Power Punch

After confirming everything in my character sheet, apart from talent trees and abilities, and deciding it’s good and nothing is to be changed, I check the last window. I actually missed it because of its position on the other side of the circle they are put in.

It’s a huge map. Huge, like, really huge. The small part that’s not greyed out, consisting of six islands, is already large enough to have seven huge countries on it. And the islands are, uh, in many thousands. I can only estimate the number, but it honestly looks like a damned asteroid field and it’s hard to even estimate the number past being very high.

There are also around twenty other islands around them in red, and I quickly check that it indicates islands you can spawn on, but that are uninhabited and not recommended for new players unless they intend on playing alone and are here for more of a death world and don't mind their experience being oftentimes unenjoyable.

Anyway, the six islands are of various sizes, the largest being at least five times larger in area than the smallest. Titan’s Gorge, Beholder’s Eye, Mace, Wanderer, Blue Dragon and Darkhive are their names, all due to certain characteristic of each island.

I read their descriptions and find one that is particularly interesting, for me at least.

Beholder’s Eye.

One of the most peculiar islands in vicinity, roughly round in shape and average in size (around 2 thousand kilometers in diameter). It is covered in mountains in the middle and huge forests around them all the way to the edges to the island. There is abnormally high mana density closer to the center of the island and many monsters of varying strength have their nests in the unexplored forests.

Relatively few humans live here, but there is a developing human nation on the island's southern side. It is common for young adventurers, hunters, and other to fly there on a ship and make a living by slaying monsters, and they create communities that accept folk of different races and cultures, in comparison to generally unwelcoming locals.

The island, unlike many others, has very inconsistent amount of mana, leading to increase of monster’s strength as you delve further into the forests and very little danger on the outer edges of island. Yet at the same time it causes common monster outbreaks as they are chased out from their territories by stronger opponents, increasing the dangers to villages on the edges in the form of occasional attacks that can turn into stampedes.

(Detailed description)

What catches my attention here is the ramping up strength of monsters. I’m not sure how it would turn out exactly since I haven’t played yet, but it looks like an island suited for people who want to quickly and reliably get stronger. It would allow to stay on the same island for a long time and challenge stronger and stronger monsters as you grow.

I also check a bit more in detail and get to know that the island is divided into thirteen parts and you can start in eight border regions. Six of them are almost without people, but southern side has the capital and southeastern has around twenty towns and villages along the edge.

There are two spawn places in each region and they are very general, but it’s at least narrowed down to the edge of the island and in a smaller arc. With the island around one thousand kilometers in radius, each of the sixteen spawns is more or less a three hundred kilometers line. It’s still quite damn long, but I guess it’s done this way to avoid people learning a good spawn point and going there purposefully.

Hm, actually, I can’t spawn in any larger town or city directly. It might have to do with my race, like, lore reasons, being thrown out of Demon’s dimension or something like that.

Welp, let’s do a quick chat to make sure we are on the same page with others and don’t do some stupid mistake with spawns.

Zen: Hello, everyone, how’s it going? I’m looking at the map now, and I am considering where we should start. There is a place that seems good for ranking up.

Derrie: Finishing with my character, haven’t done anything else yet.

Alex: I looked at the map. Beholder’s Eye?

Zen: Yeah. I was considering the southeastern border’s lower spawn since it seems to have both people and monsters.

Alex: Sounds good. I was thinking about Riverside. If anyone has complaints, check out the map soon because we won’t be waiting till all of us finish dawdling around with characters.

Derrie: Beholder’s Eye is good, I guess.

Robert: I don’t mind wherever we spawn.

Robert: But I have a bit of a problem.

Alex: What is it?

David: Hm?

Robert: So, David you listen well cause it affects mostly you, there is that one race, Hellcarvers, good for magic engineering and blacksmithing, and it actually has metal and fire affinities so it would be great for me, but it’s genderless and not at all human. Are you all fine with that? I could choose another, and it won’t be much worse, but I can’t find anything that would combine smithing with engineering while being battle-oriented at the same time and I would like all three if possible.

David: Wait a moment, I’ll check it out.

Derrie: No problem personally, I chose Elemental Spirit so I’m far from human.

Alex: I’d say do what you want as long as it’s compatible with team play. Hellcarvers are cool also, I would choose them if I was going for engineering.

David: Uh, I checked it, and, don’t get me wrong, but that’s a rough choice okay *wink*. I don’t mind though, not like we’ll be sitting in VR for months straight. I am picking Blood Elf, which is like, close to human but not quite.

David: Oh and Riverside is good for me.

Zen: Okay, I’ll be going then.

I smile and select the region, though don’t choose to go yet since it warns to be ready for a fight. Quote, the region you will spawn in is designated as safe area for new players, but the situation at the point might be dangerous. In short, it says that the area in general should be safe, but the game might as well throw you straight into a fight. And for that I will need to check my abilities so I won’t die because of lack of preparation.

Before that, though, a chat window pops up in my vision.

Alex: You were quick with that character, I have all the abilities to make still. Did you roll random?

Zen: Uh, yeah.

Alex: So? What did you get?

Zen: I kinda want to surprise you all. It’s a really good one though, both in appearance and stats.

Alex: Cool, can’t wait to see.

I smirk, imagining her transgender ass reaction to the hot chick I’ll be. Largely because I am fairly certain that Alex is a lesbian, though we never got neither confirmation nor denial from her and she isn’t in any relationship.

I turn around to another panel with my abilities and I inspect them one by one, my eyes going wide at some point.

Like, I should have expected that, but that's still a lot. Four abilities, including three bloodline abilities, meaning directly from my bloodline and not changeable, and last ability a normal, active kind. I should probably note that the norm is two plus one every one or two levels of Mana Core.

I also see that these abilities were created without assist. They were created by the AI though, so it’s only to be expected, but it kind of irks me that I can see at first glance it’s not my creation.

Hm, I should probably explain how the assist works.

Let’s see the first simple ability I have here. It’s a normal active ability and a plain one, its effect being that it coats my body parts in flame, effectively increasing strength of my attacks and adding flame to them.

So the thing is, the way it is made is that you have nodes symbolizing body and Demonic Flame, so the source of demonic energy, a node from Body as Weapon called Semi-solid coating, node from Demonic Star called Scorching Flame and another symbolizing Stellar Flame. Demonic Flame, Stellar Flame and Scorching flame are overlapping and are connected directly to Semi-solid coating, which in turn is connected to body node. Don't get me started on what each connection means, because it’s already damn complicated with five nodes, which is quite few comparing to what you can make with everything people have available.

Now, assist, to put short, suggests what you can do with two nodes you connect and type of connection you use so that you don't have to specify every single detail. Though it’s still hard to do well, and it’s possible to have people in the world teach you skills. Manual creation of your abilities is intended to be used by people who are not satisfied with what the game offers and want to achieve specified effects with their abilities.

Bloodline abilities are a different matter because they are not possible to be changed and just stay the way they are. At best they will evolve under very high requirements, but that's not something you count on.

Anyway, that’s the gist.

Now to the three bloodline abilities, which are honestly really interesting.

So, first one is the ability to assume demonic form. I can apparently shift every part of my body into demonic, humanoid or True Demon form apart from horns that are a great magic conductor and extremely important for Demons.

I can separately reveal demonic features and go into True Demon mode, and the features are wings being a combination of succubus’ and dragon’s apparently, then tail of a succubus… or actually two tails? I get succubus tail in human form and another more suited for combat in demonic form. There are also claws, actual long claws instead of nails, though only in True Demon form. Interesting that my feet cannot be changed into those of a human.

And the True Demon form makes me larger and makes my demonic features even more demonic on top of greatly increasing all my stats greatly. Dayum. That’s a lot to take in.

Apparently I will be able to do that instinctively after first use that needs to be driven emotionally.

Hm, not like I need that outright, so it’s fine.

It makes me wonder though why it is explicitly stated it’s a succubus tail. Surely I won’t need, uh, sexual energy or whatever to survive? Or have some stupid urges?

It’s a Demon of Love though, among others. Hm.

No matter, not like I’ll change that. Not like I can since it’s already locked, and I'm not in the mood to design a custom character after being presented with this.

The second bloodline ability is magic sight that makes it possible to see mana, demonic energy and other supernatural energies. Nothing fancy, but seems very useful. Should make it much easier to control my Flame if I see what I am doing better. Maybe I’ll also be able to control mana in some way? Taking my Energy affinity into account, that might be doable. Who knows.

And the third ability apparently makes my body resistant to… foreign momentum transfer, on top of making it easier for me to shift and control my momentum?

That’s some complicated thing here, but the way I understand it I should be able to affect my momentum to an extent so that I won’t throw myself backwards if I hit something heavy in the air, or vice versa lessen the impact and jump away, depending what I want.

It should also make me less prone to being flung around the battlefield if I’m hit by something heavy, and it should also make it easier to, for example, change my direction in the air. I think so, at least.

We’ll see on the way, better to test it in practice.

Well, to sum it up, I have three good general abilities from my bloodline I will need to adjust to, and in terms of combat I have fiery fists and feet for now. Nothing to write home about, well maybe my race, but it’s all simple for now.

Well, I’m ready go, I guess.

I walk up to the character, take a deep breath to calm myself and can’t help but marvel at the sight before me for a moment, and walk into the model.

My sight blackens and my senses get disconnected as my mind is transferred into the character.

It should be at least.

Is it really?

What is taking so long?

Hello?

I can’t speak for good ten seconds, from my point of view at least, and I almost start to panic until I hear a voice that calms me down.

The same voice of a girl with this divine vibe that spoke during the introduction, or actually the first thing I hear is an amused giggle.

“So the Journey has begun, hasn’t it, little one?”

I hear a sigh after that, and she starts speaking again in a slightly exasperated, but surprisingly gentle tone.

“There are a few things I need to tell you, because the system won’t until it’s too late. First of all, as you know, you are a Demon of Wrath, Love and Pride. Wrath means the will and love to fight, Love means you can find only the one for yourself, together they mean wrath against who hurts your loved one, and Pride means you will never let anyone trample you and those you love. All three they create who you are.

“I’ll help you a bit so you won’t have too much trouble, but remember, little one. If you are meant to love a person, you will realize by yourself when you find that person, but until then don’t let anyone too close to yourself, or you will regret for the rest of your life.

“Another small advice, don’t rely on your abilities too much. Learn and use your Flame, and get creative. With that said, I’ll bid you farewell. You’ll find yourself in battle, so be prepared. Remember my name: Shiva, the Demon Princess. It will be some time till we see each other. I look forward to it. Be strong, and be yourself, Helia, my dear daughter.”

As the last words ring out, I can almost feel my heart leaping out of my chest and a strange feeling I can’t identify sprouts in my stomach.