Eldritch Creature's Guide

Several days later, 5th Floor of the Tower, somewhere on the floating island where Samiel was located.

Right now, Samiel was absorbing the Soul Force Crystals he got from the Hall Master Menuhyutt Faulhaber. The amount of Soul Force was enormous because the Soul Force Crystals that the Hall Master gave him were of the top grade.

He slowly watched as his Ability Seed was getting bigger and bigger, and it was very close to germinating itself. Even the Hall Master Menuhyutt Faulhaber was watching the entire process attentively because this was a rare occasion where he could observe how the Ability Seed germinated into full-fledged Leveled Ability.

The process was relatively slow, but Samiel wasn't in a hurry and just focused on slowly devouring the tremendous amount of Soul Force inside the Soul Force Crystals and directing it all towards the Ability Seed, which was growing with each passing second after it devoured everything that Samiel fed to it.

After several seconds, Samiel devoured all of the Soul Force from the Soul Force Crystals, which then turned to dust as the Ability Seed inside Samiel's body started violently shaking and growing at the same time, as he heard a familiar voice in his ears.

[The Transcendental Level Ability Seed started the process of germination.]

Instantly, not even seconds later, after Samiel saw that notification from the Akashic Records, something started changing. A very warm, if not outright hot, the feeling started rising from his very own distorted Eldritch soul.

The burning feeling was getting stronger and stronger, soon to the point that he felt like his soul was being burned by the flames from the Nine Hells of the Baator itself. The feeling was outright torturous, but Samiel gritted his teeth and withstood the pain, as it was exponentially increasing.

This was the final step in the germination process of the Ability Seed because it was finally awakening, and due to it being a Level 4 Transcendental Ability, it hurt like hell. Instantly, Samiel was overwhelmed by pain as he fell onto the ground from his meditative posture; the second the Ability Seed itself in his soul exploded and dispersed into countless particles, all accompanied by the cold mechanical voice of the Akashic Records.

[The Transcendental Level Ability Seed has finished the germination process and has undergone the awakening.]

[The Transcendental Level Ability Architect has been awakened.]

[User Samiel Zentaur has completed the Hidden Quest: Create a Level Ability.]

[Hidden Quest: Create a Level Ability

Description: Create a Leveled Ability during the participation Advancement Quest on the 5th Floor.

Rewards: Star Mind Protection Technique]

[Due to creating Level 4 Transcendental Level Ability, you have been rewarded 2,000 Record Points for such achievement.]

[Due to being a mortal connected to Akashic Records, you obtained additional Record Points.]

[Additional 1,000 Record Points have been obtained.]

Instantly after the Transcendental Ability Architect Awakened, Samiel heard and saw tons of notifications from the Akashic Records. Before looking at the notifications, he felt way different, like he was able to notice even the smallest details around him, not talking about all the memories that were clear as the sky to him.

Samiel noticed that he remembered everything that he ever saw, experienced, or heard. Instantly, all the things about the martial arts or his studies with Magic or learning the Metamagic Techniques became much cleaner to him.

'Something like an eidetic memory...'

Samiel, though, before looking through the notifications from the Akashic Records. He noticed that he got 3,000 Record Points, which his master warned him not to waste on anything, as they are a priceless treasure for the Transcendental Level entities mainly.

Typically those under that level would just waste them on meaningless power-ups, but their real value was for the Transcednets for many things. Most commonly, the Record Points could be exchanged for ways how to advance on the Path of Transcendence, or other things, where only the Record Points could be used as the method of payment.

So, Samiel as an obedient disciple, listened to his master and decided to play a hoarding dragon. In truth, he didn't really have a problem with that, he only needed to have diamond hands, and hold, hold, and hold.

Aside from the Record Points, there was one notable thing before the Transcendental Ability Architect, and that was the reward for the completion of the Hidden Quest of this Floor, and that was the Star Mind Protection Technique.

[Star Mind Protection Technique - An Mind Technique created by ??? and recorded within the Akashic Records by ???. The entire technique is divided into the creation of the 8 Stars Octagram, protecting the Mind of the practitioner against Mind Attacks and other similar methods.

Iron-Tier = 1st Mind Star Creation

Steel-Tier = 2nd Mind Star Creation

Bronze-Tier = 3rd Mind Star Creation

Silver-Tier = 4th Mind Star Creation

Gold-Tier = 5th Mind Star Creation

Legendary Level Initial Stage = 6th Mind Star Creation

Legendary Level Advanced Stage = 7th Mind Star Creation

Legendary Level Perfect Stage = 8th Mind Star Creation

Transcendental Level = Perfect Star Octagram Awakening]

Samiel read the description of the technique in amazement because it basically allowed him to defend against various forms of mind attacks, depending on which Mind Star he condensed to defend his mind.

As it followed, if he created the 1st Mind Star, then he would be able to defend against the mind attacks performed by Iron-Tier individuals. This technique would come especially handy against psionic species like Mind Flyers, Githyanki, Githzerai or even psionic Humans.

As he was already Steel-Tier, he could create two stars already, and he was nearing the Bronze-Tier, so then he could create the 3rd Star. This meant that he would be safe against the Steel-Tier mind attacks, and soon even the Bronze-Tier mind attacks.

Mind Protection Techniques or Leveled Abilities, were essential and exceedingly rare at the same time. One's psyche was typically one of the most vulnerable aspects of the being, together with one's soul, and because of that, every single Mind Protection Technique was a priceless treasure.

And as the last one, there was the Level 4 Transcendental Ability, the Architect.

[Level 4 Transcendental Ability obtained by germinating Transcendental Level Ability Seed from the soul of Daemon Xargroth.

1st Memory Partition – Able to divide the partition thoughts to form multiple independent thought processes.

2nd Thought Acceleration – Can speed up the user's thought process exponentially.

4th Analysis - Analyzes and assesses the target.

4th Equation Prediction – Allows calculating the future via complex calculations and predicting the next movements of enemies in a fight.

5th Parallel Processing - Operates on any matter the user wishes to analyze, separating it from the regular thought process.

6th – Eidetic Memory – The user has a perfect memory and is able to memorize everything he sees, not forgetting anything.

7th Mindscape - ??? Requires proficiency of 50% to be unlocked]

Samiel looked at the description of the Trasncedental Ability with wonder because while the Ability was not combat-oriented, it was something far more, and the Ability's potential was fascinating. Abilities similar to Architect were rare; from what Samiel read, the most common type of Leveled Abilities were mainly those which were oriented for offensive or defensive purposes.

Leveled Abilities with a supportive purpose were rather rare. Especially one like the Level 4 Transcendental Ability Architect, which was extremely versatile, and could be used for myriads of purposes.

For example, with just the passive effects of the Architect, he could master countless martial arts or weapon styles with relative ease, not to mention its potential when it came to the learning and usage of Magic.

Even right now, the process continued and everything that he once saw, heard and experienced was becoming clearer and clearer, to the point that he was experiencing everything several times over. The good things and the bad things, as he had to put a lot of effort into stopping that process because some memories and some things that he was suppressing for a very long time started resurfacing and that would be highly detrimental to him.

And while the Ability didn't have outright combat purpose, the effects of its aspects like Memory Partition, Thought Acceleration, Parallel Processing, Analysis, or Equation Prediction were like trump cards in any fight on its own.

Just the effects of the Equation Prediction was frightening because as long as he gathered enough information about his opponent that was analyzed, he could then predict the future movements of his enemy to a great degree, making most of the close-quarter fights sure to win for him.

"I see that you have obtained something great from the germination of the Ability Seed."

Samiel was woken up from his trance by the words of Menuhyutt, who was observing the entire process carefully. It was evident to him that his disciple got something miraculous and powerful from the Ability Seed when it germinated.

"Yes, Master."

Samiel answered while giving a brief overall of the Ability to Menuhyutt. In front of the old man, it was rather useless to keep it secret because he would be able to see the changes in him within several seconds after they started the fight.

Not only that, but now, Menuhyutt Faulhaber could adjust the training regime for Samiel, optimizing it for greater efficiency. Of course, his new training regime would be far more brutal and strict than it was before, so it could maximize the effects of the Ability Architect and so Samiel could get more power at a faster rate.

"I will need to re-adjust your training regime with this new addition. If we are taking into account your Ability, Architect, then your learning capabilities right now are of unprecedented speed and power; it would not be entirely wrong to say that you can comprehend basically everything which isn't containing deeper secrets of the Cosmos within a concise time."

This means basic stances, spells and everything which was not containing the so-called higher power could be comprehended, understood and mastered almost instantly, and not only that but even those things, which were meant for higher entities, would be countless times easier for Samiel to understand.

"Master, I would like to try this ability in combat."

Samiel stated as he couldn't wait to test his new Level 4 Transcendental Ability Architect in real action, preferably not against his Undead or Hall Master himself. Against the Hall Master, who was Holy, it would be virtually useless to use against his Undeads; it won't be as effective as against real enemies.

"Hmm... then I will take you deeper into the island, where some powerful magical beasts are living, where you can test your prowess."

Hall Master Menuhyutt Faulhaber stated indifferently as he started flying high in the air, and soon enough, even Samiel started levitating, being put to a flight by the powers of the peak Holy Legendary as they both shot towards the center of the floating island.

It took them several seconds, not even minutes, to arrive at the center of the island, which was dominated by the peak Bronze-Tier magical beasts, though these ones were way stronger than those which Samiel met on the 3rd Floor.

"You have two hours; afterward, I will be taking you back so that we can return back to the training."

Hall Master remarked as Samiel landed down onto the ground and started searching for his opponent. While during those time, the Hall Master himself remained floating high in the air because he was observing Samiel's upcoming fight.

Samiel walked through the trees, carefully choosing every step because he got warned that this area was fairly dangerous even to him. And as the Hall Master told him that, he decided it would be most prudent to take heed of the warning and thus decided to be careful.

As he took the next step forward, he suddenly heard something running around him in circles, hiding in the bushes. He immediately realized that he had become prey for some kind of magical beast, and it was pretty intelligent and cunning at that.

When he heard the creature approaching him, he instantly dodged to the side; as he dodged a huge stinger attack, as the creature that was preying on him showed itself in its full glory. He carefully looked at the creature, awaiting its next moves and deciding on his own next moves as the fight started.

'Arraccat... damm my E-ranked luck.'

Samiel, though, while immediately used several aspects of the Architect on the Arraccat, namely Analysis, Memory Partition and Thought Acceleration, to grasp the capabilities and power of the Arraccat.

Arraccats were a nightmarish combination of features of various territorial predatory beasts. It was clear that the place where he landed was Arraccat's territory, and because of that, he was immediately attacked by this hellish creature.

They walked on four scorpion-like two-jointed legs ending in sharp claws, with two pairs of frontal clawed appendages resembling a scorpion's chelicera. Their bodies had thick leathery hides and patches of fur that grew like a lion's mane and in stripes on the creature's back, akin to those of a tiger. Their boar-like faces had tusks and six spider-like eyes. The bodies ended in a long scorpion-like tail with a dangerous stinger.

Indeed the Arraccat was a very suitable opponent for Samiel to test his new Ability, especially considering the almost unpredictable fighting style of the Arraccats, he would be able to use the Architect to its full potential, or so he thought.