Reborn as the First Boss, Chapter 51

Chapter 51 – Spoils

I was officially on my first ‘road trip’ after coming to this world! Sure, we had only made it to Magehallow Town, the capital of Shadescar Barony, which was my closest neighbor from Windwater Barony, but that was besides the point. Every road trip started with that first jaunt to the next town over, after all.

Once we found a spot at an inn, I used my Diviner magic to find a local fence who had the Enchanter profession, figuring they would have the easiest time moving what I needed to sell. The spells had led me straight to Kester, a level 30 Rogue / Enchanter, and he’d been happy to trade, once I showed him the goods, and said I was also looking to buy. While his selection wasn’t quite as large as I would have hoped, he did have a large collection of items that were… unsuitable for normal distribution, shall we say, and those were right up my alley.

All in all, I was quite pleased with my bit of shopping. Oh, there wasn’t much coin being exchanged, but I did manage to unload all of the loot we had ‘acquired’ from the Inquisitor and his retinue, as well as the skill orbs that were of no use to me and mine. In return, we were all loaded up with enchanted gear suited to our level and specialties, even replacing a couple early pieces with better ones. When all was said and done, I still had to pay out a hundred platinum coins, but I was confident that both the fence and I had gotten a good deal out of the exchange. After all, I got rid of a lot of things that were useless to me, and Kester got to move product that most people wouldn’t be too interested in, while not only getting paid, but getting valuable skill orbs in the process. Everyone won.

Boots of the Silent Huntress

Type

Feet

Rank

Uncommon

Price

3500 gp

Weight

0.5 kg

These well-made thigh-high boots are made from the black hide of a night panther, and are designed to be a hunter’s best friend, though they can be worn anywhere.

+20 Dex

Light-step – Footfalls make no noise, unless you wish them to.

Easy Stepping – Ignore movement penalties due to difficult terrain.

For my own gear, the upgrades started with my boots. This piece was a simple upgrade to my old Hunter’s Boots. Same abilities, just increasing the DEX increase by 15.

Succubus Ring of Carnal Regeneration

Type

L. Ring

Rank

Rare

Price

6950 gp

Weight

0 kg

This band of silver and gold has been enchanted with the blood of a succubus, conveying certain benefits to the wearer, and those they become intimate with. While not commonly seen in the wider world, rings of this type have become quite popular with some adventuring parties, particularly those with bards. When engaging in intimate activities for at least one hour, one or more of the following effects takes place, based on the qualities of those involved:

Base: Both wearer and partner(s) receive all the benefits of a full night’s sleep.

[Carnal Arts]: Each participant with the [Carnal Arts] skill recovers all HP. If all participants have [Carnal Arts], each recovers all SP and MP, as well.

Demons: If one or more of the participants is a demon, or demon-blooded, all participants gain a bonus to their highest attribute equal to the wearer’s CHA for 24 hours.

This item was interesting, to say the least. Obviously, I knew why bards were likely to enjoy it, since it gave them even more persuasive arguments for getting their dick wet, but it looked as though it would be particularly good for me, and my pets. Spend an hour in an orgy with my pets, and we all receive the benefits of a full night’s sleep. We all had the [Carnal Arts] skill by now, so we would fully recover our HP, MP, and SP. And both Astruth and I fulfilled the Demon requirement, meaning that everyone, including me, would get to add my CHA to their highest attribute. So, I’d basically double my CHA, which was my most important attribute, while also giving all my pets a huge buff, while healing everyone’s wounds and fatigue. Obviously, this wasn’t something we could do just anytime or anywhere, but it was a huge boon, all the same.

Cloak of Beautiful Slaughter

Type

Shoulders

Rank

Rare

Price

2500 gp

Weight

1 kg

This cloak has been woven from spider silk blessed by the tears of a nymph berserker. The one who wears it turns their own beauty into a weapon of carnage.

+20 CHA

Beauty’s Wrath – Each attack the wearer makes and each spell they take gives them a stack of Beauty’s Wrath, with the maximum number of stacks capped at (2*CHA). If the wearer does not attack or cast a spell for more than 30 seconds, they begin losing stacks at a rate of 1 per second. Each stack of Beauty’s Wrath increases their movement speed, attack speed, and casting speed by 1%. When over 100 stacks, the wearer regains 1% of their MP and SP per successful spell or attack. When over 400 stacks, the wearer regains 1% of their HP per successful spell or attack. When over 1000 stacks, incoming damage is reduced by 90%, after defenses and other effects.

I was practically in love with this cloak the moment I saw it. The way it shimmered a glossy black under the light, yet was smooth and almost weightless to touch? Beautiful. And then, there was the enchantment. More CHA was always welcome, but the [Beauty’s Wrath] effect was very interesting.

That kind of effect was just OK against a normal enemy. If we came across bandits, for instance, I doubted the stacks would grow high enough by the time we got to the end of the fight for it to be noticeable. However, against hordes of enemies? Or against a very powerful monster, like a dragon, or a Boss? That started opening up possibilities. In a few levels, my CHA would break 500, if you included my items. At that point, if I was able to get a good head of steam going, I would be able to get up to that 1000 stack marker, where I’d be moving ten times my normal speed, regaining 1% of my HP, MP, and SP with every attack, and reducing any damage I took by 90%, after all my other defenses.

Honestly, I didn’t see myself replacing this cloak ever. Maybe I would find an enchanter to add new abilities onto it, but replace it? No. While it wasn’t a scaling item, per se, this was the kind of thing that would be straight up cheating in the right conditions. Give me this cloak, and enough CHA to reach the 1000 stack mark, and I could have probably defended Stonebreak from the goblins by myself, that’s how overpowered this thing was! The only reason it didn’t sell for more was because few people in this area had the CHA to properly use it.

Bustier of the Martial Courtesan

Type

Torso

Rank

Rare

Price

3500 gp

Weight

0.5 kg

This bustier is a study in opposites, as its namesake is. Made with leather taken from a lesser succubus’s hide and reinforced with the bones of a lesser angel, this garment is designed to both protect the wearer and entice those who see her, despite the fact that most who follow the Courtesan profession do not care for martial pursuits.

Restricted: Must be worn by a Courtesan.

+100 Armor

+50 CHA

Demon’s Protection – Spells and attacks from Celestial creatures have their effects (including damage) reduced by 20%.

Angel’s Mercy – Spells and attacks from Undead creatures have their effects (including damage) reduced by 20%.

This piece was interesting. Black leather with bone reinforcing it, the bustier nestled snugly under my breasts, emphasizing them nicely. My STR and CON were too high to really suffer from back pain due to the size of my chest, but having some support was welcome, all the same. The fact that it provided armor and protection from the two creature types that were most likely to be problems for me was also nice. After all, I was sure that some angel was going to come bugging me, at some point, and Eztar’s curse already put me at a disadvantage against the undead, so protections were warranted.

Deathshroud Belt (Charisma)

Type

Waist

Rank

Uncommon

Price

4000 gp

Weight

0.5 kg

This belt made from tanned zombie hide is, despite its provenance, a highly-valued tool in the kit of any undead hunter, even amongst the most pious of adventurers. Each belt is keyed to a different attribute, chosen at the time of creation. While not standing in natural sunlight, the belt protects its wearer from spells of the Death element, completely blocking any such spell so long as the caster’s level does not exceed the wearer’s (CHA/10). Has no effect on spells or effects of Tier 2 or higher.

The entire party got one of these, with an appropriate attribute for their builds, obviously. These belts were listed as ‘uncommon’, but apparently they were quite common in Shadescar, what with the Necropolis of Akkras being nearby, and infested with the undead. The belts would protect against some of the worst spells and effects the undead would throw at parties, as well as protecting them from death priests and necromancers out in the world, so long as you weren’t standing in natural sunlight.

Right now, I could ignore death magic from any caster that was level 47 or lower in Tier 1. In another couple levels, that would basically expand to cover the entirety of Tier 1, but only because I was a cheating existence, and I’d gotten some serious boosts from different sources. Either way, I’d need to find an upgrade when we got closer to Tier 2, and we started fighting enemies in that range.

Divine Whore’s Choker of Spellmight

Type

Throat

Rank

Divine

Price

22250 gp

Weight

0 kg

A relic from the fall of Lilelin, the previous Succubus Queen, slain by Mighell Brightsoul, this leather choker is marked with the symbols of both Videa, Goddess of Love, and Krenrena, the current Succubus Queen, and has been touched by both faiths. It also increases the potency of the wearer’s spells significantly. This item cannot be destroyed by mortal means.

Restricted: Can only be worn by a follower of Videa or Krenrena.

+30 CHA

Spellmight – When determining damage or effects of the  wearer’s spells, the wearer may double the MP cost of the spell to use their (INT+WIS+CHA) instead of just the attribute listed in the spell’s description.

Videa’s Grace – Counts as a holy symbol for followers of Videa. Wearer is immune to diseases or other such afflictions (even magical ones) brought about through intimate encounters.

Krenrena’s Touch – Counts as a holy symbol for followers of Krenrena. Wearer is immune to the [Seduction] skill, or similar mental effects.

This item was a great boon, for obvious reasons. More CHA? Always, thank you! Paying a bit more MP to use (INT+WIS+CHA) wherever I’d normally just use WIS or CHA? Of course! Didn’t know whether that would also work on the bonus to the spells I got from Krenrena’s blessing, but it couldn’t wait to try it out!

[Videa’s Grace] was nice, but it basically gave me a third level of immunity against diseases. My race gave me immunity, the [Corrupted Piercings of Perfect Self] gave me immunity, and now this item gave me immunity. So, technically useless, but I wasn’t getting the item for that.

[Krenrena’s Touch] giving me immunity to [Seduction], and mental effects that worked like it, was huge, especially if that included things like Charm spells. The [Mental Fortitude] ability of the Mind Sorceress class meant I was harder to hit with Enchantment and Illusion spells to begin with, but having another layer of protection was always nice. I wasn’t keen to be on the other side of that coin, after all.

Healing Dagger

Type

Simple One-handed

Rank

Uncommon

Price

3000 gp

Weight

0.5 kg

Damage

1.5*STR

Critical

x2

Range

3m

Damage Type

Piercing / Slashing

This dagger has been crafted by a blacksmith who knows his craft well, but was enchanted by a sadist. While not inherently evil, this blade is not something a normal person would consider using against the living.

Ghost Touch Weapon – Attacks with this weapon ignore the miss chance of incorporeal creatures.

Healing – Simultaneously with the damage dealt, this dagger heals the target of damage equal to the wielder’s CHA.

Light – Can wield in either hand with little penalty

Finesse – Can use DEX instead of STR for attack and damage, if better.

This was the final piece of kit that I got for myself. A nasty little thing, it was. Basically, in my hands, this dagger dealt 448 damage each time I struck with it, since my DEX was higher than my STR. However, at the same time I dealt damage, it would also heal the person for 479 damage. The only way I could kill with this dagger is if I was attacking the undead with it, since undead were harmed by healing magic. And, given the description, and the fact that it was enchanted to be able to harm ghosts, that is likely what it was intended for.

However, the [Interrogation] and [Torture] skills were telling me about all the different ways that this dagger could be used to extract information from the living. The ability to consistently cut and stab a subject, but never kill them, was something most interrogators and torturers would love to have. I wasn’t exactly shy about doing what I needed to, in order to get what I wanted, but part of me hoped I never got used to using this dagger. Didn’t stop me from getting it, though. Some things still needed doing, even if they were distasteful.

“Where to, now, Mistress?”

I looked over to Linette, decked out in her new armor, and grinned. “Back to the inn, for tonight. Tomorrow, we’ll head to the cordon around the Necropolis, and see about going into the dungeon.”