[Affix: Efficient Casting (Common)]
[Effect: Each spell cast has a chance to trigger Efficient Casting, consuming zero Mana.]
Alongside the affix, an obsidian orb spewed forth from the slain fiend, drawn to Rhys.
"Confirmed!"
Rhys's heart leapt. His game knowledge held true. Though Slimes ranked lowest among Fiends—bottom-feeders of the food chain—they were innate spellcasters.
Efficient Casting was their inherent affix, granting multi-cast potential. Most simply lacked spells to utilize it.
As a reborn player, Rhys possessed transcendent insight into such hidden mechanics.
The Epoch of Endings, despite being a game, buried truths in fragments rather than spoon-feeding players.
Thus, intelligence-gathering became paramount.
But that was for later. Rhys melted into the shadows before accessing his interface.
NPCs in The Epoch of Endings possessed profound intelligence—and not just them. Even low-tier Fiends with minimal cognition far surpassed AI in other games.
Driven by instinct, they didn't respawn statically like common mobs awaiting slaughter.
Instead, they actively hunted nearby players.
Lifespan was the core currency—for players and Fiends alike. Yes, Fiends gained lifespan by slaying players or other Fiends.
Compared to formidable Fiends, fragile, inexperienced players were easier prey.
Hence, despite Cosmic Finality's might, Rhys avoided arrogance. He retreated to safety to assimilate his gains.
Opening his status panel, he embedded the new affix into Fireball:
[Skill: Fireball (Common)]
[Cost: 10 MP]
[Cooldown: 5s]
[Effect: Channel mana to conjure a searing firebolt against a target.]
[Affixes: Efficient Casting (Common)]
Counterintuitively, more affixes weren't always better—though most lacked the luxury of choice. Any affix was precious without Cosmic Finality.
But Rhys could curate. Every item and skill had a fixed number of affix slots.
Except for special gear or skills, Common-grade skills could bear only one affix. While replaceable, the original affix would vanish permanently.
For now, Rhys desperately needed cost-reduction affixes like Efficient Casting.
A Mage's damage output was inherently potent. Combined with Rhys's encyclopedic monster knowledge, every Fireball struck with terrifying precision.
In The Epoch of Endings, damage wasn't simply [Attack - Defense]. Strike location drastically altered effectiveness.
His earlier Fireball had hit the Slime's core—scoring a CRITICAL—enabling the one-shot kill. A glancing blow wouldn't suffice.
Rhys trusted his mechanics. His priority was solving the Mage's crippling mana starvation for sustained combat.
Hence his Slime farming target.
He darted his tongue over dry lips as Slimes detected him, closing in. Rhys raised his hand—
Thump! Another Fireball smashed into the lead Slime's weak point.
[CRITICAL! Super effective! You deal 50 Fire damage to Slime.]
[Slime defeated.]
[Authority: Siphon Engaged.]
[Siphon Successful. No affix generated. Life Energy stockpiled.]
A black orb erupted from the corpse, dissolving into Rhys.
"Siphon succeeded... but no affix?"
The notification gave him pause—but no panic. Backpedaling, he kited the pack with Fireballs.
[CRITICAL! Super effective! You deal 50 Fire damage to Slime.]
[Slime defeated.]
[Efficient Casting triggered! Mana cost negated.]
[Authority: Siphon Engaged.]
[Siphon Successful. No affix generated. Life Energy stockpiled.]
Four Fireballs later, Efficient Casting finally activated—refunding mana.
Though valuable, it was still a Common affix from low-tier Slimes: its proc chance remained low.
Moreover, beyond the first kill, no affixes dropped—only Life Energy accumulated.
Doubt crept in: Was Siphon's affix generation probabilistic?
Useful, yes—but far weaker than he'd envisioned.
As this thought formed, another Fireball drilled a Slime's core. The familiar alert flashed—
—but this time, with a twist:
[Authority: Siphon Engaged.]
[Siphon Successful. Consuming Life Energy. Affix generation in progress…]
[Your affix Efficient Casting (Common) has evolved.]
[You acquired affix: Efficient Casting (Fine).]
"!!!"
Rhys's heart surged with exhilaration. Siphon's affix generation had unveiled an unexpected boon!
Siphon success didn't guarantee an affix drop. Failed attempts stockpiled Life Energy—fueling higher-tier affix generation.
This wasn't a flaw—it was revolutionary!
Slimes, as low-tier Fiends, carried only Common affixes. Yet accumulated Life Energy had yielded a Fine-grade Efficient Casting!
Common tier offered ~20% mana-cost negation. Fine tier? 30%.
A 10-percentage-point boost seemed modest—but the implications were staggering.
If Common → Fine brought such gains, what of Ancient → Mythic? Immortal → Divine? Each tier leap promised exponential power.
This was Cosmic Finality's Siphon Authority!
Rhys swiftly replaced the Common affix on Fireball with its Fine counterpart.
Whether from the 10% boost or sudden luck, Efficient Casting triggered three times consecutively. Chain-cast fireballs vaporized multiple Slimes.
A dozen deaths later, even instinct-driven Slimes sensed danger—scattering in panic.
[Level Up! Current Level: Lv.1 → Lv.2]
[+5 Unallocated Attribute Points]
[Status Fully Replenished]
In The Epoch of Endings, leveling restored all resources—a lifeline for mana-starved early Mages.
Seeing his MP refill to 100, Rhys grinned.
"Flee? Feast on Fireball!"
Blazing orbs erupted from his fingertips, hunting the scattering Slimes.
After felling seven more, Rhys conserved 30 MP for the return journey—ending the hunt.
Just then, a party clad in starter gear emerged from the shadows...