CHAPTER 185: DENSE FOREST

[DING!]

[Skill Conversion Request Detected]

[Covenant of the Storm (Lightning Apostle Class Skill)]

[Convert to Universal Skill?]

[Warning: This action cannot be reversed]

[YES] or [NO]

’Yes.’

[Skill Conversion Complete!]

[Covenant of the Storm is now a Universal Skill]

[This skill can be used regardless of active class]

’Good,’ Jack thought. ’Now for the Demonbound skills.’

He pulled up the Demonbound class interface, looking at the four skills that had been locked since he’d acquired the class. Each one showed a purchase cost next to it.

[Demonbound Skills Available for Purchase:]

[Demonhand - 25 Skill Points]

[Abyssal Steps - 25 Skill Points]

[Demon Mastery - 50 Skill Points]

[Fear - 50 Skill Points]

[Infernal Conversion - 50 Skill Points]

[Total Cost: 200 Skill Points]

[Current Skill Points: 200]

Jack didn’t hesitate. ’Purchase all Demonbound skills.’

[DING!]

[Purchasing Demonbound Skills...]

[Demonhand - ACQUIRED]

[Abyssal Steps - ACQUIRED]

[Demon Mastery - ACQUIRED]

[Fear - ACQUIRED]

[Infernal Conversion - ACQUIRED]

[Total Cost: 200 Skill Points]

[Remaining Skill Points: 0]

[All Demonbound class skills now available for use]

The rush of power was immediate and overwhelming. Jack gasped, his hands gripping Fluffy’s fur as new knowledge flooded his mind.

He suddenly understood how to transform his hand into that massive demonic claw.

He could feel the spatial awareness required for Abyssal Steps, the ability to perceive spaces within his range and fold the distance between them.

The passive skills, Demon Mastery and Fear, settled into place like they’d always been there, enhancing abilities he already possessed.

And Infernal Conversion... that one was different. He could feel it lurking in the back of his consciousness, a transformation waiting to be unleashed.

The ultimate skill that would temporarily turn him into something truly monstrous.

"Careful," S said, his tone carrying a warning. "Don’t activate anything while riding. Fluffy gets nervous around sudden power surges."

As if to confirm this, all three of Fluffy’s heads turned to look at Jack, their red eyes glowing with suspicion.

"Sorry," Jack muttered, forcing himself to relax. "I just got a little excited."

’How the hell does he know everything? Is he aware of my system?’

The cerberus seemed to accept this, returning its attention to the path ahead.

Jack took a deep breath, letting the new power settle. Then he pulled up his status screen, ready to allocate his remaining stat points.

[Current Stat Points: 73]

He’d been holding on to the little amount he had, unsure where to invest.

There were too many options. Get 100 in each stat to balance it out.

Focus on more damage because Magic was what he knew.

Put more point into Strength and start focusing on close combat.

Each had a benefit for sure, but Jack had to be careful when going against a Disaster-class monster.

’Put 50 points into Endurance,’ Jack thought. ’And 23 into Stamina.’

[DING!]

[Allocating Stat Points...]

[Endurance: 60 → 110]

[Stamina: 60 → 83]

[Stat Points Remaining: 0]

[Recalculating Status...]

His full status screen appeared before him, and Jack read through it with satisfaction.

[Status Update]

Jack Kaiser: Level 20 (29,910/35,000)

Class: Arc Mage (MAX), Soul Warden (MAX), Lightning Apostle (MAX), Spearman (MAX), Lightning Mage (MAX), Demonbound (Level 1)

Strength: 100 (+50)

Stamina: 83 (+45)

Agility: 110 (+45)

Vitality: 110 (+25)

Endurance: 110 (+30)

Magic: 140 (+40)

Mana: 400

HP: 3,375

Skill Points: 0

Stat Points: 0

Reputation Points: 451,096

Magic Talent Rank: S

Martial Talent Rank: S

Affinity: Lightning

Demonic Essence: 94/100

Death Tokens: 568,250

His demonic essence sat at 94 out of 100.

Six points away from whatever threshold waited at 100 points. That number had haunted him for weeks now, but with Dreknar’s tasks progressing and the promise of control over his transformation, it felt less like a threat and more like... potential.

"Finished your thoughts?" S asked, not looking up from his tangerine.

"Yeah," Jack confirmed.

"Good. You’ll need every advantage when we finally reach Pho." S finally looked at Jack, his red eyes carrying that knowing expression. "A Deathfrost Demon with centuries of experience and the resources to move titans. He won’t fall easily."

"I know," Jack said quietly.

Kyren’s hollow voice echoed from behind them. "Master will prevail. Master always prevails."

Jack almost smiled at the reanimated demon’s absolute certainty.

Kyren’s faith in him never wavered, never questioned, never doubted. It was both comforting and slightly unnerving.

Corvin cooed softly, nuzzling against Jack’s neck. The raven had been unusually quiet today, content to rest and observe.

"Six more months," Jack said, more to himself than anyone else. "Until we reach Pho’s castle."

"You need to prepare," S corrected. "To master your abilities." He smiled. "Use the time wisely, Jack. Because once we reach that castle, everything changes."

Fluffy’s massive form continued padding through the underground forest, carrying them deeper into Floor 24’s territory.

Behind them, the Aurion and Thal’Gorin clans governed themselves under the contracts that bound them.

Jack studied the bioluminescent forest around them, watching the blue and green light shift across massive tree trunks and sprawling roots.

The environment was dense, filled with shadows and movement. Suddenly Jack got an idea.

"S," Jack said, breaking the comfortable silence. "Is there anywhere good around here where I can practice my skills?"

The contract demon finished his tangerine before responding, carefully disposing of the peel in that bag he summoned from nowhere.

When he looked at Jack, his red eyes gleamed with amusement.

"Plenty of spots," S said casually. "Just depends on what you want to hunt."

Jack gestured at the forest stretching endlessly in every direction. "What about here?"

S’s smile widened, as if he’d been waiting for exactly that question.

"Here? Oh, this forest is quite populated." He began counting on his fingers.

"Earth demons, of course. Giant wyrms that burrow through the roots. Golems made from compressed fungal matter and stone. Hunting packs of shadow beasts. Territorial tree spirits."

He paused, then added with deliberate casualness, "Probably another sixty-nine different species of monsters living in this forest."

Jack felt something shift in his chest, anticipation mixed with the thrill of challenge.

Seventy-plus different monster types meant variety. Different fighting styles to adapt to. Different powers to test his new abilities against.

"Great," Jack said, already planning how to approach this. "Then we’ll stop here to train."

"Eager, are we?" S’s tone carried approval. "How long are you thinking?"

Jack did the mental calculation. Six months until they reached Pho’s castle. If he spent too long training here, he’d risk running out of time.

But if he didn’t spend enough time mastering his new abilities, he’d be going into the most dangerous fight of his life unprepared.

"A month," Jack decided. "Maybe two if I need it. That should give me enough time."

S nodded slowly, as if considering the timeline. "And what happens after you kill Pho? Assuming you succeed, of course."

Jack’s expression darkened slightly. His hand unconsciously moved to touch his chest, where his demonic essence pulsed with that familiar rhythm.

"By the time we reach Pho," Jack said quietly, "I’ll have maybe forty days or so before a war erupts back at my home."

The words hung in the air between them. S’s red eyes studied Jack’s face with unusual intensity, as if trying to read something beneath the surface.

"Are you worried about it?" S asked, and for once, his tone carried genuine curiosity rather than amusement.