A feeling of relief filled Kieran after reading the notification before his eyes.
After all, it had briefly crossed his mind that Scar missed an opportunity to distribute the Advancement Quest back when they were all present in Kieran's Godhand Bazaar.
Perhaps it had slipped his mind, or perhaps Scar wanted to do it in isolation where he could experience Kieran's reaction.
Either way, whether it was now or then, it didn't make much of a difference to Kieran.
Still, the relief he felt was unavoidable.
It let Kieran take a look at the quest details to mentally prepare himself for what needed to be done.
However, once he learned of the specifics, Kieran's complexion paled, looking at the screen before him at a complete loss for words.
'No way…' Kieran thought, smiling bitterly at the information before him.
「Advancement: Blood Fiend (Hidden, Promotion Quest)
Quest Rank: N/A
Recommended Party Size: 1
Recommended Party Level: 50
Objectives: There comes a time when a True Berserker must mature into a fiend that craves mayhem and placates those desires through a deluge of blood. Baptized in the blood of countless, undergo the rite of a Blood Fiend—tap into true depravity.
- Employ «Manic Integration» to deepen your understanding of «Blood Mania». 0/1
- Enhance «Blood Mania». 0/1
- Employ «Blood Mania»'s inherent abilities to create an S Rank or above Unique Skill. 0/1
- Gather enough blood to undergo the «Fiend Baptism».
- Overcome the «Trial of Inheritors». 0/1
Rewards:
- Class Advancement: «Blood Fiend»
- Access to the «Blood Fiend» Advancement Tree
- «Bloody Myth's Successor» [Title]
- «Legendary Treasure Chest»
- Blood Fiend's Legacy Armament
Failure Penalty:
- -50% All Attributes
- Complete Depravity (Argexes' Blood runs rampant)
- «Lesser Boundary Seal»'s complete corrosion
- Agrianos' ire
Time Limit: N/A 」
One could argue that the quest details weren't that bad.
However, this argument was somewhat incorrect.
For example, the first objective alone was shrouded in mystery, simply because Manic Integration's description was extremely vague. It offered little to no insight into its purpose, yet it played a crucial role in Kieran becoming a Blood Fiend.
Moving on to the second objective—enhancing Blood Mania—Kieran practically felt a bomb go off in his mind. When it came to skills, there were a variety of classifications that existed outside the knowledge of many players.
Fortunately, this knowledge was not lost upon Kieran.
Though, his knowledge of this information was responsible for his current dread, so he wasn't sure if possessing this advantage was deserving of praise.
Not in this scenario at least.
Enhancing a skill referred to improving the weakness present in a skill, thereby elevating its status to an Enhanced Skill.
Unfortunately, from what Kieran understood, he would have to enhance it naturally. This meant that he couldn't use the rune stones as Bastion did.
Other than tempering out the weakness of a skill, enhancing a skill could also mean further perfecting one of, if not its core aspect.
'I doubt I can use the same method Bastion applied since that's limited to S Rank and below skills, meanwhile… Blood Mania has already become an SS Rank Skill, yet still seems capable of additional strengthening,' Kieran thought, sighing in his mind.
To make matters worse, the third objective, which was admittedly the most difficult task, involved creating a skill!
Creating a skill differed greatly from creating a Technique as it tested one's familiarity with Mana.
Furthermore, the higher the created skill, the more demanding it was in terms of influencing Mana.
Shocked by what he was reading, Kieran was forced to take a break and massage his temples to ease some of the frustration he felt. 'This… this isn't very good.'
The third objective couldn't have come at a more unfortunate time.
If it was before he had assimilated the Quintessential Aether, Kieran was confident that his understanding and affinity with Mana would suffice to create a high-ranking skill. But now… Kieran felt he would struggle to make one capable of even touching the threshold of A Rank Skills.
Of course, Kieran didn't take into account the strange nature of his current blood. One drop was equivalent to five drops of his previous blood. This included density, viscosity, and the energy contained within each drop of blood.
Meaning, if Kieran could reach a point where he could mobilize one-fifth of his former manipulation prowess, he would return to the point of being able to confidently make an S Rank Skill.
However, this still fell short of the given requirements.
The skill had to be unique, meaning it was something that only he could unleash. In other words, neither Scar nor Agrianos should be capable of replicating the attack.
Since Kieran chose not to despair any further, he moved on to what he believed to be the foundation of the entire quest—the Fiend Baptism.
Given its name, Kieran understood that it was something that transcended the physical.
If he had to guess, it was perhaps a heightened version of the bath he took while under Isadora's supervision. However, Kieran also knew that he couldn't quickly draw conclusions from the objectives alone. He also had to remain mindful of the hints that were placed inside the quest details.
According to the brief abstract before the detailed objectives, he needed to tap into his depravity. The bath within Isadora's hut was barely related to depravity. Sure, Kieran felt some negative emotions as the ichor seeped into his body, but it was not something he needed to embrace.
Quite the contrary, in fact.
Instead, Kieran had to endure and resist the depravity.
As for the last details, Kieran had expected it. Scar had already revealed that the Trial of Inheritors was the turning point for all of the Myths' inheritors—their make-it-or-break-it moment.
All of a sudden, as Kieran finished lamenting over the quest details, Scar's deep and solemn voice sounded.
"What I have given you is your advancement requirements," Scar said, mentioning nothing Kieran didn't already know. However, his following sentence was what alerted Kieran to his grim circumstances.
"Failure is not an option. If you don't succeed in becoming the next Blood Fiend… the duties that have been put on hold will devolve to an unmanageable state," Scar explained.
"Duties?" Kieran questioned, his expression becoming somewhat weary.
Though he expected as much, Kieran couldn't help but question why he could never catch a break or receive an opportunity without inevitable repercussions.
"Correct. Remember how I told you there have been many before you who attempted to become the next traveler of the Berserk Path?" Scar asked.
As he asked this question, a tinge of pain seemed to well up within Scar's eyes. However, he hid it well by glancing up and narrowing his eyes.
Kieran nodded as this information was given to him during an impressionable time. Not to mention, his memory was spectacular.
"To be precise, it wasn't the trial that did them in… their undoing was the Fiend Baptism that happens when attempting to become a Blood Fiend. The depravity… is intense." Scar gradually lowered his head and stared at Kieran.
Unlike before, however, his current expression seemed to radiate the confidence and hope he had in Kieran.
"The relic within the Hero's Sanctuary will formulate a scenario to agitate the origin of your abilities. This much remains true for all of the inheritors. Since you'll be experiencing it soon enough, I guess it's the right time to clue you in on what it means to be a myth."
"You… will become a protector of the Lesser Boundary. If any more time passes without tending to the Lesser Boundary Seal, which continues to be attacked by creatures whose sole purpose is to make Xenith susceptible to invasion, it's possible that a rift will be opened," Scar revealed.
As Kieran listened to this information, he looked at Scar in disbelief. Was this not the penalty of failure listed in the quest details?
However, instead of focusing on the revelation of a possible rift, Kieran focused on something else Scar said. "Did you say that all the inheritors will face agitation? Are you implying that they're all classes with incredible origins?"
"Correct. That's exactly what I'm implying. We extracted our power from a Monarch of the Demon Race. Even your friend, the one that has adopted the legacy of the Shadow Dancer, has extracted power from a Ruler of the dark race—the Umbrae—seemingly unconquerable beings of darkness."
Listening to this information from Scar, Kieran grew dumbfounded.
Though he suspected that there was something greater about these classes, Kieran didn't expect that all of the classes were derived from different sources of almighty power.
"Anyhow, that's enough about that matter. Before the trial begins, you'll be briefed. And, should you succeed, everything regarding your duties will be explained. For now, I have a promise to you that I must honor."
