Inflame (The Completionist Chronicles Book 6), Dakota Krout [free novels to read TXT] 📗

“You aren’t much, but this is not the absolute worst cohort we have ever had in training! Listen up! You have all been here almost a month, killing monsters for the glory of the Dwarven Oligarchy!” Joe’s eyes widened, and his hands started to tremble at the words coming from the bearded Dwarf’s lips.

“A… month?” Joe could not believe what he was hearing. It felt like he had only been here a day! He went to open his character sheet but froze as the Drill Instructor started bellowing again.

“Today, we are going to do something extra-special! Our unit has been selected to lead a raid on a minor fort! Everyone who participates in the successful capturing of a minor fort gains two hundred and fifty reputation with the Dwarven Council!” The Drill Instructor scanned the room with a wide smile. “I know none of you are sick of seeing my ugly mug, but I am sick of seeing yours! Start getting that reputation, and buy your way into the Legion proper!”

“Elf Death!” The Dwarves and Joe shouted in unison. Joe shook himself abruptly; why… why was he just going along with everything? He had so much that he needed to-

Skill increase: Mental Manipulation Resistance (Beginner 0). You have broken through the training compulsion of the Dwarven Legion! Wow, look at that! Even when something is to your benefit, you find a way to mess it up!

Joe went pale as he finally broke through the light compulsion that had been placed on him as soon as he’d joined the Dwarves. He looked back on his choices over this last month, grimacing at what he had done. He… had devolved into a total… Bro. Yet, as far as he could tell, the only negative was the loss of time and how much he cringed when he thought about how he had been acting. Joe tried to help himself feel better by reminding himself that, as far as he was concerned, looking back at your past and shuddering at your actions was the best sign of personal growth.

He had made incredible gains with his statistics, but still, he looked at his characteristics in confusion. Shouldn't he have gotten… more if he were here almost a full month? A month of training should have given him a hundred or more total points, and he had gained less than a third of that.

Name: Joe ‘Tatum’s Chosen Legend’ Class: Reductionist

Profession I: Arcanologist (Max)

Profession II: Ritualistic Alchemist (1/20)

Profession III: None

Character Level: 22 Exp: 274,676 Exp to next level: 1,324

Rituarchitect Level: 10 Exp: 45,000 Exp debt: 14,714

Reductionist Level: 0 Exp: 0 Exp to next level: 1,000

Hit Points: 1,573/1,573

Mana: 1,571.54/2,152 (581 reserved. 10% of maximum from both Exquisite Shell and Retaliation of Shadows. 7% from Neutrality Aura.)

Mana regen: 44.54/sec

Stamina: 1,337/1,337

Stamina regen: 6.36/sec

Characteristic: Raw Score

Strength: 89 -> 129

Dexterity: 104 -> 129

Constitution: 85 -> 125

Intelligence: 138

Wisdom: 118

Dark Charisma: 80

Perception: 113

Luck: 59 -> 60

Karmic Luck: -1

Joe started carefully reading through all of the notifications that he had received—and not bothered to check—over the last few weeks.

Constitution has reached the third threshold! Bonus calculating… this is a characteristic that is not class relevant and has been increased through daily training. Calculation complete! Every point of constitution gained after reaching the third threshold will grant you an additional five points of health!

Strength has reached the third threshold! Bonus calculating… this is a characteristic that is not class relevant and has been increased through daily training. Calculation complete: 5% of your maximum stamina (rounded down) will be applied to your total health pool!

Perception has reached the third threshold! Bonus calculating… calculation complete! Cooldown reduction has been increased by 5%!

Current Cooldown Reduction: 15%!

“What is going on? I got past three thresholds and I didn't even notice? Not a single increase in mental characteristics? What have I been doing?” Joe’s mumbling unfortunately summoned the ire of his Drill Instructor, who grabbed him by the head and chucked him toward the doorway. The Dwarf had realized early on that punching or shooting at the human caused an attack to come back at him. However, throwing did not seem to trigger the retaliatory strike. It had been a good lesson for both of them.

“All of you, get moving! We are going to be marching past a newbie cohort, so show them what proper training looks like!” The Drill Instructor followed them as they hustled outside and pulled out their shiniest weapons or gave their armor an extra buff to make it especially reflective.

There was no light beyond torches in their sconces at various intervals, as it was not even four in the morning. They started marching, following a route they had not taken before. The reasoning was explained soon enough, as they passed a group of extremely confused-looking Dwarves: a newly respawned cohort. Their Drill Instructor was shouting at them and firing bolts through their lines. It brought memories back to everyone in Joe’s platoon, and they would have chuckled fondly if they had not been trying to show how very impressive they were.

“Today, you are all going to keep killing monsters for the glory of the Legion! Just like you have all week! I want you… stand at attention! Your senior brothers and sisters of the Legion are coming through!” They got close enough to hear what was being said, and the sloppy formation went rigid as Joe’s cohort passed by. They passed the newbies, and the formation returned to normal, but then Joe heard a strange scene play out. “Disgusting showing! I’m ashamed to be in charge of turds like you. Now, all of you, I want you to make it up to me by getting twice as many kills as yesterday! I want you all to look at this human and feel bad about yourselves! He got three times as many Flame Lizards as any one of you.”

Joe risked a glance back, and his heart leapt. The unknown Drill Instructor was standing in front of a familiar figure. “You! Jaxon, is it? Killing