As it turned out, only a thought was required.
A notification appeared.
[100 EXP consumed. Wizard class level up to 2. Congratulations, Host! You are now a Level 2 Novice Wizard.]
[You’ve gained 1 stat point.]
[Your soul power production rate has increasd.]
[Your arcane heatt has expanded. Now you can store more soul power in it!]
Val could feel the arcane heart within him expand, now big enough to hold more soul power. The limit of soul power he could store in his arcane heart was now 200 units.
Simultaneously, the rate at which he produced soul power increased to 20 units per hour. An additional stat point appeared, bringing his total to 5.
The interface updated the requirement for the next level of his wizard.
1k EXP was required to level up the wizard class to level 3!
Val decided to save up his EXP to level his primary class, as then his Blood Devil Bloodline would upgrade once again, and he would unlock another bloodline skill!
After that he might consider leveling up his sub-class.
‘Stat points can’t be used to improve my HP bar, but maybe they can interact with my wizard stats,” Val pondered, curious about whether his stat points could be used to increase his soul power production rate and reservoir. This curiosity led him to conduct an experiment.
Tapping on his soul power reservoir stat that was displayed on the semi-transparent screen floating in front of him, he directed one of his five stat points into it.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host. You’ve been successful in your experiment!]
To his surprise, it worked.
[A stat point has been consumed. Your Soul Power Reservoir has improved slightly.]
A wave of energy spread through him as the soul power capacity of his arcane heart increased by 20 units. His soul energy reservoir was now capable of holding 220 units!
Encouraged by his success, he ventured further into his experiment.
He invested one point into his soul energy production stat. The system responded favorably, causing the soul power production rate of his arcane heart to soar, leaping to 30 units per hour.
The successful experiments brought a smirk to his face.
He now understood that stat points could significantly boost his wizard class, improving his wizardry and overall strength, should he decide to invest them in his wizard stats.
However, he decided to save them for future use.
Right after that, Val converted the 100 mad points into one stat point, resulting in his total stat points to increase to 4. 𝑜𝑣𝓛xt.𝑐𝑶𝑚
With a smirk on his face, Val mused to himself, “I’ll use the remaining stat points according to the situation I find myself in in the future. For example, if my opponent requires more soul power to deal with, I’ll dump my points into the arcane heart to subdue or even kill it.”
Suddenly, Val heard the sound of keys jingling, followed by the door being unlocked. He turned towards the entrance, his gaze impassive as the door opened to reveal Eliana stepping inside.
Her return didn’t cause much of a stir within him, but it did affect him on a emotional level. Although his emotional impairment made it hard for him to feel emotions as strongly as others, he surprisingly felt relief to see her alive. After all, seeing her alive and well confirmed that the real Eliana, the greatest asset of his life, had not been harmed or devoured by the Shaxil that he had brutally butchered.
Eliana, oblivious to the strange scene, blinked at him, “What are you doing in the kitchen?
She was oblivious to the abnormality that had taken place in thr haunted house. After all, with the demise of the devil, all the illusions it had created dissipated – from the dinner, to the utensils used for cooking, to the odd smell that permeated the air inside the house, and even the fake talisman that hung on the door. All had vanished without a trace when Val killed it.
All that remained were the ashes of the Shaxil’s body scattered across the kitchen floor and the haunting imprint of their clash – a depression in the kitchen floor and splatters of blood marking their intense battle.
“I had a bit of a paranormal encounter,” Val confessed, his tone casual despite the gravity of his words.
Eliana’s eyes widened in alarm and worry, but Val waved a hand dismissively. “Don’t worry. I’m still in one piece. The devil fooled me into a trap, but I dealt with it before it could harm me.”
He recounted the ordeal, conveniently leaving out the details of his Blood Devil Bloodline skill.
Val didn’t want to reveal his true capabilities to Eliana just yet.
After all, he had a more profound plan for her – he wanted her to fall deeply for him before he disclosed that he was the one she was fated to serve. Only then would she be assured that her feelings for him weren’t manipulated due to her divine obligation to serve him.
The revelation that he was the man she was tasked to find and serve by the God she believed in would be the final, inevitable piece of the puzzle that would establish an unshakable bond between them, a bond that would cause her to stick with him as long as his lies weren’t exposed.
When Val finished recounting his encounter with the Shaxil, Eliana exhaled a shaky breath she didn’t realize she had been holding.
“That must’ve been terrifying,” Eliana said, her gaze, brimming with genuine concern for Val, never leaving his. “I know what such experiences can do to a person. They leave a scar on your soul, causing involuntary recollections that can terrify you.”
As she spoke to Val, Eliana’s hands found his. She squeezed his big and thick hand with her soft and tiny ones in an attempt to comfort him. “If you aren’t feeling alright, it’s best to talk about it. I’ll do my best to help you.”
Despite the shock of his tale, Eliana’s immediate worry was his wellbeing. It was an earnest sentiment, one that showed how deeply she had charmed by Val and reflected the depth of her affection for Val.