[Forbidden Scripture? ([Dream Chapter], [Star Chapter])] (II)
Type: Codex
Rank: Myth
Occupation: Clergyman
Basic Attributes: Essence +80
Body +20
Intelligence +40
All skills have an "erosion" effect (weaken the target's defense and resistance by 10% when attacking, which can be stacked up to 3 layers)
Special Skills:
Judgment of Eternal Nightmare
Active effect: Expands a [Dream Realm] with a radius of 30 meters. All enemy units in the area fall into a "mental collapse" state (attack hit rate decreases by 25%, spell failure rate +30%, doubled for Holy Light units).
Passive effect: When killing an enemy, there is a chance to convert its soul fragments into "Nightmare Minions" (inheriting 30% of their attributes before death, with a maximum of 5). The minions can detonate to cause true damage in a certain area.
Cost: Each time you release an active skill, you consume 10% of your current health, and lose 1% of your maximum mana per second during the duration of the field.
Starlight Dreams
Active Effect: The bearer must select a medium. Consuming mana (≥25% of maximum mana) and concentrating, they attempt to sink a strand of their consciousness into the deeper mental realm associated with the target. Within this mental realm, the bearer can explore, observe, perceive, and influence various information present or revealed in the environment to a limited extent. The scope and clarity of exploration are affected by the target's spiritual attributes, the medium's connection, the bearer's intelligence, and invested mana.
Passive Effect: When the bearer is exposed to natural starlight or moonlight, the tome automatically absorbs the faint starlight. The bearer's perception of invisible traces in the surrounding environment, such as spiritual imprints, emotional lingerings, and dreamscapes, is significantly enhanced, making it easier to detect clues related to "secrets," "memories," and "dreams."
Cost: Upon regaining consciousness, the user will experience severe headaches, a temporary 20% reduction in Intelligence, and distorted perception for 1-2 hours. Encountering strong resistance, traps, or mental exhaustion within the mental realm will cause a brief loss of consciousness and additional mental damage (an additional 10% reduction in Intelligence and a 60% reduction in spellcasting success rate for 24-48 hours).
Note: This item is formed from the aftermath of the Holy Light Nightmare's self-destruction, fused with the magical energy of a special divine star. An unknown entity, sensing a familiar aura and reminded of someone, bestowed this small gift upon the little creature from the Holy Dragon Continent.
Mark's breathing stagnated slightly, and the information brought by the transformation of the holy book hit his mind directly.
He completed the comparison in an instant.
From level one to level two, the bonus provided by the Forbidden Scripture to oneself has become stronger!
The Holy Scripture itself is divided into the [Chapter of Dreams] and the [Chapter of Stars].
The three-dimensional attributes of spirit, physique and intelligence are significantly improved.
The strength and number of nightmare servants that may belong to the [Dream Chapter] have been strengthened.
The newly added "Starlight Dreaming" skill, which appears to be a fusion of the "Dream Chapter" and the "Star Chapter", seems to be a key that can pry open the spiritual realm!
Actively sneaking in to explore secrets and passively improving clue perception, this ability is truly a magical skill!
Of course, it is also more dangerous when using magical skills!
Just thinking about the cost of the new skill made his temples ache, causing severe headaches, a sharp drop in intelligence, distorted perception, and even the possibility of getting lost!
This is obviously a double-edged sword and must be used with extreme caution in the future.
"Mental resistance skyrocketed, servants became stronger, and a 'key' that could peer into the mind was added... but the price also became heavier."
He pondered silently in his mind and weighed the pros and cons quickly.
The way this holy book grows is inherently evil, yet its power is so tempting.
After calming down his complicated emotions, Mark calmly handed the heavy book to Monica.
"Monica," he said in a steady voice, "take a look at it for me again."
He needed a more accurate appraisal from Monica to confirm what he had learned.
The appraisal experience Monica gained when she appraised the cross necklace in the past far exceeded that of the Forbidden Book.
Now that the forbidden codex has been upgraded, she might be able to dig out something deeper, even something about that unknown existence that "reminds people of others when seeing things."
Monica took a deep breath and carefully took the holy book. The moment her fingertips touched the cover, she immediately focused her mind and immersed all her senses in it.
She could feel that the power contained in this book became more complex and more powerful.
That strange aura that originated from darkness, returned to holy light, and yet embraced the stars made her instinctively feel a sense of... closeness?
As the magical light from Monica's fingertips slowly faded, a barely perceptible trace of fatigue flashed across the depths of her eyes.
She gently closed the holy book and handed it back to Mark.
Her voice was steady, but her speech was a little faster than usual. "The information I can identify is consistent with what you perceive..."
A barely perceptible lump stuck in her throat.
No more.
The deeper secrets of this holy book, the truth about that "unknown existence", and the "chapter" were shrouded in a thick fog that her identification skills could not penetrate.
This result made her fingertips feel slightly cold.
This result was like a tiny thorn, piercing her usually calm heart.
"As the team's sole appraiser, my value...is simply to repeat what he sees?"
A hidden worry of being pulled apart or even becoming a burden is quietly growing.
The pride of the eldest daughter of the Bellucci family made it impossible for her to accept this feeling of powerlessness.
"Have I been slacking off? Or... have the levels of those beings exceeded the limits of my abilities?"
Resentment and self-examination churned in her heart, weighing her down more than the magic power consumed by the appraisal.
Mark keenly caught the momentary dimming in her eyes and the subtle change in her speaking speed.
He took the scripture and nodded:
"Thank you for your hard work, Monica. This information is already very useful. Didn't you also say that raising the appraiser's level requires not only professional experience but also accumulated knowledge. You can do it once you have collected enough information."
He met Monica's purple-black vertical pupils with a calm gaze, conveying trust.
Everything related to her seemed beyond common sense, and it was not Monica's fault that she could not identify more.
Mark wouldn't just blindly assume that Monica is incompetent.
Monica quickly lowered her eyes, suppressing her surging emotions. When she raised her eyes again, she had regained the calmness and composure she should have in her extreme abnormal state. She just nodded at Mark without saying a word.
But she still silently made up her mind to master more knowledge that she had never been exposed to before and to bring out her best abilities.
She is an appraiser! Not a warrior who kills enemies with brute force!
At this moment, from the shadow of the crack deep in the cave came a clanging sound of metal collision and the heavy breathing unique to dwarves.
"Huh... Huh... I'm so tired! This shabby place hasn't been cleaned for hundreds of years, and the dust is thicker than slag!" Enzo Graybeard's cursing voice came from far away.
Soon, his short and strong figure emerged from the shadows, carrying a bulging animal skin package on his back that looked bigger than he was.
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