Chapter 85: Level 36 - Enhanced Speed Mastery
POV: Sam Barton
The attack comes three days after my confrontation with Shane, and my Sensory clone detects the three vampires approaching my estate with enough warning to evacuate Caroline to the reinforced safe room I built after Katherine's attacks.
"Stay here," I tell her, sealing the door with Defensive Shield barrier. "Don't come out until I give all-clear."
"Be careful," Caroline pleads.
I manifest all six clones as the vampires breach my property line, and immediately recognize they're moving faster than normal—Expression magic enhancement radiating from their forms like visible corruption.
Shane sent killers powered by death magic to eliminate his obstacle.
The first vampire blurs at me with speed that makes regular vampires look slow. My Enhanced Speed clone intercepts, matching the velocity, but the strain is visible—the clone's form flickering under the demand.
The second vampire attacks my Defensive Shield, supernatural strength amplified by Expression cracking the golden barriers with hits that shouldn't be possible.
The third goes for my primary body, fangs bared and eyes black with compelled murder.
In that critical moment, I need more speed than my Enhanced Speed clone can provide through delegation. I need the affinity fully integrated.
I reach for Enhanced Speed directly, not channeling through my clone but pulling the power into my own body for the first time at maximum capacity.
The world slows.
Not metaphorically—literally slows as my perception accelerates to vampire levels. I see the attacking vampire's movement frame by frame, predict his trajectory, calculate three different counter-moves.
[ENHANCED SPEED MASTERY: 94% → 98% → 100%]
[PERMANENT STATUS ACHIEVED!]
[AFFINITY NO LONGER REQUIRES SAVED SLOT]
[ALL HOSTS AND CLONES GAIN PASSIVE ENHANCED SPEED BONUS]
The power floods through me like lightning in my veins. I move faster than I've ever moved before—not clone-mediated, but genuinely superhuman velocity burned into my body permanently.
I blur past the attacking vampire, stake appearing in my hand from estate armory. One strike through the heart, too fast for him to dodge.
He explodes into ash.
The second vampire turns toward me, Expression-enhanced but no match for permanent mastery. I'm behind him before he completes the rotation, second stake finding its mark.
More ash.
The third vampire tries fleeing—realizing belatedly that Shane sent them against upgraded opponent. My Phasing clone materializes in his escape path while I blur from behind, sandwiching him between impossible choices.
Stake meets heart.
Final pile of ash.
Total combat time: seventeen seconds.
Tyler arrives via hybrid speed sixty seconds later, finding me standing in my destroyed training room surrounded by ash piles.
"I called as soon as your Sensory clone alerted me," Tyler says, looking around at the carnage. "But you already finished."
"Enhanced Speed mastery," I explain, testing my new permanent velocity. "It's permanent now—I'm just faster. All the time."
[LEVEL 35 → 36 ACHIEVED!]
[+5 STAT POINTS AVAILABLE]
[FREED SAVED AFFINITY SLOT]
I allocate immediately: two Agility to complement the enhanced speed, two Intelligence for MP pool, one Wisdom for regeneration.
[FINAL LEVEL 36 STATS:]
[STR 10, AGI 35, VIT 48, INT 52, WIS 55, PER 26, CHA 26]
[HP: 1,160/1,160, MP: 930/930, MP REGEN: 55/MIN]
[PERMANENT AFFINITIES: DEFENSIVE SHIELD, ENHANCED SPEED]
[SAVED SLOTS: MIND SHIELD (62%), MAGIC ABSORPTION (70%), PHASING (28%), ONE OPEN]
Caroline emerges from the safe room once I signal all-clear, watching me move at speeds that blur my form even when I'm trying to go slow.
"You're evolving," she observes, approaching carefully. "Getting stronger every day."
I slow to normal human speed through conscious effort, pulling her close. "Have to. Shane's coming for us, and Silas is worse. I need every advantage."
Caroline kisses me, grounding me in humanity despite the supernatural power coursing through my veins. "Then keep getting stronger. But don't lose yourself in the power. Promise me you'll stay Sam—the boy who helped me when I was scared, who saved my mom, who builds alliances instead of ruling through fear."
"I promise," I reply, meaning it.
Shane's attacks will continue. Silas's awakening draws closer. And somewhere out there, the cure to vampirism waits in an ancient tomb, ready to reshape supernatural politics entirely.
But tonight brings victory over Expression-enhanced killers, permanent Enhanced Speed mastery, and Caroline's faith that I can survive what's coming.
Two permanent affinities now—Defensive Shield and Enhanced Speed. Both core capabilities burned into my being so deeply they can never be taken away.
I'm becoming something unprecedented: human with permanently integrated supernatural abilities, system-wielder following in footsteps of ancient predecessor who helped imprison the first immortal.
The question is whether I'll be strong enough when Silas finally wakes.
Because despite all our efforts, I'm starting to suspect Shane will succeed eventually.
And when that happens, the Clone Sovereign will face the first immortal in battle that will determine Mystic Falls's survival.
To supporting Me in Pateron .
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