Multi-Dimensional Merchant System

As much as he wanted to dive straight into picking his next spell, Oliver knew he needed to be smart about it. Even if the only information he got about the spells was their names, a lot could be inferred from that alone. And, with three left to select, he had a lot of information to consider. Synergies between spells, what elements and types of damages may be present, whether or not the spells may conflict with each other...

He doubted just reading the names would answer all of his questions, but it at least gave him an idea.

Pulling a pen and notebook from the System Warehouse, Oliver decided to review all of the options before making his selections. Opening each of the claims screens one by one, he started a list of all the spell names available from the bounties as he read through them.

Multiversal Bounty: Offense is the best defense

Objective: Acquire and Deliver a Tier 3 single target offensive Spell Tome

Details: I require a Spell Tome for an offensive spell. The spell should take the form of a projectile, single target, with a range of at least 50ft. The nature or element of the projectile does not matter, though its primary focus should be on damage. Secondary effects inflicted upon the target are optional. This spell should have no adverse effects on the caster.

Offense is the best defense claims.

Breaker submitted (Eye of the Tiger Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

Breaker submitted (Sludge Bolt Spell Tome ).

(Accept/Reject)

Renos the Righteous submitted (Searing Light Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

Shadow Maker submitted (Shadow Bolt Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

The Mentalist of Avrendale submitted (Mind Bullets Manifestation Technique).

(Accept/Reject)

Adaraxis the Betrayer submitted (Wind Blade Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

The Mage Council of Westermont City submitted (Lightning Bolt Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

(Four submissions automatically rejected for failure to meet stated objective/requirements.)

Oliver paused after reading the list of submissions as a few thoughts struck him... The first being that one of them was listed as a Manifestation Technique rather than a Spell Tome, a fact that was both curious and tickled something in the back of his mind.

After a moment, it clicked in to place: he already had a Manifestation Technique in the form of Psi Blade! And, while Spells used mana, Manifestation Techniques used Psi... But he had listed the objective specifically as 'Spell Tome'. Did that mean that the system accepted them a roughly equivalent and thus acceptable for submission? Would it still have accepted that submission if he hadn't unlocked the Psi sub-attribute?

And secondly... The system was actively weeding out some submissions? What requirements did they fail to meet? Were there people out there actively trying to scam the Bounty Board? How did that even work?

Or was it the person behind the System that was helping him out? He had no idea.

Shaking his head, he shrugged off his speculation. He wasn't likely to get answers any time soon. And he still had more claims to read through before he could choose which to accept.

With a thought, he opened the next page.

Multiversal Bounty: Bombardment

Objective: Acquire and Deliver a Tier 3 area of effect offensive Spell Tome

Details: I require a Spell Tome for an offensive, area of effect spell. The spell should have a cast range of at least 50 ft and cover an area with a diameter of at least 20 ft. Cast range must exceed area of effect. The nature or element of the spell does not matter, but its primary focus should be on damage. Secondary effects inflicted upon the targets is optional- if present, effects that slow, stun, or immobilize are preferred. This spell should have no adverse effects on the caster.

Bombardment claims.

Breaker submitted (Chaos Bomb Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

Magus Ursinda submitted (Fireball Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

Stonehammer the Unyielding submitted (Stone Call Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

Anonymous submitted (Silent Scream Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

It seemed there were even more new things to consider, namely that the people submitting Bounties had an option for anonymity. Oliver hadn't expected that, but wasn't really surprised.

Though that did raise the question of whether or not he could post bounties anonymously... And why he didn't think to look for that option. Silently kicking himself for the oversight, he quickly moved on to the last page of claims.

Multiversal Bounty: Control the flow

Objective: Acquire and Deliver a Tier 3 area of effect control Spell Tome

Details: I require a Spell Tome for an area of effect control spell. The spell should have a cast range of at least 50 ft and cover an area with a diameter of at least 20 ft. Cast range must exceed area of effect. The nature or elements of the spell does not matter, but its primary focus should be on inhibiting the targets. Effects that slow, stun, immobilize, paralyze, or incapacitate are preferred. The spell must affect living, organic targets, but the ability to also affect non-organic or non-living targets is preferred. Damage is secondary and not required. This spell should have no adverse effects on the caster.

Control the flow claims.

Samwin the Simian submitted (Mad Monkeys Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

Necromancer Xra'Dravet the Vile submitted (Haunted Mist Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

Queen Lonomia of the Eternal Swarm submitted (Web Spell Tome).

(Accept/Reject)

Oliver read through the list he had made slowly as he considered his options. He wanted at least two different elements from his offensive options, just in case he encountered an enemy that was resistant or immune to one particular damage type. He knew from years of playing video games that nothing was more frustrating than facing an enemy you couldn't even hurt.

And considering it was his life on the line and not just a video game character, that was one pitfall he would try to avoid.

But how to pick the right spells, and the right combination of spells, when all he had were names to go by?

Some were self-explanatory: Web probably created a large web to entangle enemies. Fireball probably exploded with fire. Wind Blade, Shadow Bolt, Lightning Bolt... all likely threw out some form of projectile of their listed element...

But Mad Monkeys? What sort of a control spell was that? Did Mind Bullets summon literal psychic bullets like he imagined? Or was he completely off? Was Sludge Bolt a type of acid spell? Or poison?

And, while Eye of the Tiger was a great song... What the hell did the spell do?

“Maybe I should ignore the spells that I have no clue about? But what if they are incredibly good and just poorly named?” He muttered to himself as he scanned the list again. “Damn, I wish I could ask Marty for his input. Guy knows games better than anyone...”

Oliver's face briefly creased into a frown when he thought about his friends and roommates. He hadn't really spoken to them in a while, and hadn't hung out with them for even longer. He had been so caught up in everything else, from the System to his relationship with Poli to dealing with Carl and his asshole dad...

“Fuck... I've been a pretty shitty friend, haven't I?” Oliver sighed, resolving himself to do better by his friends. “After this job. I need to head back and get the business moving, so that's a perfect time to catch up... And I should probably apologize for just disappearing like an asshole...”

Shaking his head at his own stupidity, it took him a moment to refocus on the list in front of him. Regretting his mistakes didn't change the fact that he had to make a choice right now, and likely an important choice. For all he knew, he would need these spells soon.

“So... What do I pick?” He mused, idly clicking his pen. I can only grab one from each claim, since I don't have enough credits for an extra... Unless I hold on to a claim until the next auction? Damn, I should have saved up some more before I took this bounty...”

“Ok Oli. Take the logical approach. Reject the ones you know you don't want to condense the list. Maybe eliminate some of the ones you aren't sure about... Then break down the pros and cons of the ones that remain?”

“Though part of me really wants to take Mind Bullets just because it is the only Psi technique being offered...”

“Eye of the Tiger is, regrettably, a flat rejection. It's just too much of an unknown.”

“Sludge Bolt, Shadow Bolt, Lightning Bolt, and Wind Blade are all pretty similar sounding. Though I guess someone could argue that Wind Blade may be different enough... Whatever. Pick an element to move on to the next round of consideration, then eliminate the others.... Shit, they all sound pretty good...”

“Chaos Bomb is out; still too many unknowns. And it sound a little unpredictable... Fuck, I hope whoever this Breaker is, they don't hold a grudge for me flat out rejecting two of their submissions... I'm still not sold on Sludge Bolt over Shadow Bolt... No, no. Focus on eliminating options and keep going. I can't let myself get hung up on every decision or I'll never actually make a decision...”

“And I should probably stop talking to myself. It makes me looks crazy.” Oliver chuckled at his own joke...

Then laughed even harder at the thought: How crazy was he if he was joking and laughing with himself?

But that was a concern for later. Right now he had decisions to make.