True to Klautz's command the specters flew closer to Klautz

But Klautz had never let his guard down. He had never trusted his instinct blindly.

So what if there was a chance that he could tame the specters? He would believed in his logical reasoning rather than acting on instincts. He was ready to pull out his sword any moment in case his assumptions were proved wrong.

He was surrounded by them.

But, he touched one of them and then tried to pull it into his inventory.

User has tamed Specter spirit

Inventory:

No-name Spirit x 13

Specter x1

"Oh, so it can also work this way

"

Klautz Spirit Charm Skill was working on these Specters and Klautz could tame them as well. Klautz didn't wait as he pulled in all the Specters in his inventory. He ran around the island capturing all the specters that he possibly could.

Every fortune brings its own share of good and bad. For Klautz too such was the case. Capturing the Specter's did add them to his ranks. But Klautz loses out on the stat points he would have obtained if he would have killed them instead.

But Klautz didn't seem to mind that. At this moment he was like a child who had found a new toy. There was a smile blooming on his face.

Congratulations

You have survived the third wave

Inventory:

No-Name Spirit x 13

Specter x 99

Class Quest completed!

Quest: Capture 100 spirits

Advancement: The spirit extraction strength requirement has been increased from 20% -> 25%. Users can now extract the spirit of beings which are at 25% of the user's strength.

New class Quest unlocked

A series of messages came up on Klautz's screen but the sweetest was probably the last one.

Congratulations!

You are the Last Survivor

Title obtained: The last survivor

Satan loves your tenacity

Prize: Amethyst Stone

The Bonus stage had come to an end

Please proceed through the escape portal at the center of the island

"Amethyst Stone huh? Never heard of it,

" Klautz shrugged.

Klautz knew what the prize for the greatest number of kills was, but it was a rather sacrificial move Crimson Lust. Klautz cannot afford to sacrifice himself. If he dies everything would be over.

Even in the past, many had obtained the Crimson Lust skill. Since getting most kills was the only criteria so one could obtain it without even clearing the waves. Your chances of obtaining it was somewhat dependent on the year you were summoned. You could get the skill even with a single kill provided that no other participant died on the bonus stage.

'Clearing the waves was close to impossible for a newbie.'

But none in the past had cleared the waves. For starters each manticore was stronger than the average newbie, not to mention that specters were completely invulnerable to a newbie's attacks!

With no known Last Survivor before, Klautz had no idea what this Amethyst Stone was.

He took it out of his inventory. It was a large stone about the size of Klautz's palm and had a ruby red colour to it.

But even before Klaurtz could check its details a small red flame danced around his body. And then and there he figured out what the stone was for.

Klautz could feel his body healing!

It seemed like a passive healing. In Hell, there were times where the mage of the party would cast healing buffs on their tank. Klautz had never participated in a party thanks to his ninja role but he had the feeling that it was somewhat similar to those.

Klautz checked the details.

Name: Amethyst Stone

Rank: SS

Effects: Soul Bounded to User Klautz.

As long as it is in contact with the user's skin it grants the Regeneration buff to the user.

"SS… rank…,

"his jaws hung low. His eyes popped out wide.

Klautz was out of words to express himself. What the hell was this? Klautz didn't even know that an SS rank item existed! All he knew was of S ranks and even that he had only heard rumours!

After all what was an SS rank? It's value could be deduced that Klautz Tossias' Demonic Spirit alone a B rank and it could grant 3 to all of Klautz's stat points! Not to mention its shape shifting ability.

Klautz racked his brain to find anything remotely similar to this item. He picked out a silver marble from out of his inventory and checked its details.

Name: Golem's core

Rank: C

Effects: Soul bounded to User Klautz.

Used to brew life into a golem.

Both the items had similar words 'Soul Bounded to User Klautz'. Doesn't that mean that the Amethyst Stone could only be used by Klautz alone?

Klautz nodded.

"That seems to be the case

"

In the end, the bonus stage was meant to aid what a winner was already a good add. That is why it was called a 'bonus stage'. While the Man Hunter gets Crimson Lust that aids him to kill more, the Last Survivor gets the Amethyst Stone which leads him to become much more tenacious.

"I always thought that the bonus stage had a really high difficulty curve even compared to those trials in Hell. 'Impossible' won't be the wrong word for it. So all of that was for this?

" Klautz whispered as he stared at the Amethyst stone in awe.

'It was an SS rank but wasn't its ability a bit shabby for a rank so high?'

For Klautz it was a double-edged sword. It could help him in a lot of ways but if those old bastards were to know its existence, they would make Klautz's life a living Hell.

*Crack* *Crack*

The ground shook which caused Klautz eyes to shoot wide.

"I think I know what that shaking is for

"

Klautz experienced this before back at the Island of Teerh. Indeed the Central Island was collapsing and was being chipped away from its sides. There wasn't much time left.

Klautz made a run towards the green portal in the middle. It was easy to locate it no matter which part of the island you are in thanks to its never-ending height.

The portal looked small for afar. But as Klautz ran closer and closer it testified to how large it was.

*Swish*

Klautz disappeared into the green light teleporting himself out of the island.

***

End of Volume 1

Phew! First Volume is over. How about gifting the story on this occasion? ;)

Just kidding. I am indebted enough for your support with power stones. You can gift the story whenever you feel like it. :)