"Merlin, based on my skills and your data, what are the chances of success on that plan?" Ryan asked.
"None," Merlin replied.
"… What should I do to increase those chances?" Ryan asked after frowning.
"There is nothing that you can do," Merlin said. "If you insist on that plan, you will die. I hope that my next master will have a better brain."
"I don't pay you to say bullshit like this," Ryan said.
"You don't pay me, we exchange mana for knowledge," Merlin explained. "Therefore, I am free to say whatever I think it is convenient for myself."
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtRyan was starting to think that Merlin's initial behavior was just an act, and that was the truth. Merlin… a very annoying AI-type creature, even though his behavior made him look really far apart from any decent AI.
Although he was fully aware that such a plan was risky, Ryan couldn't come up with any other. In any case, he was worried, but he was worried about the future while he was stealing the mana from the monsters Femradiel summoned. Thanks to that, his levels of annoyance weren't rising.
Much sooner than Ryan predicted, Femradiel returned to his Void World. Weirdly enough, she gave him her Soul Eater, and Ryan frowned when he saw it with one billion points of mana.
"... Why did you do that?" Ryan facepalmed and then asked.
"I don't have any use for that domain and I want some new classes," Femradiel said.
"Well… it was yours, so I can't really complain," Ryan shrugged and then said it. "Let's just hope that Loki won't do anything troublesome with so many domains."
Domains granted mana and coins, but those could only be used on the dungeon system, so Femradiel really had no use for it. In any case, the first class that Femradiel asked for was a really weird one. It wouldn't make her stronger… at least in a normal way.
Congratulations! You have become a Level one Fire Spiritualist!
You obtained the following skills: Fiery, Fire Meteor, and Fire Prison.
Your intelligence and mana will increase by six points. Your stamina, health, willpower, and mentality will increase by three points whenever you level up your class.
Fire Aura: it grants you the power to summon an aura that will increase your fire-related attacks by three percent per level and will decrease the damage of all fire-related skills on you by one hundred points per level.
Cost: 500 mana per second
You obtained 01 status points.
Fire Meteor: it grants you the power to summon a meteor that will spread a sea of flames upon impact. The damage caused will be equal to the level of the skill + 50 percent of your intelligence.
Cost: 3000
You obtained 01 status points.historical
Fire Prison: it Grants you the power to lock a target inside a prison of fire that will cause damage over time of one hundred points multiplied by the skill level. The duration will be equal to the level of the skill multiplied by 5 five seconds. The prison can withstand up to one hundred points per level.
You obtained 01 status points.
"Are you planning to become a fire dragon now?" Ryan frowned.
"Of course not, I just want to improve my elemental resistances," Femradiel said. "Use the crossbow in which you sealed Odin's spirit. That should help me level up the class and the Fire Aura faster."
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmRyan had many reasons to refuse. First, he was busy. Second, he didn't want to hurt an ally. Despite that, he decided to help her since it was to avoid trouble in the long run. Femradiel was fully aware that she couldn't rely on the monsters for her to become as sturdy as possible since no one could tell when the next fight would happen.
In any case, Ryan frowned when he aimed at Femradiel's feet and then pulled the trigger. The bolt exploded upon contact, and there was no piercing damage. Only a mark of burn… Femradiel was surprisingly sturdy.
"You can fire faster," Femradiel said.
"All right… Let's finish this as soon as possible," Ryan said and then pulled the trigger in quick succession.
In the end, it didn't take long for Femradiel to start to sweat cold. She was healing herself as soon as she got hit, but burn marks are annoying and tend to stay for a while, even after one uses Full-Heal.
Ryan could tell that Fire Aura was getting stronger but not strong enough. Besides, Ryan received two boosts in his power recently. So it was only natural that he could damage Femradiel that easily.
"Since we are already here… Odin, do you think that your people might ally themselves temporarily with Olympus now that you have been defeated?" Ryan asked.
"You should know that already," Odin replied. "If my people retreated and didn't attack on the next day, they might be planning a large move."
"How do you know that they didn't attack again?" Ryan asked.
"Since you are in this place, it is only obvious," Odin said.
Ryan hoped that Odin would free him from that worry, but he had been too naive. Soon enough, Ryan resumed his attacks and helped Femradiel for quite a while. He also used that time to think about his strategy, but he got nothing else aside from some very basic insights. Merlin said that Ryan would die, but Ryan had the confidence that he might succeed… he just needed the right tools. Fortunately, Femradiel gave him some amazing insight by trying to get sturdy as well.
In any case, Ryan couldn't show to anyone what he was going to do. Otherwise, Femradiel would use everything in her power to stop him. With that in mind, he attacked her until her face was completely pale. Femradiel wasn't the type to complain, but she obviously was going too far.
"We can resume this later," Ryan said. "Rest for a while and then you will be back on our feet. In the meantime, I will resume my own training."
"Got it, I will wait outside since time will pass slower there.." Femradiel said.