Homegrown System

At Alice's feet, Titus remained disturbingly still. She shook him but didn't take her eyes off the dead kraken that was tilting their boat dangerously. He didn't respond. She looked down and saw his eyes were closed, but even as she pressed her fingers to his throat, she knew he was fine. He had a pulse, and his body was burning bright, but black veins were tracing from the wound in his foot. The fucking thing was poisonous.

Alice looked around and found the satchel that she had bought slung across the chair inside. Mercifully, the healing items she had purchased were unbroken. The first thing she did was chug a mana recovery potion. They needed to get this Kraken thing off the ship as soon as possible, and the only way she could think of doing it was with mana. That fire burned in the pattern of her mana, and even as she tried to move her mana around, it multiplied inside of her, neither coming from within nor without, but rather like mitosis and cells dividing. The mana inside her multiplied.

I need to get another one of those potions and study it.

But she couldn't complain about the results. After the flash of pain and fire burning in her mana patterns, she felt re-energized. She dove back into the satchel, grabbing one of the healing pills she'd purchased and shoving it in Titus's mouth. She hoped he didn't have to swallow it and that just dissolving it on his tongue would be enough to counteract the poison. Already, the ship was starting to groan. She hoped that getting the Kraken's body off now would be enough.

Closing her eyes, she quickly assigned her new stats. Defeating the monster had earned her levels, pushing her to level ten. On the brink of gaining her next grade, she put all four points into power. Hopefully, this would be enough.

She ran in close and examined how the Kraken was holding on. At least two of the tentacles attached to the top deck were keeping its body from falling back into the water. Focusing, she blasted one of them with a mana bolt, partially severing it before quickly following up with a second one, cutting it loose. Her increased power allowed her to cut the tentacle off at a much thicker point than before.

The head and body started to peel away, but it wasn't enough. If anything, the awkward angle only increased the leverage the body caused, forcing the prow of the boat even further out of the water. She stumbled and barely caught herself from getting too close to the beak that had poisoned Titus. Adjusting her aim, she fired two more bolts into the other tentacle, severing it. The tentacles flopped to the deck, and the head started to peel away slowly as it sank into the water. The ship righted itself as its buoyancy removed a lot of the force.

With many popping sounds, the suction cups on some of the tentacles started to give way. The thing peeled off into the water, slowly detaching itself from the boat. To her surprise and joy, she found that she might be able to cast two or even three more bolts before she was run dry of mana. The increase in power was certainly paying off.

The tortured hum of the engine and drive shaft starting up again echoed through the ship, and they lurched forward. Alice barely grabbed onto the rail, slick with black blood, to prevent being thrown overboard into the churning wake below. The Kraken was dragged along for a little bit, but the force of the water slowly peeled it off the ship's hull, leaving it bobbing in their wake. Three or four cut tentacles still on deck were soaking everything with its black blood.

Alice splashed through it, back over to Titus, and propped him up on the chair with surprising ease to get him out of the way in case there was any poison in there. She found a water bottle in the satchel and poured some in his mouth, washing the half-dissolved healing pill down his throat. As he coughed and spluttered, his eyes opened, a look of confusion on his face. He said something incomprehensible in a language far from English before his eyes focused on her face.

"Alice?" he asked.

She heaved a huge sigh. "It's all right, Titus. It's dead."

He nodded and smiled. "I see. Congrats on the levels."

A quick glance revealed that he was now level 13. With a groan, he shifted, sitting properly in the chair. Pulling a lever on its side, he rose up so that he could see as if he were standing. Taking hold of the wheel and adjusting the controls slightly, he flipped a button, which locked everything in place, before turning to talk with her.

"What happened?" he asked.

She quickly gave the rundown of what she did after he was out. He had only missed a few moments, but it felt like a lot more at the time. He took it in stoically, and they sat in silence for several moments after she finished explaining.

"Thank you, Alice. I... thank you," he said.

She smiled. "It's only fair, right?"

Titus let loose a full laugh. "Yeah. I suppose so. So, what do you want to do with that?" He gestured over his shoulder at the severed tentacles and the pool of black blood. "Don't suppose you wouldn't mind finding a hose?"

Alice groaned but went down to the lower deck to search.

***

The next several hours of their boat trip were nowhere near as pleasant as the first. Alice found a hose and a pump and was able to wash away all the potentially poisonous blood from several decks and the side of the ship. Despite Titus's cheeriness and generally upbeat attitude, even more so than his usual joking self, Alice soon realized he was compensating for the immense amount of pain his foot was in. As a result, while she worked, she had no chance of switching tasks, as Titus couldn't actually put any weight on his foot at the moment.

The healing pill was doing its job and had purged most of the toxins, but the gash was slow to close. He was hesitant to take another one, as he could still feel the energies at work and didn't want to overload his system. But at least there was progress being made.

I also got an extra workout, having to heave the giant tentacles off the side, she thought. They just prayed that the trail of blood wasn't attracting predators they couldn't handle. Already, she had seen several sharks—just normal sharks, not monsters—circling the boat. This made her nervous enough, let alone considering the idea of some giant monster shark ramming the boat and sinking them. So far, though, nothing like that had happened. Titus assured her that, for the most part, they would be left alone. How he knew that, she didn't question.

Eventually, she got back to sitting on the chair below, soaking up the sun and circulating her mana. As she worked, she really gained an appreciation for her new power. That was not a stat she had ever figured would be her focus. Still, she seriously considered forgoing Titus's advice and focusing primarily on power. Titus favored speed and control himself, and she had been starting to do so, subconsciously or consciously.

She wasn't too sluggish anymore. She used to be, but now, in this last fight, she actually didn't feel like she was too slow. She just couldn't hit hard enough. And if her job was to stand in the back while Titus fought something up close and hit it as hard as possible, well, she had to be quick enough that he didn't get killed in the meantime and controlled enough that she didn't kill him by accident. But her biggest job was to hit as hard as possible— with magic.

Once she had made that decision, she felt something change. The pattern of mana was no longer just random spirals throughout her body. It moved and shifted as if realigning itself to her new priorities. A small ball started to slowly grow somewhere at the center, the place where mana flooded in as she absorbed it and created it. Then it mixed, and mana left it to circulate throughout all the pathways it was carving in her body. But less came out than went in, and right now, it was maybe the size of a grain of sand, but it was growing.

Is this like a magical tumor? She worried. Is something going to grow and take over my magic, living in my body?

But that didn't quite feel right. It felt like she could draw from it, and a few tests showed that she could. If she needed to, she could pull a burst of power from it. It drained and emptied quickly, but it wasn't the same as just running out of all the mana in her channels.

So, as she circulated the mana and got more and more used to the feeling, she attempted to generate mana again. This time, she restricted how much came out of the ball of storage. As she did so, it felt like less power was moving through her, but the little bead of pure energy started to grow, and with it, so did her feeling of potential.

When Alice finally opened her eyes, she found a welcome prompt waiting for her.

Through battle and insights, you have achieved something deep within yourself. Congratulations on reaching E-grade.

Class one unlocked.

Choose one of the following classes for your first class.

Battle Mage - Common

Class Description: The Battle Mage blends the raw power of magic with the physical prowess of a warrior. They can cast destructive spells while wielding weapons with deadly efficiency. In combat, the Battle Mage excels at both close-quarters fighting and ranged magical attacks, making them adaptable to various combat situations.

Stats: +1 speed, +1 power, +1 control

Abilities:

[Arcane Slash]: Infuse a weapon with magical energy, dealing extra damage on the next attack.

[Magic Barrier]: Erect a protective shield that absorbs a portion of incoming damage.

[Elemental Burst]: Release a wave of elemental energy that damages all nearby enemies.

Elemental Sage - Uncommon

Class Description: The Elemental Sage is a master of the natural elements, capable of bending fire, water, earth, and air to their will. With a deep understanding of elemental magic, they can unleash devastating attacks and provide powerful defensive measures. Whether summoning a wall of flames or calling forth a healing rain, the Elemental Sage is versatile and formidable in any situation.

Stats: +1 speed, +1 power, +1 control, +1 free point

Abilities:

[Elemental Blast]: Launch a burst of elemental energy at enemies, causing significant damage.

[Shield of Elements]: Create a barrier of elemental energy that reduces incoming damage.

[Elemental Infusion]: Enhance allies' weapons with elemental properties for a limited time.

Illusionist - Uncommon

Class Description: The Illusionist is a master of deception and misdirection. They use illusions to confuse and disorient enemies, creating opportunities for attacks and escapes. The Illusionist excels at crowd control, making them a valuable asset in any encounter.

Stats: +1 speed, +1 power, +2 control

Abilities:

[Phantom Strike]: Create an illusory duplicate to attack enemies, causing confusion.

[Mirror Image]: Summon clones of yourself to distract and mislead foes.

[Veil of Deception]: Create an illusionary terrain that hides allies and misleads enemies.

Warlock - Rare, Contract Offer - Legendary

Class Description: The Warlock is a practitioner of forbidden magic, drawing power from a binding contract with an ancient and powerful entity. This pact allows the Warlock to channel dark energies and cast potent spells that are beyond the reach of ordinary mages. The Warlock's abilities are fueled by their connection to this otherworldly being, granting them access to devastating powers and unique magical insights.

Contract Offer: You have been offered a contract by an ancient and powerful being. They have witnessed your progress and are pleased with your course (see attached).

The terms of the contract are loosely defined but generally revolve around the Warlock's survival and continuation on their path of power and discovery. In return for their loyalty, the bonded being bestows upon the Warlock a fragment of its power, giving abilities determined by the strength of your bond.

Stats: +1 speed, +3 power, +1 control, +1 free point

Abilities:

[Pact Bond]: This skill grows and shrinks with the level of alignment with the bondholder. The higher the level, the greater the power that is shared.

[Life Drain]: Channel dark energy to siphon the life force from an enemy, healing yourself while damaging the target. This ability allows the Warlock to sustain themselves in battle and turn the tide of combat through sheer willpower.

[Communion]: Enter a trance to commune with the bondholder, gaining insights and knowledge about the current situation. This ability allows the Warlock to receive guidance, uncover hidden truths, and strategize based on the bondholder's wisdom.

System Mother - Divine

Class Description: The System Mother is a transcendent and omniscient entity who birthed the System itself. This class grants unparalleled oversight over the workings of the world, allowing the System Mother to observe events from a distance without directly intervening. With a deep connection to the System's core, the System Mother can witness the paths of those within the System and understand the intricate weave of fate and destiny. Their role is purely observational, ensuring that they can see and understand everything without altering the course of events.

Stats: +100 speed, +100 power, +100 control

Abilities:

[Omniscient Vision]: Gain the ability to observe any location within the System at will, receiving detailed information about ongoing events and the status of individuals.

[Eternal Witness]: Record and retain perfect memory of all observed events, providing unparalleled knowledge of the System's history and dynamics.

[Foresight]: Passively sense upcoming significant events and shifts within the System, gaining a broader understanding of potential futures.

[Inherent Understanding]: Instantly comprehend the motives, emotions, and potential outcomes of actions taken by those within the System.

[System Analysis]: Access comprehensive data on the System's structure, laws, and mechanics, enabling a deeper understanding of its operations.

[Seer's Insight]: Perceive hidden truths and unseen connections, revealing the underlying patterns that influence the System's events.

[Temporal Observation]: View past events within the System as if they were happening in the present, providing complete and accurate historical insight.

The System Mother stands as the ultimate observer, a silent guardian who witnesses and understands the unfolding of events without altering the natural course of destiny within the System.

Congratulations, you are the third in the world to each E grade.

+Title -- The Tertius: Gain +7% effectiveness to all stats.