Chapter 725: Status Update

The others watched as the trio moved beyond the edge, Elion’s wings spreading wide as Kali lowered Althea beside her.

A moment later, they began descending, their figures gradually disappearing beneath the billowing curtain of mana until there was nothing left to follow but an occasional glimpse of movement between its luminous folds.

The daylight faded quickly above them. Great stone shelves projected from the walls of the abyss, casting deeper shadows across their path, and before long, an impenetrable darkness concealed the people waiting on the bank.

Althea raised a hand, but Elion glanced toward her before she could cast.

"Let’s wait until we’re farther down before making any light. We don’t know what might notice us."

She nodded and lowered her hand. Kali continued descending, having little trouble finding her way through the darkness.

Elion could still see plenty, though the details were far from clear. Jagged outcroppings emerged from the gloom as they passed, their edges slick with moisture, while the rising mana drifted around them in faintly gleaming streams.

He would have to activate an ability of his eyes to see clearly, but he held back for now. He didn’t want to find out whether the saying ’stare at the darkness, and it will peer back ’was true.

He kept his wings spread out wide, letting occasional, controlled beats slow his descent.

Somewhere far below, another low bellow reverberated through the chasm, its echoes making the distance impossible to judge.

’I should probably level up, just in case,’ he thought, his expression growing serious as he summoned his panel.

{[Status]}

[Name: Elion Nova]

[Age: 19]

[Race: Human / Incubus / Primordial Dragon Hybrid]

{[Bloodlines]}

[Human Foundation]

[Incubus Bloodline - Divine Physique]

[Primordial Dragon Bloodline - Peak Primordial Grade]

[Talent: Peak Primordial Grade]

{[Classes]}

[All Elemental Affinity]

[Illusion Mage]

[Blood Mage]

[Rank: High Mage]

{[Hidden Affinities]}

[Time Magic - ???]

[Spatial Magic - Dormant]

[Soul Magic - Dormant]

{[Weapon Classes]}

• Swordsman - Advanced Mastery

• Lancer - Basic Mastery

[Level: 49 → 50]

[XP: 69,000 / 1,000,000]

[Strength: 1,223 → 1,468]

[Agility: 1,002 → 1,202]

[Speed: 995 → 1,194]

[Vitality: 1,999 → 2,300]

[Stamina: 1,999 → 2,100]

[Intelligence: 1,021 → 1,200]

[Mana: 978 → 1,174]

[Will: 600]

[Charm: 2000 → 3,000 / 10,000]

[Perception: 700 → 840 / 1,000]

{[Mage Skills]}

[Water Bullet] [Water Blade] [Tidal Wave]

[Stone Bullet] [Earth Wall] [Tremor] [Terror Shield]

[Sinkhole] [Encasement Wall] [Stone Fist]

[Fireball] [Flame Wheel] [Hell Flare] [Flashbang]

[Flaming Fist] [Rain of Flames]

[...]

{[Sword Skills]}

[Footwork] [Slash] [Thrust] [Parry]

[Flowing Edge] [Piercing Fang] [Perfect Parry]

[Dead Angle Strike] [Explosive Mountain-Splitting Slash]

[...]

{[Unique Skills]}

[Sinful Touch - Divine] [Mind Control - Divine] [Harem Seal - Divine] [Irresistible Charm - Divine] [Discerning Eye - Divine (Restricted to Lv2)] [Enhanced Cognition - Lv2] [Poison Immunity] [Love Meter] [Sword Mastery] [Ailment Immunity] [Golden Seed - Divine] [Photographic Memory - Lv1] [Devour] [Temporary Stat Conversion] [Substitute] [Undying Will] [Presence - Lv1]

{[Innate Racial Abilities]}

[Draconic Physique] [Primordial Dragon Scales] [Dragon Wings] [Dragon Tail] [Dragon Authority] [Innate Spellcasting] [Primordial Regeneration] [Elemental Dominion] [Bloodline Transformation] [Dragon Breath]

{[Permanent Partners]} [Aria] [Mira] [Esmeralda] [Isla] [Ophelia] [Celeste] [Zenith] [Tessa] [Isolde]

[Other bonded succubi]

{[Temporary Partners]} [Beatrice]

{[Contracted Beast]}

[Name: Kali]

[Race: Evolved Arachnid Monster]

[Age: 274]

[Level: 92 - Saint]

[Bonded Partner: Elion Nova]

[Contract Type: Bond of Equals]

[Base Abilities: Venom, Enhanced Agility, Mind Hex, Sovereign Silk, Web Domain, Cocoon Shield, Chitin Armor, Apex Predator]

{[Soulbound Weapons]}

[Kurogoroshi - Black Slayer]

[Grade: Stage 1 Mythical Grade]

[Fragments: 1 / 10]

{[System Points]}

[2,900,000]

{[System Store]}

{[System Dimensional Storage]}

[The Siren’s Song - Legendary Grade Hairpiece] [Chest containing gold coins and mana stones] [Harvested monster cores] [Undead mage’s staff] [Worn paper bearing an unidentified riddle] [Preserved freshwater octopus meat] [Preserved wolf meat] [Food supplies and dried rations] [Camping equipment and bedding] [Spare clothing and robes [Cooking utensils and seasonings] [Common grade sword] [Uncommon grade sword]

[Miscellaneous items]

[...]

Elion studied the attributes while keeping part of his attention on their surroundings.

It had been so long since his breakthrough to the high mage stage, but this would be the first time he had looked through his complete status since then.

His breakthrough had brought considerable improvements in almost every aspect of his strength, and seeing the changes laid out before him was rather satisfying.

’Not bad at all.’

His strength, agility, and speed had already been impressive before the advancement. Combined with his swordsmanship and the abilities at his disposal, the additional increase explained why fighting Althea had felt so much easier than he had initially expected.

Of course, she hadn’t been able to use her true strength. He was well aware that defeating a suppressed Sage and facing one without restrictions were entirely different matters.

His gaze drifted upward across the panel, settling on the experience requirement.

One million for a single level, and if it still worked the same way, the required amount would keep going up with each level, by a hundred thousand with every advancement.

’And just like that, the good mood is gone.’

He still found it difficult to accept how exaggerated the requirement had become.

Before reaching this stage, the points he now possessed would have carried him through multiple advancements. Now, almost three million suddenly seemed like very little.

[The host is welcome to advance through meditation and natural core saturation]

’I didn’t say anything.’

[You were about to.]

Elion clicked his tongue inwardly, though he couldn’t quite deny it.

A slow beat of his wings guided him around a protruding shelf, and he glanced toward Kali and Althea before returning his attention to the panel.

He had been considering purchasing another bloodline, but that could wait. There was little point in acquiring more abilities when he had yet to fully master and awaken the ones already listed before him.

Besides, whatever was making those sounds below them was unlikely to wait patiently while he considered his options.

Another stream of pure mana brushed across his body, and his core greedily absorbed as much as it could, and his XP ticked up as he watched.

Given enough time, this place might help him advance without spending a single point, but time was precisely what he couldn’t be certain of having.

Elion glanced at his remaining points, feeling a faint reluctance before forcing it aside. There was little point in hoarding them, but watching them go would still hurt.

’Use two million points to increase my level.’

[Converting 2,031,000 System Points into experience.]

A familiar warmth spread from his core, flowing through his body as the system began the process. Elion steadied the beat of his wings, allowing himself to drift downward while the energy gathered within him.

[Level: 50 → 52]

[System Points: 2,900,000 → 869,000]

For a brief moment, the warmth became an intense pressure. His core swelled with mana, and before he could properly contain it, a pulse of energy erupted from his body.

The surrounding mist scattered.

His aura swept outward in a short, forceful burst, disturbing the rising streams of mana and sending loose dust spilling from a nearby ledge. The sensation passed quickly, leaving a refreshing strength flowing through his limbs.

’Ah.’

Elion’s wings spread to steady him. A moment later, Althea’s voice cut through the darkness.

"Are you stupid?!"

He looked toward her, finding the paladin glaring at him from where Kali held her suspended nearby. Even in the gloom, the furious crease between her brows was quite clear.

"You told me not to create any light because something might notice us, and then you release your aura for everything down here to feel?"

Elion opened his mouth, only to realize that he had very little to say in his defense.