[Omen of the Witchblade] Chapter 110 - Innate Aspects of Fire and Poison

In fact, her titles explicitly stated that she didn’t earn them so much as loot them from the corpses of her enemies.

Mel realized, belatedly, that her titles literally told the story of the Convocation. From her first to the last, all six titles were integral to her journey.

(Titles)

[Boss Rash]

(Title, Legendary)

While others were duking it out with fluffy rabbits, cute hedgehogs from hell, rabid squirrels, and oversized lizards, you brazenly challenged a Boss monster as your first opponent before anyone else in the Exile competition. For your rashness, your opening attack on Boss monsters now deals dramatically increased damage with a heightened critical hit rate.

As a Legendary title, it is eligible for additional growth should you satisfy specific requirements. Additionally, should you be slain, this title will be transferred to the victor.

Mel grinned. You always remember your first. Putting down that mistwraith had been far harder than she would have thought.

Despite what the title said, she still had no idea how to grow it. Killing boss style monsters sure as hell wasn’t it. Not unless she had to do something specific like kill a large amount of boss type monsters.

Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately if you’re sadistic like Mel, [Boss Rash] was likely the reason she gained her next title.

[Bloodseeker]

(Title, Legendary)

Earned by slaying Ian Valgrom and transferred to you upon his death. Ian’s bloodthirsty nature was nurtured from a young age by the Bloodtide Covenant, a relatively new Covenant on Lormar. Once uplifted into the multiverse, Ian wasted no time in using his innate talents to find those with strength he could steal. The irony would not be wasted on Ian that his slayer would go on to use his unique talents to further her strength.

Whenever you encounter another person, you are able to determine if they are in possession of a Legendary title. Bleed afflictions you inflict are also more severe than usual.

As a Legendary title, it is eligible for additional growth should you satisfy specific requirements. Additionally, should you be slain, this title will be transferred to the victor.

That title had come as a surprise. She didn’t know that the Bloodtide Archer even had one, but he sure as hell knew that Mel had a Legendary title.

Without [Boss Rash], Mel might have been left alone. She really didn’t relish getting shot in the ass and the shoulder with a bow or seeing a man turn himself into a literal blood bomb.

Still, without that battle, she might not have been mad enough at the Bloodtide Covenant to seek out the Priest for her next title.

[Blood Tax]

(Title, Legendary)

Earned by slaying Lord Bytram and transferred to you upon his death. As a high-ranking member of the Bloodtide Covenant, Lord Bytram was always destined for greatness. Given the best tutors Lormar’s dwindling nobles had to offer, Bytram invented many cruel and unique methods of enhancement. All in service to his vile god of blood.

Bytram’s unique talent of transferring agony into power manifested itself the moment he was uplifted into the multiverse. His meteoric rise to Copper was fueled by his ability to enhance ritual magic with blood, improving the effects of the spell based on the quality of the blood. That power now resides within you. Whether you use it to beget more suffering or sacrifice your own lifeforce is a choice only you can make.

Whenever you cast ritual magic, you can supplement the required ritual components with blood to enhance the effect of the spell.

As a Legendary title, it is eligible for additional growth should you satisfy specific requirements. Additionally, should you be slain, this title will be transferred to the victor.

The Priest, as all Priests were in Mel’s book, was a pushover once you got through his flock.

She had gained not one, but two Legendary aspects that day. Omen and Blood. Neither were aspects she had wanted at the time, but they had saved her life countless times since.

It was also the day she lost her friends. At least, the first group of people in the Convocation that didn’t try to hurt her or extort her. Sabrina, Nathan, Shane, Bernard, and Maddie were broken by the battle with the Bloodtide members deep underground.

They were just normal people. They were not built for the Convocation. It made Mel doubt whether the Shard truly had safeguards in place for people who wanted nothing to do with getting more power.

Or, Mel’s impish conscience chimed in, they wanted it like all kids want adventure, only to realize the price of admission was more than they were willing to pay.

It wasn’t the kindest thought, but it had the ring of truth to it.

Who out there wouldn’t want to be transported to a world of monsters and magic for a chance at real power? Power you could feel crackling in your fingertips as you unleashed a bolt of lightning that would make Emperor Palpatine’s Cialis-enhanced lightning look limp by comparison.

Their eventual deaths at the hands of the Stolst Gang set in motion the next two titles.

[Vessel of Anguish]

(Title, Rare)

Earned by committing to an act whose only purpose is to cause untold amounts of pain. What sets you apart from common torturers is your conviction to see your threats through to their bloody conclusion. You do it not for your own sick, twisted pleasure, but as vengeance for those who can no longer fight back. The pain you cause may not bring your friends back, but the screams of those who harmed them will make others think twice before they take aim at the defenseless.

Your attacks inflict greater pain.

In Mel’s opinion, [Vessel of Anguish] was her darkest power. It didn’t make her stronger or reduce the impact of an enemy’s attack.

It caused pain.

That was it.

In the days and weeks that followed the deaths of her friends, Mel used [Vessel of Anguish] to establish a name for herself. The Emerald-eyed Demoness was feared for her painful touch. Even a glancing slice would cause the stoutest men to scream in agony.

As Mel carved her way through those personally responsible for taking the lives of her friends, she inevitably wound up at the cowardly tyrant at the top of the heap.

[Eye for Talent]

(Title, Legendary)

Earned by slaying Warren Stolst, once a small-time enforcer in an organized crime family based on Earth. From a young age, Warren always had a skill for marking out people who would be more successful than he was. He used this to successfully navigate numerous blood feuds, always coming out on the winning side. Once he reached the Convocation, Warren was able to tell classes apart instantly, allowing him to pick priority targets. When recruiting, it allowed Warren to discover valuable members who would otherwise have passed themselves off as something else in order to avoid being taken against their will.

Whenever you examine a person, you can tell their exact class, even if it is normally hidden.

As a Legendary title, it is eligible for additional growth should you satisfy specific requirements. Additionally, should you be slain, this title will be transferred to the victor.

As much as he ran his mouth when they first met, Warren turned out to be nothing other than a two-bit criminal in the end. Like all criminals, he wanted nothing more than power at any cost.

He could have saved his people, protected them. Instead, he used them as human shields to stave off Mel’s bloodthirst.

It hadn’t saved him, but it had saved Mel. If not for Warren’s cowardly retreat, she might never have come across Gwen.

[First Champion]

(Title, Unique)

Earned by not only placing first in your Convocation trial, but also as the leader of the top party. The Convocation awards those brave enough to seek the highest mountains and battle the strongest beasts. Few are capable of claiming the title of Champion, let alone First Champion. You are now part of a select group. Though many will wish to drag you down, the Shard recognizes your hard work and will ease your passage slightly through this new reality.

Whenever you acquire rune coins via the system, you gain 10% more. Additionally, whenever you use rune coins, you consume 10% less.

As a Unique title, it is eligible for additional growth should you satisfy specific requirements. Additionally, should you be slain, this title will be transferred to you upon rebirth.

Mel smiled to herself. There was a bit of a gap between killing Warren and taking the crown of the Convocation, but her story was there in the titles she gained.

A lineage written in blood.

Her only blessing, [Blessing of the Hunt], however, was wholly hers. Mel relished the blessing, if only because it showed she wasn’t entirely a lost cause. Granting mercy to a poor beast that had only known pain and fear had given her the unique blessing.

Unlike her titles, she had found out rather quickly how to enhance it. By stalking and killing plateau beasts, she was able to enhance the blessing from Common all the way to Rare.

Shutting her eyes, Mel focused on the blessing for the first time since she arrived at the Seabrim Crater.

She didn’t expect anything. Not with so many people around. Surely any sufficiently powerful monster would be killed by whatever guards and defenders lived here.

[Blessing of the Hunt]

(Blessing, Rare)

Spirits of ancient beasts predate the Realmtree’s birth. These creatures are unknowable, but ultimately interwoven into the very fabric of the multiverse. They may not possess Anchor Runes, but the power they wield is something that even the Kindred struggle to comprehend.

The phenomenon of their existence lies outside the guidance of the gods, both Inner and Outer. As such, these primordial creatures are capable of rarely bestowing blessings upon individuals they feel a connection to. How and why these creatures choose their champions is a mystery to all but the primordial spirit.

Your spirit has taken on a portion of the primordial’s power, bringing your soul in line with those great and mysterious creatures both vile and sublime.

Imprint(Common): You can sense exceptionally powerful creatures near you. Whenever you engage in battle with a creature of great power whose strength eclipses your own, you ignore a portion of the rank disparity. The more hunts you partake in, the greater power this blessing will bestow upon you.

Imprint(Uncommon): Your ability to sense powerful creatures is further enhanced. The amount of rank disparity you ignore is further enhanced. You can now extend your blessing up to 8 other people.

Imprint(Rare): You can now sense strength, speed, and intent of powerful creatures. You ignore an even greater amount of rank disparity. You can now extend your blessing up to 10 other people.

It was likely because of this blessing that Mel’s team had claimed first place. Eating a plateau beast’s heart had even helped to soothe Gwen’s werewolf problems.

A faint series of twangs, like somebody plucking a cord attached to her navel, told her that she had been wrong about the defenders living here.

There was a powerful beast out there. And not just one. There were hundreds of them. As they lowered, the sensations grew and grew until Mel had to shut them out.

Her face was beaded with sweat from the effort. She could only differentiate ranks up to Iron, and that was the weakest of the monsters she felt. There was one creature far, far to the north in the depths of the cerulean sea that was strong enough to break this world in half if it wanted to.

How do I even judge that!?

“What’s going on?” Gwen asked, suddenly on high alert. “Are you all right, Mel?”

Mel waved off her concern. “Fine, fine. Just gas.” She wasn’t about to reveal her blessing in front of Elian. No matter how helpful or kind he’d been. The fewer people who knew, the better.

Gwen stared blankly, but didn’t call her out on it.

Mel wasn’t about to rip ass to sell the lie, and Gwen was smart enough not to claim otherwise.

However, Hush was a little slow on the uptake.

The snake let out a tiny poot, then hissed happily.

“Oh my gosh, is that what that is?!” Heath cried. He stuck his head out an open window to get away from the seeping stench.

Gwen’s eyes watered. “Wow, that’s actually horrendous.”

Unfortunately, Hush’s innate aspects were Fire and Poison.

As the carriage landed in front of the Starling Tower, the tiny cloud of noxious green gas slowly filtered out into the room.

Mel’s alarm spiked when she saw the way Hush’s ruby tongue flicked across his fangs. If he was a normal snake, she would have nothing to worry about.

Hush was anything but normal.

His forked tongue threw out sparks as it rasped across his supernaturally hardened fangs. Mel had just enough foresight to grab Hush and dive for the door as the gas ignited.