…
When the giant spatial vortex appeared in the sky, Izroth's Soul Sense went off nonstop, warning him of the potential danger that manifested above. If he had been pulled into the vortex, he would not have survived—even with the help of his Heavenly Golden Body.
In addition, if it were not for his Spatial Awareness skill and his visit to the Amaharpe Palace Library that furthered his understanding of magic, Izroth may not have been able to escape Dolos' Spatial Tempus magic.
It was also due to this that Izroth could make sudden changes to his Enhanced Instantaneous Movement skill.
Although it seemed simple, in reality, it was a daunting task even for the most experienced of magic casters. Not to mention, he did so in the middle of a battle! This would not have been possible if Izroth did not possess a deep understanding of the laws of magic that exist in RML.
From the knowledge he acquired, Izroth understood that spells were generated from magic sequences, magic sequences from magic cycles, and magic cycles from strands. To put it into simple terms, strands were the building blocks of magic, magic cycles the layout, and magic sequences the structure. These structures that were built are what players called Spells.
Of course, different structures required different building blocks and layouts to create. This complex process gave birth to every spell, from rudimentary healing magic to high-grade damaging magic. Though this was something players did not have to worry about as they had the system's assistance.
All one had to do the majority of the time was have the mana to sacrifice and think or chant the spell's name to invoke its power. However, in the end, the skills automatically granted by the system could only be considered the "watered-down" version of its true might.
One would only unlock a spell's real power after genuinely understanding how it functioned down to its core. This was one of the primary reasons why NPCs and monsters would always have stronger versions of a skill that a player receives.
While Izroth's Enhanced Instantaneous Movement was not a spell, he discovered that it worked on a similar building block and layout principle. Therefore, after applying and slightly modifying the laws of magic, he uncovered a new realm of skill-types that perhaps he was the only player in RML to know of its existence thus far—a Primed skill.
〈System Alert: The skill «Enhanced Instantaneous Movement» has evolved to «Primed Instantaneous Movement»!〉
〈System Alert: Congratulations, you are the first player to acquire a «Primed» skill!〉
〈System Alert: Your world fame has increased by 200!〉
〈System Alert: You have acquired the trait «Primed One: The First»!〉
Trait Name: Primed One: The First
Trait Level: 1
Trait Effect: The user has a [0.01%] chance to activate the effect «Primed Break» for all non-Primed skills.
«Primed Break» – Has a certain chance of activating a powerful hidden effect related to the skill.
Special Note: This trait is one of a kind, granted to the first player that acquires a «Primed» skill.
Skill Name: Enhanced Instantaneous Movement -> Primed Instantaneous Movement
Skill Creator: Izroth
Skill Level: MAXED
Skill Rank: A → Unique S
Energy Cost: 35
Requirements: 1,000+ Agility, *???
Active: → «Enhanced Instantaneous Movement» – Consumes 1 charge and allows the user to instantly move to any point within 15 meters. The user gains 1 charge every 45 seconds (Charges: 4). The user cannot travel directly through solid objects or strong magic barriers. This skill does not share charges with «Primed Ability: Space Defying Tread».
*New → «Primed Ability: Space Defying Tread» – Consumes 1 charge and allows the user to instantly move to any point within 30 meters. The user is also able to travel directly through solid objects and strong magic barriers. The user gains 1 charge every 30 minutes (Charges: 2). This skill cannot be disrupted or disabled. This skill does not share charges with «Enhanced Instantaneous Movement».
*New → «Primed Break» – Has a certain chance of activating a powerful hidden effect related to the skill.
Special Note: This skill can be taught to others who meet its requirements.
Thanks to the Primed Ability: Space Defying Tread, Izroth could freely move through the chaotic space placed under Dolos' influence. Its effects were stronger than his Enhanced Instantaneous Movement; however, its cooldown time was much higher.
But, given that it could not be disrupted or disabled and was capable of traveling through solid objects as well as strong magic barriers—Izroth believed the cooldown time attached to it was a small price to pay.
Though Izroth was particularly interested in the new trait he obtained, Primed One: The First and the Primed Break ability that came along with it. The trait itself was listed as one of a kind. This meant that in all of RML, besides Izroth, no one else would ever have a way of acquiring it!
Although there was only a 0.01% chance to activate its effects, Izroth understood that such a low percentage spoke volumes of the power contained within a Primed Break.
'I assumed Enhanced skills were the limit of players, but it seems I was quite far off. Then, is there also another tier that exists above Primed? Or is this the absolute limit of players who have not stepped into a higher realm?'
The vast majority of players were unaware of it, but Izroth knew of a place in RML where even mighty legendary beings like Zushuatri or Zarolas were viewed as mere specks of dust—the Divine Realm.
Izroth did not know the exact strength of beings in the Divine Realm, but they had the power to split apart realms and create new ones. Beings with that kind of power at their disposal—how could something like Primed abilities be their limit?
…
Swoosh!
Izroth's sword connected to Dolos; however, he instantly felt that something was wrong.
'Strange. I'm sure my attack hit just now, but…'
Izroth inwardly furrowed his brows as this thought crossed his mind. At the same time, a grin appeared on Dolos' face that was filled with rage not too long ago.
Zooooom! Zooooom! Zooooom!
Suddenly, three holes opened in space around Izroth as a thin line of corrupted mana connected them in a triangular pattern. In the blink of an eye, the triangle expanded and trapped Izroth within a prism-shaped prison.
'How is this possible? It should not have been this fast.'
Izroth's Sixth Sword Form: Double Blooming Lotus was capable of flawlessly mimicking the sword skill he executed. While it could not compare to the original in most cases, his sixth sword form just now should have interfered with Dolos' magic without issue.
"How unfortunate for you that my magic has already experienced this skill of yours firsthand while I have taken up this form. Farewell, Captain of the GSU. Spatial Tempus Magic: Burial of the Damned." Dolos said as the prism around Izroth began to shrink rapidly. Dolos wanted to crush him alive!
However, before the prism could collapse and take Izroth along with it, he disappeared.
"A Captain of the GSU managed to break free of my Burial of the Damned? Inconceivable. Could I have been found out? No, if I had been, that General would have already made his move against me." Dolos thought to himself as he inwardly frowned. He had some previous doubts when Izroth first disrupted his spatial magic, but now he was positive—this person was not a simple Captain of the General Support Unit.
Woosh!
As Dolos turned his head to scan for Izroth, he was greeted by one of Aurie's tonfa.
Bang!
Aurie's tonfa smashed into Dolos' face and knocked him back several meters. She had been patiently waiting for an opening, and Izroth's sudden disappearance seemed to have caught Dolos off guard.
In that split moment, when his attention was divided, Aurie immediately rushed in to attack.
The tonfa in Aurie's left hand emitted a pink glow, while the one in her right hand released a golden hue.
"Double-Cross: Cosmic Sweep." Aurie stomped her right foot forward, lowered her stance, and spread her arms outward. She then swung her arms inward to form an X shape at an insane speed.
The instant Aurie's arms crossed, a pink and golden energy flowed out from her tonfa and fused. Together, they combined to create a ring of energy that spun horizontally. At a glance, the mixture of the two energies resembled a galaxy drifting unobstructedly through the vast confines of the universe.
The ring's spinning speed increased as it shot through the air, causing the ground below wherever it passed to crumble and give way under its frightening momentum!
