike that bypasses armor and deals devastating damage. If the target is unaware, the strike has a high chance of instantly killing them. Mana Cost: 10.]

[Sovereign of the Unseen (Passive): The Aethermantis is the undisputed master of stealth. While invisible, its movement speed and physical damage are greatly increased, and it can remain unseen for a short duration even while attacking. If it eliminates an enemy while in stealth, its invisibility is instantly refreshed, allowing for consecutive assassinations without detection.]

[For acquiring 7 unique skills, you have received experience points.]

[You leveled up 5x.]

[You have received 60 Stat points.]

[Your HP, MP, and SP have been replenished.]

Keiran exhaled slowly, feeling the weight of his newfound abilities settle into his being. He flexed his fingers, testing the subtle changes in his body.

The forest around him seemed quieter now, as if the world itself was holding its breath in anticipation of his next move.

He glanced at the Aethermantis's remains one last time before turning away. The creature's once formidable form now lay broken and lifeless.

His flaming wings burst into existence, their fiery glow casting flickering shadows on the trees around him.

The wings were a manifestation of his power, their feathers made of pure flame that danced and shimmered with every movement.

With a powerful beat, he took to the air, soaring above the treetops. The wind rushed past him, carrying the scent of pine and the distant calls of unseen creatures.

He flew toward the spot where he had left his tracksuit, the fabric now crumpled and forgotten on the forest floor. He landed gracefully, his wings dissipating into embers as he picked up the garment and slipped it on.

The tracksuit was simple, black with red accents, but it bore the marks of countless battles—scorched edges, small tears, and faint stains that refused to wash out.

With his tracksuit secured, Keiran took to the skies once more. The forest stretched out endlessly below him, a sea of green broken only by the occasional glimmer of sunlight on water or the jagged outline of a rocky outcrop.

He flew for what felt like hours, his eyes scanning the terrain for any sign of a worthy opponent. The forest was vast, and despite his speed, he could see no end to it.

The trees below formed a dense carpet, their leaves swaying gently in the breeze. Occasionally, he spotted movement—a flock of birds taking flight, a deer darting through the underbrush, or the shimmering form of a river winding its way through the landscape.

As he flew, Keiran allocated the 120 stat points he had gained from his recent level-ups. He distributed them carefully, knowing that each choice would shape his abilities in the battles to come.

He assigned 20 points each to Constitution, Dexterity, and Agility, bolstering his endurance, precision, and speed.

The remaining 60 points he split evenly between Intelligence and Strength, enhancing his magical prowess and physical power.

He felt the changes immediately—his muscles grew denser, his reflexes sharper, and his mind clearer. It was as if his body had been fine-tuned, every aspect of his being optimized for combat.

The forest below began to change as he ventured deeper. The trees grew thicker, their trunks massive and gnarled, their branches intertwining to form a dense canopy that blocked out much of the sunlight.

The air grew heavier, charged with an almost palpable energy. Keiran's senses tingled as he detected a powerful mana signature ahead.

It was unlike anything he had felt before, a swirling vortex of energy that pulsed like a heartbeat. The mana was so dense that it was visible, a faint blue glow that illuminated the surrounding trees.

He descended, landing silently on a sturdy branch of one of the massive trees.

Below him, the source of the mana signature came into view. It was a bear, but unlike any bear Keiran had ever seen.

Its fur was a deep, earthy brown, but its eyes glowed with an unnatural green light. The creature was massive, its shoulders broad and muscular, its claws long and razor-sharp.

A faint blue aura surrounded it, swirling like a miniature tornado. The bear's presence was overwhelming, its sheer size and power radiating an aura of dominance.

[Rare: Cyclobear — Level 72.]

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The Cyclobear lumbered through the forest, its movements slow and deliberate. It paused, sniffing the air, before turning its glowing eyes in Keiran's direction.

For a moment, their gazes locked, but the bear quickly dismissed him, turning away with a low growl. To the Cyclobear, Keiran was nothing more than a minor disturbance, a weakling unworthy of its attention.

The bear's arrogance was evident in its posture, its head held high as it continued its slow, deliberate pace through the forest.

Keiran smirked. The bear's arrogance would be its downfall. He activated Ghost Cloak, his body fading from view as he became invisible.

He moved silently through the trees, his movements fluid and precise, thanks to his Silent Predator skill.

The ground beneath him was a patchwork of fallen leaves and moss, each step carefully calculated to avoid making a sound. The Cyclobear's massive form loomed ahead, its glowing eyes scanning the area with a lazy indifference.

"I want to try something," Keiran whispered to himself, his voice barely audible even to his own ears.

He circled the Cyclobear, studying its movements, looking for an opening. The bear was powerful, but it was also slow and overconfident. Keiran's mind raced as he formulated a plan, his new skills offering a wealth of possibilities.

The forest around him seemed to fade into the background, his focus narrowing to the task at hand.