blueteamnovel 124. Stats, Skill Masteries, and a Lot of Apples
124. Stats, Skill Masteries, and a Lot of Apples
124. Stats, Skill Masteries, and a Lot of Apples
Woe of the Fallen Star.
There existed Corrupted that were hideously more dangerous than even the Greed Counter and the One Thousand Eyed Bird. Even the most well defended cities were doomed to fall against the Eternal Night monsters. But there was always a chance of surviving them.
Luck of course was the most invaluable factor.
The same could not be said for those that were classed as Woe of the Fallen Star.
Death was guaranteed.
It was the final classification within a Moon’s scope of battle. Only a few Moons experienced handling a Woe of the Fallen Star. Not many ever survived to tell of the horrors. Moons were deployed far more tactically than haphazardly compared to Eternal Night threats.
Moons were limited in number, after all. With only a few thousand Blessed they could not afford to throw them into the meat grinder.
But the Atelier personnel? They were thrown in the tens of thousands, most predominantly by the Scarlet Logic. The last Woe of the Fallen Star event occurred 10 years ago in the City of Hearts; H5.
This entity was colloquially known as the Big Red Heart.
The being was capable of playing with its victim’s hearts and parading them like puppets on a string. And that was by no means an exaggerated metaphor. It physically caused an individual’s heart to burst forth from their chest and skip along the earth.
The sensation was fresh in her mind.
The phantom pain lingered in her chest as she watched the Complex Heart finally perish, all the while she kept an unconscious Jury cradled closely in her arms.
There was no doubt that the Corrupted within that city was the Big Red Heart.
It was rumored to have disappeared somewhere deep into the Derma layer.
How right they were.
But they were wrong about its name.
“Heart of Ours. That’s the name of the Corrupted that wiped out H5, huh.” Cer slowly spoke as Frost finished devouring the freshly defeated Heart.
She never let go of Jury, fearing that she’d be swooped on by a stray enemy.
“None of us were there when it happened. But the reports are extensive. You all felt that too? My heart wanted to jump out.” Ber solemnly spoke.
The air was saturated with dread. Even Moons like themselves found it difficult to wrap their heads around taking on a Woe of the Fallen Star. In all honesty, it would be better to retreat.
But that was not an option so long as they had no way to escape the Derma layer.
The pores terminated as soon as the Heart was ripped open. In another section of the Triple Paw Complex a fruity rain flooded the streets.
“It was resting underneath us all this time... Alongside the Hearts of this layer.” Res found it difficult to digest the situation as she clutched at her pained heart.
She had countless years of experience dealing with the Corrupted. But never had she ever fought against a Woe of the Fallen Star.
There was no guarantee that they’d even come close to beating it. Even Frost wasn't so stubborn as to not understand this. But what other choice did they have? Frost had a more hopeful outlook knowing that she could exploit the conditions and other requirements; but that 25,000 ATT terrified her.
It could very well end a Moon in only two strikes. Not to mention that the Corrupted itself was undoubtably the source of their nullified RESIST stat.
Such was the power of a Woe of the Fallen Star.
Just what would an Apocalypse-classed Corrupted look like then?
No. An even better question was just how powerful were the Beholders to begin with?
< CONDITION: The Heart of Ours is invulnerable to all damage. Those exiting its 30km circumference will be turned to an Aspirator. RESIST is nullified while within its zone of influence >
< SUPPRESSION REQUIREMENT: Heart of Ours may only take damage from those Determined when all Aspirators have been eliminated >
< ADDITIONAL SUPPRESSION REQUIREMENT: The Host attached to Heart of Ours forfeits all DEF stats and take 4 times as much damage. Heart of Ours will take equivalent damage scaled to Host’s health. Heart of Ours will perish immediately if the Host is not replaced >
< SUBJUGATION REQUIREMENT: Heart of ours is defeated when its HP reaches 0 or when it no longer has a host >
A parasite best described the Heart of Ours.
Frost, after having devoured the Complex Heart entirely, scouted the rest of the Triple Paw Complex briefly to gather the people in one place. Whatever stray Impuritas remained had long perished with the Heart’s defeat, so it was relatively safe now.
Thousands of people were left vulnerable and afraid due to their battle, many of which were unable to process the events. Very little of them were able to cry or grieve.
Thankfully, none were affected by the heart-wrenching effect of the Corrupted. Out of everyone present Res and Jury seemed to be most affected by it, as Res could never remove her hand from her chest.
And Jury was still rendered unconscious.
They roamed the streets in unnerving silence. The normally talkative triplets didn’t say a word for the longest time as Frost softly relayed everything she knew about this Corrupted. They only spoke when asked as all eyes fell towards the direction of the music.
Melancholy poisoned the air as Frost healed whoever she came across. She additionally converted the deceased Impuritas into coins. Her Hired Arm was likely healing people elsewhere.
The ‘citizens’ of this ruined place were captivated by Frost’s appearance as they trailed behind in the hundreds, following a spire of one hundred golden hands that reached for their false star.
They were highly docile and obeyed without a second though. After all, where else did they have to go? Could they even refuse Frost to begin with?
“... Angel? You must be an Angel...”
“It’s gone. Everything is... gone.”
“Are you what they call a Star?”
“Does that mean we don’t... don’t have to keep being hurt anymore?”
These were only a few of the voices that came from the following crowd. Although the emotions were mixed regarding the outcome of their ‘home’; there was a unanimous sense of relief. Like a weight had been taken off their shoulders now that they no longer needed to live in endless fear and torment.
But that didn’t change that they were afraid of Frost and her companions.
Namely Stella, who relied on holding onto the hems of the woman to move anywhere.
“U-Um... Frost! U-Um... Moon! I... I’m sorry.” The child suddenly apologized, reaching down for her toes just as Frost planned to leave with her group, including the Painter and the Scarlet Healer.
There was no way she was going to leave an Impuritas unsupervised.
“Please don’t apologize. You did nothing wrong. If anything, it should be us apologizing. Many people died because of us.” Frost acknowledged the deaths that occurred as a result of their carnage.
But she could not deny that she had also saved the overwhelming majority of them. Frost only lamented that her capabilities were still lacking when it came to saving people. There was such a thing as being too powerful as there was being underpowered.
The Moons were a great example of being too powerful to save everyone, and her Iron Candle was also not something she could use next to normal people.
It was a melancholic thought.
“The price of paradise. If you can call this place that.” Cer spoke her parting words as Res turned on her heels and approached Stella. “Res?”
“One second. Stella. If it were any other Moon you would’ve been killed on the spot.” She said bluntly as Stella began to tremble, nodding with each word that left Res’ lips. “No matter your intentions, and no matter the circumstance – The moment you become an enemy of a Moon is the moment you become an enemy of the Nexus.”
Res looked like she was about to snap at her. Her eyes drilled into the girl’s poor soul. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Within those crimson eyes was a pool of sincerity. And so, she took the hands of the girl and held them in her palms.
“But I’ve been in your position before. I’ve... also been blinded and led along like you. Stella. I forgive you. Smile. Be happy. Frost likes to say that children should smile. It really makes you wish that someone like her came along earlier to say those words.” Res spoke from the heart.
“... M... Mm... T-Thank you... U-Um... But why does... hearing you say ‘be happy’...” Stella’s friends instantly rushed to her, engulfing the child in a warm embrace as she struggled to utter her final words. “Make me want to cry?”
“It’s because she means it.” Frost suddenly answered. “Not some kind of false happiness imprinted on you by those monsters. She wants you to experience real, genuine happiness. Stella. Your friends. Everyone! You don’t have to suffer anymore. There are no rules to follow anymore. No one will hurt you anymore. So please... don’t be afraid of doing what you’ve always wanted.”
Needless to say, Stella wasn’t the only one who shed tears in that moment. Did these people feel sadness because of what they lost? Or happiness because of what they had gained? Frost couldn’t tell.
She prided herself on being able to read people, but here, all she could do was hope that she was doing the right thing.
“The Bloody Herring, Leitmotif and the Corrupted. If the Train Core is anywhere, it’ll be with them. With the onboard healer.” Cer mentioned as Frost, the triplets, Jury, the Painter, and the Scarlet Healer began to navigate their way towards the entrance.
Ruins flanked them. Devastation lingered in the air.
But there was hope interwoven between the visible strands of despair.
“Frost. I asked you what fear was before. Now, can I ask you another question?”
Sure. Go for it.
“What is happiness?”
Frost broke into a gentle smile as she looked down at Jury’s face and answered.
A warm, fuzzy feeling in your chest that lets your mouth curve upwards against your will, I guess. But sometimes it can make you cry.
“Very descriptive... Which one do you think I would experience if I had the capacity?”
You? Both. Crying and smiling. And we’ll all be there to watch, all within your arm’s reach. I promise you that.
“Then I long for that day to come.”
* * *
< LEVEL : 110 >
< The Amalgam >
NAME : FrostHP : 1,350,000 ^15/Min
MP : 32,000 ^15/Min
AGI : 70RESIST : 220 (+100)AGE : 0 ATT : 5,650
ATT DEF : 3,200 (+550)
O : 70D : 9ORIGIN : ArchetypeMAG ATT : 4,200
MAG DEF : 2,850 (+350)
S : 122E : 57
< Punch Has Reached Its Mastery Level of 50 >
< Punch V has gained a unique effect >
< MASTERY: Omnipresent Maw >
< EFFECT: Your punches will devour pieces of your target as if it were your all-consuming maw >
< It devours all that it touches >
< Greater Healing Has Reached Its Mastery level of 50 >
< Greater Healing V has gained a unique effect and has been changed to Grand Healing V >
< MASTERY: Black Dove’s Commitment >
< EFFECT: Those healed using Grand Healing V gain a 25% increase in health for 2 minutes. Damage taken whilst overhealed does not translate to the body until the true HP is affected >
< The Angel in black wanted nothing more than to help them reach their salvation >
< PROFESSIONS >
OFFENSIVE DEFENSIVE SUPPORT EXPLORATIONBRAWLER : 70 COUNTER OFFENCE : 9The Otherworldly Healer : 122
APPRAISALER : 22
COOK : 36
< ACTIVE SKILLS >
(O) Punch V
(O) Double Punch II [0/10]
(O) Goodnight [0/10](D) Solemn Counter [9/10](S) Grand Healing V
(S) Cure Disease I [2/10]
(S) Prolonged Stasis III [5/10]
(S) Area Heal [5/10]
(S) Cleanse I [5/10]
(S) Corporeal Restoration [5/10](E) Appraise Object II [2/10]
(E) Home Cook III [8/10]
< Milestone Overall Level Rewards Can Only Be Gained Within Sight of the Nexus >
< Rewards will be gained the next time the Nexus is within sight >