Chapter 133: Class Improvement

Leonard had heard about cases such as this back in the academy.

Upon death, some monsters had a minuscule chance of dropping a treasure. The mechanism behind how this was possible remained a mystery, much like many other things concerning how mana functioned.

Regardless, he had never expected that he would gain an item as valuable as this.

The veil he held in his hand was breathtakingly beautiful. Made out of clear glass, it was adorned with silver, while a golden cap was located at the top. Red liquid swirled within.

[Essence of a Crimson Heart]

[Rank: Heavenly]

[A veil containing a miraculous liquid. Upon consumption, it realigns the mana pathways and cleanses them of any illnesses. Warning: The process is long and painful. Once picked up, it cannot be transferred to another human.]

“This thing… is the cure to your condition.” Leonard declared, meeting Miranda’s stare.

“A cure?” She murmured and unconsciously reached out, her soft fingertips brushing against its surface.

The next second, a shock passed through her hand, repelling it backward.

“Since I am the one who picked it up, others can’t touch it.” Leonard explained. “Fear not, you can still drink it. Though you’d better consume it somewhere safer. It says that the process is long and painful.”

Still shocked, Miranda needed a few seconds to process his words before nodding.

“I understand.” She spoke slowly.

Miranda had suffered from mana oversensitivity for as long as she could remember. Were the days when she was limited by her own inability to use mana finally about to come to an end?

Honestly, she had thought that she would remain that way for the rest of her life. Many had tried to find a cure, only to fail in the end.

Yet she didn’t doubt Leonard for even a second. If he told her that he had found a cure for her, then she would wholeheartedly believe him.

Reaching out, she pulled him into her embrace, clinging to him tightly.

“Thank you, Young Master.”

Leonard blinked rapidly, surprised by her closeness, but didn’t pull away.

“So the source of the roots is dead now, right?” Harley asked, looking around. “Does that mean it’s over?”

“Seems like it.” Elizabeth pointed at the withered vines. “If the roots here have dried up, then it’s safe to assume everywhere else has too.”

With their goal accomplished, the four headed back the way they had come.

Along the way, the crimson roots continued to wither, emitting a white mist. They were about to disappear on their own without the need for someone to cut them off manually, which was a great relief since going across the whole fortress would have been a tedious task.

Leonard focused on the system. Reaching Level 20 had awarded him a lot of Attribute Points, and he allocated them at once.

Vitality: 32 → 34

Strength: 32 → 50

Agility: 32 → 34

Endurance: 32 → 40

Magic: 85 (x2) → 170

Mana: 1,700

This time, he chose to focus on his other stats rather than Magic, unwilling to let them lag too far behind.

Finally, he reached 50 Strength without any buffs applied!

Besides gaining the Attribute Points, reaching Level 20 had another benefit.

He was awarded a Class Change Token!

Class Change Tokens: 1

While Leonard was special due to his Bloodline, the average awakener couldn’t simply obtain classes on a whim.

At every rounded level, they were awarded the ability to undergo a Class Change. It was one of the only ways to alter the class they had chosen if it didn’t suit their tastes. It was also possible to obtain several classes simultaneously in the right circumstances.

Leonard was content with the three classes he possessed and didn’t plan to get rid of any of them. However, the Class Change Token could still benefit him immensely, because it could be fed to one of the classes he already had, powering it up.

Given his battle style, which he had been honing for a while now, the choice was a no-brainer.

[You have fed the Class Change Token to the Viking class!]

[Viking → Viking II]

[The Viking II class has bestowed you with the Skill: Berserker Rage.]

[The Viking II class has bestowed you with the Trait: Iron Constitution.]

[Berserker Rage – Level 1]

[Rank: Epic]

[Increases Strength and Endurance by 100% while active, but reduces Defense by 50% and cognitive thinking by 30%.]

[Usage cost: 200 Mana.]

[Upgrade Berserker Rage to the next level: 2,000 Evolution Points]

This was the first skill Leonard had gained that came with drawbacks, meaning he had to be careful about when to use it. However, as an upside, it also meant that the skill was just that much more effective under the right conditions.

[Iron Constitution – Level 1]

[Increased stamina recovery by 50% outside combat.]

[Upgrade Iron Constitution to the next Level: 8,000 Evolution Points]

The trait was also surprisingly practical. Given that they were in the midst of a war, it was vital that he had the ability to properly recover before embarking on another battle.

Content with the result, Leonard smiled warmly, satisfied by upgrading his Viking class.

Soon enough, the party reunited with the rest of the scholars. Most had already been examined by the Healers and were staring in awe at the withering roots around them.

“Finally! I can breathe a little easier!”

“Gods, I hope we never encounter anything scary like that again!”

“With the death of the monster, we have officially reclaimed Ironstone Fortress.” Albert greeted them. “Well done. You can go rest while I send the signal.”

Leonard didn’t linger. He immediately went toward an unoccupied room with a bed, eager to give Miranda the Essence of a Crimson Heart.

“Is there a reason you two stalked us here?” He arched an eyebrow and glanced at Harley and Elizabeth, who had followed them inside.

“While Miranda is getting healed, she would be helpless, right? It’s wiser to stay nearby just in case you need us.” Harley raised her chin proudly.

“I wish to see the process at work. It’s not every day we get to see an incurable illness being treated.” Elizabeth remarked.

“Besides… I feel like something will happen if I leave you two alone…” She mumbled quietly.

Leonard shrugged and took out the veil, opening it up.

“So you have to drink the cure without touching the veil…” He heaved a sigh at the needless complexity.

Miranda cast a knowing glance at Harley and Elizabeth.

Then she bent her legs, settling down on her knees. She stared right at Leonard as she opened her mouth wide and stuck out her tongue.

“In that case… Young Master, please pour it inside me.”