Reborn: Knight's Code (11 page)

7-12

The next day Ash woke slightly later than usual. There wasn’t much planned for today but after spending so much time in the labyrinth the day before, Ash wasn’t in much of a rush to go in again since he had already achieved his goal. Ash decided instead to visit Emelia and see if any new news had come in.

Since he was in no rush, Ash took his time walking through the city. With everything that was going on lately He hadn’t had the chance to have much time to shop lately.

Ash stopped in a few stores, but none of them had anything that he really needed or wanted. It wasn’t until Ash was in the fourth store that he noticed the emblems that were put out for show. Looking down at his own guild emblem, Ash remembered that he had just advanced from novice to intermediate which required him to get a new badge. Walking up to the counter, Ash quickly ordered a new emblem and quickly replaced his old one as soon as it was purchased.

Most people reached the intermediate rank in the professions so having a silver emblem wasn’t anything to brag about, but it was still much better than having a copper one. The real mark of excellence was having a gold emblem signifying that one had reached the master stage of their occupation. Even someone who belonged to a weak guild wouldn’t be looked down upon if he reached such a high level since it was not an easy thing to do. The higher one’s level, the more experience needed to reach the next level and yet the amount of experience that one received from killing monsters of a higher level didn’t increase much. From what he understood, Ash needed more than ten million experience to reach his next level, even if he were to kill a monster twice his level, it wouldn’t be enough to automatically reach the next level. Sighing after thinking about the large hurdle to reach level sixty so he could get his next job advancement, Ash left the small stone and continued to look around the large market area.

Other than the large stores, every day there were a number of traveling merchants that would open up stalls as well as adventurer stores that sold rare goods that changed depending on what was brought in and sold to them. Ash spent most of his time looking through the adventurer store inventory though most of it was items that he had no idea how to use or things that he couldn’t use. Thinking that he was just wasting his time, Ash turned to leave when his eyes caught the sight of a small set of rings placed in a small case off in the corner.

None of the rings looked very presentable as they all had a dull look as if they hadn’t been properly cared for. Ash picked up one ring after another reading their description as they came into his mind. All the ones he picked up so far had weak effects such as +1 to strength. It wasn’t until he picked up the sixth ring that Ash got a welcomed surprise.

[Superior mana ring: increase mana by 10%.]

“Sir may I help you?” A wizened old man asked in a businesslike manner.

“Yes I was wondering how much this ring costs?” Ash asked as he held onto the ring tightly.

“Let me see,” the man said, looking at the ring then at the box where Ash had got it from. “This box of rings were obtained from an old adventurer’s estate after his death. The family wishes to sell his belongings quickly. Most the items we have on sale today belonged to him. If you wish to purchase the ring, I am sorry to say that much must purchase the entire box. There are a total of thirty-two rings that the man has acquired during his life. We haven’t had a chance to have them appraised yet so we are selling the box as a whole for the cost of thirty-five silver.”  When Ash didn’t respond, the man quickly went on. “I know it sounds like a large sum for such old rings but there is always a chance to find a diamond in the rough.”

“It is true that many of the rings are quite cheap and need maintenance, but this ring alone is worth far more than the asking price,” Ash replied honestly.

“Is that so lord,” the old man said. “Do you happen to have the appraise ability?”

“Something like that,” Ash replied. “You said that the money will go to the adventurer’s family. How much from the sale will they receive?”

“Since it is a commissioned sale the store will receive 10% from the sale of the items and the rest will go directly to the family my lord.”

Ash pulled out five gold coins from his inventory and handed it over to the store owner. It was far more than the asking price but from what he could tell wasn’t even half the price of the single ring in his hand. “I will take the rings,” Ash said pushing the gold into the man’s hand.

Ash quickly picked up the box of rings and left the store heading straight for Emelia’s manor so that he could look over his spoils. He put on the mana ring on so that he wouldn’t lose track of it and after he checked a ring he put it in his inventory.

Most of the rings were ordinary and other than the mana ring, none of them really had much of a use to him, but both Shina and Yuki could use a few of them. Even the weaker ones could be used since one could wear a ring on each finger without problems.

Ash was so absorbed in looking at his new ring that he didn’t notice until he reached the manor gate that something was amiss. Not only did the gate guard seem a little out of sorts, but as soon as he entered the manor proper he found it filled with a number of knights and nobles all talking in hushed whispers among each other. Even though they were talking in hushed tones, it wasn’t hard for him to pick up the meaning of most of the conversations. It seemed that there had been a rather large pitched battle along the western duchy border.

Hearing the news, Ash couldn’t help but turn slightly white as he quickly found one of the maids to find out where his wife was. It wasn’t hard to find Emelia as she was in one of the lower meeting rooms with a gathering of the higher nobles and more trusted knights.

When Ash walked in, Emelia just gave him a weak smile, but she didn’t stop to welcome him. It seemed that more than fifty knights had crossed the border and attacked one of the smaller barons killing a number of people before being forced to retreat.

They had expected some small battles, but a group of fifty knights was far outside what they had expected. It seemed from what everyone was saying that the war would start much faster than expected.

Not having any experience with war, Ash took a seat in the back of the room while the others talked. Many of the nobles wanted to launch a counterattack, but Emelia strongly refused otherwise it would be harder to claim that the attacks had come unprovoked when talking with the king. From the way Emelia was talking, it was obvious that not only did she want to win the war, but to win it while being able to claim freedom from the kingdom.

Ash knew that she had mentioned something like that when they had talked a few days before, but he never expected that it would be her main goal. Listening to her now, it was clear what her goal was. Ash thought it was pushing a little too far and from how the other nobles and knights were acting, they were thinking the same.

After more than two hours, Emelia had laid out her plans and given out strict orders. All the knights in the Duchy would guard the border with the exception of the ones currently training the new squires outside of the capital. At the same time all nobles were to send troops to the border to help protect the duchy. It would give them a ready force and show a strong front which Emelia hoped would keep the other duchies from starting the war as quickly. Every day that passed without war breaking out was one more day for them to prepare and build fortifications.

Once everyone had left Emelia slumped down in a chair next to Ash and placed her head on his shoulder. “Do you think we are doing the right thing?” Emelia asked in a weak voice.

“I don’t know,” Ash said though his mind was screaming something different. “You just have to do what feels right.”

When Emelia didn’t say anything for a long time Ash took a deep breath. “Do you think I should head for the border as well?”

Emelia jerked her head up and looked at Ash with fearful eyes. “Not yet,” Emelia said hastily. “I don’t want you to go at all, but at least wait until the war truly starts.”

“Ok, I will wait for now,” Ash said with a warm smile. “But sooner or later, I will have to go.”

“I know, just don’t mention it too often,” Emelia replied weakly. “Every time I think about you in danger, my heart feels like it is going to stop beating. Even if we lose the war you have to promise to come back to me.” Emelia said with pleading eyes.

“I promise.”

Though it was still early, Emelia and Ash took a small break in the back garden away from the other nobles. With the fighting already starting, the moments they would have alone would become harder and harder to find.

After their short getaway, Emelia returned to meeting with nobles while Ash met with the knights so that he could give out the new orders. Just as they had planned, Ash would be the face of the knights while she would be for the nobles. Ash might not have any experience with war, but knights tended to listen to other fighters more than they did nobles, even if the noble happened to be one that they had sworn their allegiance to.

Name: Ash

Level: 35

Experience needed for next level: 10,118,220

Race: Human/Demon 70/30

Occupation: Intermediate Gambler

Title: Novice Slayer

Blessings: Blessing of the Reaper

HP: 1400/1400

MP 1320/1320

SP 267/267

Strength: 72 (+10) (+2) (+1) (+10) (+194)

Vitality: 75 (+3) (+202)

Agility: 49 (+9) (+5) (+132)

Stamina 71 (+5) (+191)

Spirit 36 (+10) (+97)

Intelligence: 65 (+175)

Endurance: 38 (+10) (+1) (+2) (+102)

Luck: 225 (+999) (+1)

Abilities

Passive:

Devil’s Luck: 500% bonus to luck.

Fleet Foot: +10 to agility. Max

Wolf Eyes: See in the dark. Level Max

Mining: Ability to use a pick to extract ore from hidden locations. Able to tell where mining locations are located. Level 2: 23%

Poison Resistance: level 2-81%: 10% poison resistance.

Grave Domain: Damage resistance to whole body with the exception of the head increased by 10%.

Spider Senses: able to detect prey that is up to three levels higher within a 200 foot radius. Able to sense hostile intent within a 100 foot radius. Level max%.

[Fire Resistance: 15% fire resistance. Level 3-2%.]

[Natural Armor (small). When fighting your skin acts as a natural armor blocking 10% of physical damage. Level: max.]

[Frost Resistance: 10% resistance to frost damage. Level 2-25%.]

[Yeti Strength: +10 to strength. Level Max%.]

[Electric Resistance. 5% resistance to energy attacks. Level 1-87%.]

[Water Glide. When moving in water it flows naturally around you decreasing water resistance by 25%. Level max.]

  [Cloak of Shadows: When in a dark area cloak of shadows wraps you in shadows making it harder for you to be detected.]

[Dragon Sight: You can see the magical flow of items and creatures]

[Reaper’s Sight: people who have received the ire of the goddess will now appear with a small sickle above their head.]

[Reaper’s Soul: after killing a person who has been marked by the goddess you will absorb a portion of their soul and receive any abilities they possess.]

[Earth Affinity- cost of using earth related skills will be reduced by 10% and power of earth related skills will be boosted 5%. Level 1-51%.]

[Mental Resist- 5% bonus when attacked by a mental attack. Level 1-24%]

[Iron Stomach: for each ounce of iron you eat your strength will raise by 1 but at the same time your intelligence will be reduced by 1.]

[Fire Affinity - cost of using fire related skills and abilities will be reduced by 10% and power of fire related skills and abilities will be boosted 5%. Level 1-13%.]

[Blood Drain- ability to absorb 1% of a person’s experience by drinking their blood after their death.]                 

Active:

[Demon Absorption: Cost 10MP: Absorb defeated enemies to obtain skills. Level 3- 21%]

[Bash: Cost 1SP - Slam into enemies with your body to do X10 damage. Level Max%]

[Rabbit Punch: Cost 1Sp- Using feet or hands quickly lash out with a lighting quick attack. Level 3-29%]

[Stab: Cost 1 SP- Thrust forward with weapon (sword, spear.) level 2-65%]

[Poison Spit: Cost 5MP. Level Max%: Spit a corrosive poison that sticks to enemy doing 5 damage a second for ten seconds.]

[Analyze ability: Cost 5MP: Ability to see opponents name, level and skill as long as they are no more than 5 levels above you. Level max.]

[Poison: cost 10MP- ability to make a small amount of toxin that paralyzes. Can be placed on weapons.]

[Sticky Thread: cost 15MP- shoot out a stream of sticky thread to trap opponents.]

[Stealth: Cost 20 MP. Erase your presence from enemies any movement cancels the ability.]

[Fire Ball: cost 10MP. Create a ball of fire and throw it at an enemy. Level 2-82%.]

[Cone of Frost: Cost 15MP: send out a cone of frost freezing everything in its path. Causes 15 frost damage every second for eight seconds. Level 3-12%]

[Crushing Blow: cost 5SP: strike with a hard blow bypassing 55% of opponent’s defense. Level 2-22%]

[Shock Armor: cost 10MP. Covers a small area with electoral energy that will stun an opponent struck with it for two seconds. Level 1-89%.]

[Shock Strike: cost 25MP. Hit an opponent with an energy attack that paralyses the part struck for seven minutes. Level 2-37%.]

[Pounce: cost 5SP jump straight forward with great speed doing 2x normal damage.]

[Poison Vine Whip: cost 40MP. Call a vine dripping with paralyzing poison to strike your opponent. Level 1-76%.]

[Reaper’s Blessing: cost 50MP- bless a weapon or item with the goddess’s power. Lasts for twenty-four hours.]

[Sharp Strike: cost 10SP- strike with a bladed weapon to deal 1.5 the normal damage. Increased chance for a critical strike. Level 1-61%]

[Fire Lance: cost 25MP- casts a long lance of fire. Level 1-52%]

[Ice Spear 15MP- coat a weapon in ice giving it an added ice attribute to its attack. Level 1-62%.]

[Ice Shield 20MP- created a shield of ice that can fend off attacks. Level 1-12%]

[Lullaby of Subduction: cost 20MP- chance to charm an enemy confusing them. A strike releases the confused state. Level 1-21%]

[Death Wail: Cost 40MP- a loud wail that strikes at the mind of them enemy deal direct damage. Damage based off of spirit. Level 1-10%]

[Shadow Whip: cost 20MP, 5SP- attack with a whip made out of pure shadow that will follow the enemy wherever they try to run. Level 2-13%.]

[Shimmer: cost 10SP- surrounds the body with light making it hard to discern movement.]

[Shadow Armor: Cost 25MP 10SP; creates an armor made of shadows to protect the caster.]

[Mana Manipulation: Cost: 40MP- able to manipulate pure mana and give it form. Level 1-11%]

[Hide: Cost 10SP- erase your presence.]

[Boost: Cost 50%SP- Double all stats.]

[Dark Eyes: cost 50MP- strike directly at the soul of the opponent causing them to lose strength and dealing a small amount of damage. Level 1-9%]

[Flame Sword- cost 30MP coat a weapon in flame essence.]

[Burn Out- Turn 10% of your HP into a white hot flame to attack your opponents.]

[Infuse Earth-cost ***- infuse earth with magical energy to strength it. Level 1-31%]

[Earth Essence: cost ***- ability to infuse MP with earth essence. Level 1-37%]